On October 30, the European Commission announced five-year anti-dumping duties of 39.8% to 48.1% on PET spunbond fabric imported from China. The material is used mainly in waterproofing products for construction, not in bottle production. Brussels says dumped imports harmed producers in Germany, Italy and France. The decision follows provisional measures introduced in May 2026.
What exactly is being taxed?
The duties cover certain PET spunbond nonwoven polyester fabric, used as a backing material for waterproofing membranes, including roofing products. They do not apply generally to PET bottle resin, recycled PET pellets, plastic packaging or Chinese plastics as a whole.
Why has the EU imposed tariffs?
The European Commission says its anti-dumping investigation found that Chinese imports were being sold at dumped prices and were injuring EU producers in Germany, Italy and France. The case followed an August 2025 complaint by Freudenberg Performance Materials and Johns Manville. The Commission values the EU market for this specific fabric at around €200 million.
The final duties took effect on 31 October 2026 and will last five years. Rates differ by manufacturer, from 39.8% to 48.1%. Chinese products are not banned: covered imports can still enter the EU subject to the applicable duty.
Editor’s comment — Axel Barrett
In my view, the European Commission is copying Donald Trump’s tariff policy: it is using steep import taxes to protect European manufacturers against Chinese competition. The Commission has criticised American protectionism, but now it is putting tariffs of up to 48.1% on a Chinese plastics product.
There is an important legal difference: these EU duties follow a product-specific anti-dumping investigation, rather than a blanket tariff on all imports. Even so, the comparison deserves scrutiny. Who benefits from these duties, and what will they cost European businesses that rely on imported materials?
Sources: European Commission, 30 October 2026; Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2393.
