China has announced it will impose anti-dumping duties on European Union pork imports for five years, effective December 17, the Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday.
The levies come at significantly lower rates than the temporary measures imposed in September.
The duties will range from 4.9 percent to 19.8 percent, down sharply from the temporary tariffs of 15.6 percent to 62.4 percent that have been in place for the past three months.
The decision follows a year-long investigation by China, which concluded that European pork was being dumped into Chinese markets, causing substantial harm to domestic producers.
The move heightens ongoing trade tensions between China and the EU. European officials have criticized the duties as potential retaliation for EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles rather than legitimate trade protection.
Spain, the EU’s leading pork producer, will face an average duty of 9.8 percent, significantly below the overall EU average of 19 percent. Spanish Agriculture Minister Luis Planas described the measures as “acceptable” and said the impact on Spanish exporters had been “minimised.” Last year, China imported 4.3 billion yuan ($600 million) worth of pork products from Spain alone, according to official Chinese customs data.
France, another major EU supplier, exported 115,000 tonnes of pork to China in 2024. Individual producers will face differing rates under the new system: French pork producer Groupe Bigard will be charged 9.8 percent, while Danish Crown faces an 18.6 percent levy.
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