TL;DR
More than fifteen product categories from China are subject to active anti-dumping measures in 2026, with rates from 9.9% to 122.8%. Without the correct TARIC additional code on your commercial invoice, customs automatically applies the highest available rate.
Section 1 — What Is Anti-Dumping (in 60 Seconds)
Anti-dumping is not the same as a standard customs duty. The EU uses three separate instruments to correct unfair competition from China. Most importers cannot tell them apart — and pay for it.
| Type | What it corrects | Legal basis | China example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-dumping (ADD) | Dumping: selling below cost price on the EU market | EU Basic Regulation 2016/1036 | E-bikes: 9.9%–70.1% |
| Anti-subsidy / Countervailing (CVD) | State subsidies granted to Chinese producers | EU Basic Regulation 2016/1037 | E-bikes: 3.9%–17.2% |
| Safeguard | Sudden surge in imports, regardless of dumping or subsidy | WTO Safeguard Agreement + EU Reg. 2015/478 | Steel products (EU-wide) |
ADD and CVD can apply at the same time — e-bikes carry both. Safeguards cover all countries and require no proof of unfair practice. All three come on top of standard import duties.
Section 2 — Who Gets Hit and Which Products Are on the List (2026)
Which industries pay the most?
The anti-dumping measures of 2025–2026 do not hit all importers equally. Six sectors are in the line of fire — ranked by average tariff impact and frequency of new measures.
| Rank | Industry | Key measures | Tariff range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality / retail ceramic tableware | Tableware ADD definitive Feb 2026 (was 13–36% per producer) | 79% |
| 2 | Chemicals / fine chemicals | Phosphorous acid (Mar 2026), fused alumina (Jan 2026), acrylates (under investigation) | 88.7–122.8% |
| 3 | Automotive aftermarket | Steel wheels (Feb 2026, Reg. 2026/428), e-bikes extended, aluminium wheels | 22.3–70.1% |
| 4 | Furniture & construction imports | Plywood/multiplex (long-running), steel fasteners (CN 7318) | 43.2–86.8% |
| 5 | Micromobility & bicycles | E-bikes ADD + CVD (Jan 2025–2030), bicycle extension to 8 countries | 9.9–70.1% (+CVD) |
| 6 | HVAC / refrigeration | Copper pipes (ongoing investigation), F-gas quotas | TBD (registration) |
The full measures list (May 2026)
Always check TARIC for the exact, current status at the time of import.
| Product category | CN codes | ADD range | CVD | Regulation | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic tableware (NEW Feb 2026) | ex 6911, ex 6912 | 79.0% | — | Definitive ADD 7 Feb 2026 | 2031 |
| Plywood / multiplex | ex 4412 31, ex 4412 33 | 43.2%–86.8% | — | EU 2024 extension | 2029 |
| Phosphorous acid (NEW Mar 2026) | 2811 19 80 (TARIC 2811 19 80 60) | 122.8% | — | Definitive ADD Mar 2026 | 2031 |
| Steel road wheels (NEW Feb 2026) | 8708 70 10/85, 8708 70 99, 8716 90 90 | 50.3%–66.4% | — | (EU) 2026/428 | 2031 |
| Fused alumina (NEW Jan 2026) | various (incl. TRQ duty-free quota) | 88.7%–110.6% | — | Definitive ADD Jan 2026 | 2031 |
| E-bikes | 8711 60 10, 8711 60 90 | 9.9%–70.1% | 3.9%–17.2% | (EU) 2025/120 + 2025/114 | Jan 2030 |
| Aluminium road wheels | ex 8708 70 | 22.3% | — | (EU) 2023/112 | Jan 2028 |
| Aluminium foil (rolls) | ex 7607 11 11, ex 7607 19 10 | 14.2%–35.6% | — | (EU) 2025/1720 | Aug 2030 |
| Ceramic tiles | ex 6907 | 13.9%–69.7% | — | (EU) 2024/493 | Feb 2029 |
| Truck/bus tyres | 4011 20 90, ex 4012 12 00 | €21.12–€78.90/tyre | — | (EU) 2025/58 | Jan 2030 |
| Steel fasteners | 7318 12 90, 7318 14 91, 7318 15 58 | up to 86.5% | — | (EU) 2022/191 | 2027 |
| Glass fibre yarns | 7019 13 00, ex 7019 19 00 | 26.3%–56.1% | — | (EU) 2025/501 | Mar 2030 |
| Glass fibre fabrics | 7019 11–15 00 | ADD + CVD maintained | 5.8%–10.2% | (EU) 2025/2328 + 2025/2337 | Nov 2030 |
| Ironing boards | 3924 90 00, 8516 79 70 etc. | 18.1%–42.3% | — | (EU) 2025/2386 | Nov 2030 |
| Glyoxylic acid | 2918 30 00 | 29.2%–124.9% | — | CATTS Sept 2025 | 2030 |
| Threaded pipe fittings | ex 7307 19 10 | 14.9%–57.8% | — | (EU) 2025/1890 | Sept 2030 |
| Stainless steel tube fittings | various SS codes | 30.7%–64.9% | — | 2023 renewal | 2028 |
Solar panels: ADD expired 3 September 2018. A new temporary mechanism was announced in June 2025 — check TARIC for current status.
Ongoing investigations under registration (March 2026): mobile cranes ≥30 tonnes (TARIC 8426.49.00.11, 8705.10.00.11), copper pipes (HS 7411.10.90.10), acrylates (TARIC 2916.12.00.15). Registration measures mean the Commission can impose duties retroactively from the registration date if dumping is proven.
What many importers miss
The 2026 spike: from 13–36% to 79% overnight. As of 7 February 2026, anti-dumping on Chinese ceramic tableware jumped from a producer-specific range of 13–36% to 79% for all suppliers. For a €40,000 container, that means €31,600 in anti-dumping duty instead of around €8,000 — a €23,600 difference per shipment. Comparable 2026 spikes: phosphorous acid 122.8% (Mar), steel wheels 50.3–66.4% (Feb, Reg. 2026/428), fused alumina 88.7–110.6% (Jan), plywood up to 86.8%. Importers with goods in transit before these dates paid the new rate from the customs declaration date — not from the order date.
Steel screws and bolts (CN 7318) face both ADD and CBAM. Dual compliance: you may owe up to 86.5% anti-dumping duties and also fall under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Two separate obligations, one product.
Anti-circumvention: "made in Vietnam" or "made in Malaysia" is not a safe harbour. When Chinese producers move production or assembly to a third country, the EU extends ADD measures to that country. Aluminium foil routed through Thailand now carries the same rate as direct China imports. Bicycles have been extended to eight countries. And in the ceramic tableware case, €15 million was recovered retroactively from circumvention routes — a precedent for other product groups.
The residual rate is the default — not the exception. Without the correct paperwork, customs automatically assigns the highest ADD code. For e-bikes, that is 62.1% instead of 9.9%. For ceramic tableware, 79% instead of a lower individual rate. One missing document determines the difference.
Section 3 — How to Check via TARIC
The official EU consultation tool is at https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/taric/taric_consultation.jsp. No account required.
Find the 8-digit CN code for your product
Use the HS codes lookup tool or ask your customs broker. Example: electric bicycles fall under 8711 60 10 or 8711 60 90.
Open the TARIC Consultation Tool
Go to the TARIC tool at the URL above.
Enter the CN code in the "Goods code" field
Type your 8-digit CN code into the goods code field.
Select the country of origin: choose "China (CN)"
This activates all China-specific measures in the results.
Click "Display Measures"
TARIC shows all applicable measures: type (anti-dumping, anti-subsidy, safeguard), legal basis and regulation reference.
Read the additional codes
If ADD applies, TARIC shows a list of 4-digit codes linked to specific Chinese exporters. Each code carries a different rate.
Identify your supplier's code
Ask your Chinese supplier: "Is your company listed in Annex I of [regulation]? If so, what is your TARIC additional code?" Without this answer, you will pay the highest available rate.
If you use Import8, steps 1–6 run automatically and ADD categories are flagged directly in your product list.
Section 4 — TARIC Additional Codes Explained
A TARIC additional code is a 4-character alphanumeric code (such as B351, C303 or B999). You add it to the 10-digit TARIC code in your customs declaration. Customs uses it to determine which ADD rate applies to your specific supplier.
How it works:
- Supplier-specific codes (B351, C303, etc.): Assigned to Chinese companies that actively cooperated with the ADD investigation and were sampled. They pay their individually determined rate — typically the lowest available.
- Non-sampled cooperating company codes: Suppliers that cooperated but were not selected for sampling. They pay a weighted average rate and receive their own code.
- RESIDUAL code (typically B999): The catch-all code for all Chinese exporters not named in the regulation. This is always the highest rate — the "all other companies" rate.
Why this means tens of thousands of euros:
For e-bikes (CN 8711 60 10, Regulation (EU) 2025/120), the rate ranges from 9.9% for sampled companies to 62.1% for the residual category (plus 17.2% CVD). Without the correct additional code, customs automatically applies B999.
How to ask your supplier (use this template)
"For our customs declaration in the EU, we need your TARIC additional code under Regulation (EU) 2025/[number]. Please confirm: (1) whether your company is listed in Annex I of this regulation, (2) your specific additional code, and (3) whether your commercial invoices include the required manufacturer declaration."
Concrete €-impact per product group
The additional code is not an administrative detail; it is your margin. Three examples from 2026 measures:
| Product group | Container value | With individual code | With B999 / residual | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic tableware | €40,000 | ~€3,200 (8% indicative)¹ | €31,600 (79%) | €28,400 |
| Phosphorous acid (20 t × €1,200) | €24,000 purchase value | n/a — no lower rate | €29,472 (122.8%) | €29,472 / month |
| Fused alumina (within TRQ vs. outside) | €50,000 | €0 (TRQ duty-free) | €44,350–€55,300 (88.7–110.6%) | €44,350+ |
| E-bikes (500 units × €400) | €200,000 | €20,600 (10.3%) | €124,200 (62.1%) | €103,600 |
¹ Indicative lowest rate before the Feb 2026 spike (range 13–36%). After 7 February 2026, 79% applies to all suppliers — there is no lower individual rate; check TARIC for the current structure.
When does customs apply B999 (residual)?
- Your supplier is not listed in the annex of the ADD regulation.
- The commercial invoice does not contain a valid supplier declaration with the additional code.
- You are working with a middleman who conceals the actual manufacturer.
Section 5 — Worked Example: 500 E-Bikes from China
Situation: You import 500 electric bicycles from a Chinese supplier. Invoice value: 500 × €400 = €200,000. CN code: 8711 60 10. Measure: (EU) 2025/120 + 2025/114.
Scenario A — with correct additional code (10.3% ADD)
Invoice value: €200,000
ADD (10.3%): + €20,600
CVD (3.9%): + €7,800
Standard import duty: + €0
──────────
Total additional cost: €28,400
Scenario B — without code or B999 (62.1% ADD + 17.2% CVD)
Invoice value: €200,000
ADD (62.1%): + €124,200
CVD (17.2%): + €34,400
Standard import duty: + €0
──────────
Total additional cost: €158,600
Difference: €130,200 — on a single shipment of 500 units.
This is not a theoretical scenario. The residual rate applies to all suppliers not listed in the regulation. Customs assigns it automatically when the invoice does not contain a valid additional code.
What must appear on the commercial invoice
"The undersigned declares that the goods were manufactured by [name and address of manufacturer] in China, TARIC additional code [BXXX], Regulation (EU) 2025/120." Without this declaration: B999.
Section 6 — Penalties and Surcharges
Using the wrong code without intent is not a defence. Customs assesses based on what is in the declaration — not on what you knew.
| Legal basis | Regulation | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| UCC Art. 42 (EU-wide) | Regulation (EU) 952/2013 | Member States required to impose "effective, proportionate and dissuasive" penalties |
| UCC Art. 114 (EU-wide) | Regulation (EU) 952/2013 | Surcharge including interest over the retroactive period |
| UCC Art. 77 | Regulation (EU) 952/2013 | EU importer is the customs debtor — the bill lands with you, even when your supplier circumvents |
| Art. 9:1a General Customs Act (NL) | In force 1 July 2024 | Enhanced penalty provisions for customs violations |
| Art. 9:1b General Customs Act (NL) | In force 1 July 2024 | Intentional evasion: higher penalty scale |
Concrete risks
Surcharge: All unpaid ADD is recovered retroactively, plus interest (UCC Art. 114).
Penalty: Member State-specific. NL has enhanced provisions from 1 July 2024.
Loss of customs authorisations: Repeated violations can result in revocation of AEO status or simplified procedures.
OLAF investigation: Suspected intentional fraud may trigger the European anti-fraud office.
Registration period: When the Commission opens an ADD investigation, it can require importers to register goods. If definitive ADD follows, it can be imposed retroactively over the registration period.
Section 7 — Anti-Circumvention: ADD via Third Countries
When Chinese producers avoid ADD by moving production or assembly to third countries (Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia), the EU extends the measure via an anti-circumvention investigation. Legal basis: Article 13 of EU Basic Regulation 2016/1036.
Key criterion: If the value added in the third country is less than 25% of manufacturing costs, and the circumvention undermines the corrective effect of the measure, ADD can be extended to that country.
Four verified examples
1. Aluminium foil via Thailand
Chinese producers exported aluminium foil to Thailand for minor processing, then re-exported to the EU without paying ADD. The Commission confirmed circumvention and extended the 35.6% rate to Thailand via (EU) 2025/1720.
2. Steel fasteners via Malaysia
ADD on Chinese steel screws and bolts (CN 7318) extended to imports from Malaysia via (EU) 2020/611. Imports "consigned from Malaysia, whether declared as originating in Malaysia or not" fall under the measure.
3. Bicycles via eight countries
Anti-dumping on Chinese bicycles has been extended to Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Cambodia, Pakistan and the Philippines.
4. Retroactive recovery — €15 million in the ceramic tableware case
In a Commission investigation into Chinese tableware exporters evading EU duties via third countries, it was determined that €15 million in duties must be collected retroactively. Under UCC Art. 77, the EU importer is the customs debtor — a reassessment of earlier declarations can result in a surcharge plus interest months or years later. An importer who brought in 50 shipments of €30,000 over a year under an assumed 20% rate could suddenly face €600,000 in back duties — the difference between the expected 20% and an extended 80%.
Practical implication: "Made in Vietnam" or "Made in Malaysia" on a product that is originally Chinese does not provide protection. Always request a Certificate of Origin (Form A or EUR.1) and — when in doubt — a detailed production statement. Verify whether the transit country is subject to an extension or registration measure for your product.
Section 8 — 5-Step Action Plan for Importers
Do this this week:
List your top-10 Chinese import CN codes
Check your customs declarations from the past 12 months.
Run a TARIC check per code
Or use Import8 to do this automatically for your entire product list.
If ADD applies: ask your supplier for the additional code
Plus confirmation that their company is listed in the regulation annex.
Update your commercial invoice template
Add a placeholder for the TARIC additional code and supplier declaration.
Spot-check the last three months of declarations
Consider proactively contacting customs if you find errors — a voluntary disclosure is treated more favourably than a detected violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Standard import duties (MFN rates) apply to all countries unless a trade agreement is in place. Anti-dumping is an additional charge that applies only to specific products from specific countries, when the EU determines dumping has occurred. ADD comes on top of standard duties. You pay both — plus CVD if state subsidies are also involved.
Find the 8-digit CN code for your product using the HS codes tool and enter it in the TARIC Consultation Tool, with China as the country of origin. If TARIC returns a measure of the type "Anti-dumping duty", your product is affected. Import8 runs this check automatically during classification.
An additional code is a 4-digit code (such as B351 or B999) that tells customs which Chinese company the goods come from — and therefore which ADD rate applies. Without the correct code, customs automatically applies the residual code (B999): the highest rate for everyone not specifically listed.
Serious signal. Two possibilities: (1) they are not listed in the regulation and fall under the residual rate, or (2) they know the rate is high and do not want to complicate the purchase decision. In both cases, you as the importer pay the residual rate at the border. Consider switching suppliers or consulting a customs specialist.
It depends on the product. The EU has extended ADD to third countries for several product groups via anti-circumvention investigations. Aluminium foil via Thailand, steel fasteners via Malaysia, and bicycles via eight countries already fall under extended measures. And in the ceramic tableware case, €15 million was recovered retroactively — a precedent that may extend to other product groups.
Customs does not distinguish between intent and ignorance for the surcharge itself: all unpaid ADD is recovered, including interest (UCC Art. 114). Penalties vary by member state. In the Netherlands, enhanced provisions apply from 1 July 2024 (Art. 9:1a and 9:1b General Customs Act). For intentional evasion or repeat violations, criminal prosecution via OLAF is possible.
ADD measures typically last five years, after which a sunset review takes place. If the Commission determines that dumping is likely to recur, they are renewed — again for five years. Some measures have been active since 2016 (steel fasteners).
Click the regulation reference in TARIC to link through to EUR-Lex. There you find Annex I with company names, additional codes and applicable rates. Search for your supplier's name in that table. If they are not listed: residual rate applies.
Want to know whether your products are subject to anti-dumping duties?
Import8 classifies products using AI, automatically flags ADD categories, CBAM obligations and GPSR risks — across your entire product list at once.
Further reading: Understanding HS codes and CN codes · CBAM: the carbon border adjustment · TARIC codes explained
Sources
The following official sources form the basis for the claims on this page. Verification date: 22 May 2026.
- E-bikes ADD 9.9%–70.1% CVD 3.9%–17.2%, Reg. (EU) 2025/120 + 2025/114 (WiseTech Academy)
- E-bikes regulation text Annex I (EUR-Lex)
- Aluminium road wheels 22.3%, Reg. (EU) 2023/112 (DG Trade)
- Aluminium foil extended to Thailand, Reg. (EU) 2025/1720 (Global Trade Alert)
- Glass fibre yarns Reg. (EU) 2025/501 (DG Trade)
- Stainless steel fittings 2023 renewal (DG Trade)
- Bicycles ADD extended to 8 countries (Global Trade Alert)
- UCC Art. 42 + Art. 77 + Art. 114 — Reg. (EU) 952/2013 (EUR-Lex)
- NL Art. 9:1a/9:1b General Customs Act, 1 July 2024 (Gaston Schul)
- TARIC additional codes mechanism (Huaci Group)
- Ploum Customs — circumvention surcharges
- TARIC Consultation Tool (official EU)
- DG Trade Anti-dumping overview
- Ceramic tableware 79% — definitive 7 Feb 2026 (Customs Support)
- Phosphorous acid 122.8% + steel road wheels — March 2026 updates (CATTS)
- Fused alumina 88.7%–110.6% — January 2026 (AlCircle)
- Plywood / multiplex up to 86.8% (Interior Daily)
- €15M retroactive recovery — tableware circumvention case (European Commission)
- Retroactive effect of ADD (Maverick Law)
Verified 22 May 2026. Anti-dumping measures change regularly — rates, expiry dates and additional codes may have changed after this date. Check TARIC for current status at the time of import. Not legal or fiscal advice.
