FACTBOX-China's probes on EU products following EV tariffs

The Chinese commerce ministry has imposed or threatened ​anti-dumping measures on imports of many products from pork to brandy ​from the European Union, exacerbating trade tensions that have been ‌heightened ​since the 27-country bloc imposed duties on China-made electric vehicles in 2024.

On January 12, the EU set out conditions under which Chinese EV makers could replace tariffs with commitments to sell at minimum prices and said it would take into ‌account Chinese EV investments in the region. Below are details on China's investigations into EU industries:

WINE China could launch investigations into French wines or impose "reciprocal tariffs" on EU products if the French government pushes for tariffs on Chinese goods, a social media account affiliated with Chinese broadcaster CCTV said on February 11.

BRANDY The Chinese commerce ministry imposed duties of up to ‌34.9% on EU brandy producers from July 5, 2025 for five years.

However, it spared major cognac producers Pernod Ricard , LVMH and Remy Cointreau by giving exemptions ‌to brands selling at an undisclosed minimum price. The French cognac industry generates total global exports of $3 billion a year and makes up almost all of China's EU brandy imports.

China's commerce ministry said in a statement on Saturday that 34 firms secured agreements for minimum price commitments instead of tariffs. DAIRY

On February 12, China lowered tariffs on EU dairy imports worth over $500 million. Industry groups said the ⁠proposed final rates ​ranged from 7.4% to 11.7%, in ⁠line with Thursday's official Chinese announcement. This is significantly lower than the 21.9% to 42.7% initially imposed in a preliminary decision in

December , as stated by China's Ministry of Commerce.

China imported $589 million of dairy products ⁠covered by the investigation in 2024, similar to 2023 values. PORK

China announced on December 16 duties ranging from 4.9% to 19.8% on EU pork imports for a five-year period, significantly lower than ​preliminary rates of 15.6% to 62.4% imposed in September following a commerce ministry investigation into alleged dumping. The decision marked the conclusion of an 18-month ⁠probe, with importers to receive refunds on the difference between the preliminary and final rates.

China imported $4.8 billion worth of pork in 2024, more than half of it from the EU, with Spain leading the bloc ⁠in ​exports by volume. PLASTIC

In May 2025, Beijing announced anti-dumping duties as high as 74.9% on imports of POM copolymers, a type of engineering plastic, from the U.S., the EU, Japan and Taiwan. According to the announcement, the highest anti-dumping rates of 74.9% were levied on imports from the U.S., while European shipments were set to face ⁠duties of 34.5%.

In August, China extended anti-dumping duties on phenol imports from the U.S., the European Union, South Korea, Japan and Thailand for five years. RUBBER

On December ⁠19, China announced it would maintain anti-dumping duties ⁠ranging from 12.5% to 222% on rubber products from the U.S., South Korea and the EU, as it reviewed the measure initially imposed five years ago. The duties apply to ethylene-propylene-non-conjugated diene rubber, a product widely used in construction, wiring and ‌the auto industry. (Compiled by Laura ‌Contemori, Mathias de Rozario, Javi West Larrañaga and Leo Marchandon in Gdansk; Editing by ​Matt Scuffham, Kate Mayberry and Milla Nissi-Prussak)