The Chinese authorities have decided to initiate an antidumping investigation against European pork products as a counterpart to the European Union’s announcement to impose tariffs on electric vehicles from China considering that, according to the press release, “they benefit from unfair subsidies, constituting a threat of economic damage to European producers”. This measure directly affects Spanish pork producers. In 2023, Spain exported 560,488 tons of pork meat and processed products to China for a value of 1,223 million euros.
For all of the above, Anafric asks the Spanish Government to force the European Commission “into a context of negotiation with the Chinese authorities, given the enormous economic damage that this investigation represents for our exports.”
José Friguls, president of the Anafric association, is in permanent contact with the Spanish Government and the European employers’ association UECBV, to try to remedy this “tug of war between powers, which affects Spain as the leading exporter.”
More obstacles
On June 17, 2024, the Chinese authorities have initiated the antidumping investigation for pork meat and products. This means that companies have 20 days to appear by registering on the website of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and, from here, an exhaustive investigation will begin, which can last around a year and a half, of exporting companies to determine if there is dumping or not.
As long as provisional measures are not imposed by China, the trade flow continues normally.
Interporc’s determination
The white pork sector advocates for understanding in trade relations between the European Union and China, and makes itself available to the Chinese authorities to share all the documentation they require.
This has been stated by the White-Capped Pork Agri-Food Interprofessional (INTERPORC) following the statement from the Chinese authorities in which they announced an anti-dumping investigation into the import of pork and its by-products originating in the EU. A process that will last about a year and in which there is plenty of time for the EU and China to reach agreements.
The Spanish pork sector and the Chinese authorities and operators maintain excellent relations that have led Spain to be the first supplier of pork products to China, Interporc explains. Commercial relations that are carried out with absolute transparency, and for this reason the Spanish pork companies “will collaborate by providing all the information requested by the Chinese authorities.”
Interporc expresses absolute respect for the work of the European, Spanish and Chinese authorities, which are in charge of regulating trade relations, and asks that good harmony be maintained in relations.
