Recently, the Economic and Commercial Counselor's Office of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands quoted articles citing the EU's trade protection measures for China's solar panels and solar cells that will expire in September 2018. The European Commission’s Justice and Consumer Directorate proposed to cancel the Anti-dumping measures for the product. This news has also been confirmed by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
As early as February of last year, the European Commission had taken the initiative to release signals that anti-dumping measures on solar panels would gradually be cancelled. However, people in the industry surveyed believe that with the rise of protectionist forces in recent days, trade friction between countries and regions has been escalating. Whether the EU can 'unblock' China's PV products is full of uncertainty.
Protectionism 'Tim'
In 2013, the European Union began to impose anti-dumping duties on solar panels in China. Since then, Chinese companies have exported photovoltaic cells to Europe. Components face an average of 47.6% and an anti-dumping rate of 67.9%. This protects the EU's local industry from the impact of imported solar energy. However, it also imposes greater constraints on the development of local industries and related economies.
According to a study by the European Commission’s Judicial and Consumer Directorate in 2017, the relaxation of trade protection measures for imported solar products in China will increase investment in the photovoltaic industry, and it is expected that by 2030, it will increase the installed capacity of photovoltaics by 20% to 30%. The above organization thus proposed to cancel the anti-dumping measures imposed on China's photovoltaic products.
The research report released by Ernst & Young has also reached a similar conclusion: The abolition of the current anti-dumping measures will help increase the EU solar industry's employment rate and create an additional 45,000 jobs for the EU.
The relevant person in charge of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products told the International Business Daily that the European Commission proposed lasting an extension of anti-dumping tariffs on solar panels in China for 24 months. After being opposed by local industry associations, it will be extended by 18 months. Cancel this tariff. 'However, this positive signal is becoming unpredictable with the rise of trade protectionist forces and the escalation of global trade friction.' The responsible person said without fear that the United States took 201 surveys and India’s China Solar's anti-dumping investigations have made the international trade situation complicated and changeable.
On January 22 this year, President Trump of the United States announced the launch of safeguard measures for global photovoltaic cells and components, adding 201 tariffs to the existing anti-dumping and countervailing duty rates: The tax rate will be 30% in 2018 and will be reduced by 5% each year for the next 4 years. , And each year there will be 2.5 GW of imported battery cells or components that have immunity.
Industry insiders generally believe that this investigation is aimed at China. Former Industry Research Institute analyst Ke Sufang stated that China is currently the world's largest market for photovoltaic applications, accounting for about 54% of the global market. The data show that the United States in 2011 to China Prior to anti-dumping duties on photovoltaic products, Chinese PV products accounted for 15.56% of the United States' exports. After frequent anti-dumping, China's exports of solar panels to Europe and the United States have greatly decreased.
In addition, in January this year, India once decided to impose a 70% protection tax on imported solar cells and components to protect its solar energy product manufacturers. However, the Indian government recently rejected the recommendations of the relevant authorities and decided not to levy a Chinese solar equipment. Protective tariffs.
However, the relevant person in charge of the Indian government stressed: 'India is currently not implementing protection tariffs, anti-dumping investigations on China's photovoltaic products are still in progress, the risk still exists.'
The road to 'unblocking' is full of variables
As the relevant person in charge of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products is worried: 'The implementation of the United States' Article 201 is like opening a 'Pandora's box' and has the risk of triggering a chain reaction. If India's measures for the import of photovoltaic products to China change rapidly, we are very It is difficult to predict the resolution of the EU. Affected by the U.S. restrictions on the import of photovoltaic products, the photovoltaic products exported to the U.S. may be turned to the EU market, and the EU Commission cannot be excluded from protecting the local PV manufacturers from 'over-import'. By extension of the tariff measure.'
Trade protection measures will obviously cause losses to China's photovoltaic industry. Ke Sufang stated that since the domestic PV downstream market was not mature, the benchmarked on-grid price policy has not yet been introduced. The United States and Europe can be said to be the largest export market for Chinese PV companies. The survey has caused domestic photovoltaic companies to suffer. At present, China's photovoltaic product export market is moving to Japan, India and other countries.
Regardless of whether the European Union’s tariff measure on solar panels in China is eventually withdrawn or extended, the above-mentioned responsible person stated that before the formal resolution of the European Commission, Chinese PV companies should maintain a cautious attitude. At the same time, the company is ready to respond and is actively seeking and expanding. Emerging Markets.
