EU Commission reopens US ethanol antidumping case; extends duty for 15 months

Source: By Chrysa Glystra, Platts • Posted: Wednesday, February 21, 2018

London (Platts)– The European Commission announced Tuesday it will initiate an expiry review of the antidumping duty against US fuel ethanol imports, with the duty staying in the place for another 15 months while the investigation takes place.

The duty of 9.5% has been in place since February 23, 2013 and was due to expire Friday.

European ethanol producers submitted an appeal in November 2017, through the European Renewable Ethanol Association (ePURE), and the response from the Commission’s side had been eagerly awaited.

ePURE said that the removal of the duty would be damaging to the European ethanol industry, considering US ethanol overcapacity and increased exports, which have already resulted in retaliation measures from China and Brazil and a similar antidumping investigation case from Peru.

“With other export markets closing their doors to dumped US ethanol, coupled with a saturated US fuel ethanol market at home, US exporters will be looking for alternative export opportunities for close to 1.5 billion liters of product,” said Emmanuel Desplechin, Secretary General of ePURE.

“If only a fraction of this volume were to be diverted to the EU market, it would severely damage the EU industry, putting at risk the 50,000 direct and indirect jobs linked to renewable ethanol production in Europe.”

 

|