China holds anti-dumping hearing

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) organised a hearing with a high-level European delegation this morning (18 July) to address concerns about the dumping of brandy.

MOFCOM launched its enquiry into European brandy at the beginning of this year. Cognac producers are represented by the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC), who denied the allegations that brandy was being sold in China below the price in its domestic market.

It has been alleged that China’s investigation into brandy is a political move against France, which has excluded Chinese products from its electric vehicle tax incentives. The European Commission has since introduced provisional tariffs on imports of Chinese electric vehicles.

Today’s hearing was requested by European parties including the BNIC, the Armagnac Bureau National Interprofessionnel, Spirits Europe and the Fédération des Exportateurs de Vins & Spiritueux de France.

The hearing was attended by a European Union ambassador, who represented the European Commission, accompanied by the French, Spanish and Italian embassies.

The European delegation stated the hearing was ‘part of the willingness of the associations, as well as European companies, to cooperate fully with the Chinese authorities in the context of this procedure’.

The European parties rejected the ‘unfounded’ allegations, which they stated were ‘neither technically nor legally supported’.

The European associations and the sampled companies reiterated the ‘absence of dumping, injury or threat of injury, as demonstrated by the evidence provided to the investigating authorities throughout the proceedings’.

The investigation is expected to conclude before 5 January 2025.

Earlier this year, SB looked investigated why the Chinese government had launched an anti-dumping enquiry into brandy and Cognac from the EU.