Europe’s Brussels-based plastics converters body, EuPC, today welcomed moves by the European Commission and the Member States to control the import of plastic bags from China,and Thailand into the EU. According to EuPC’s Managing Director, Alexandre Dangis, ‘A lot of damage has been done to this industry by cheap imports over a long period .The European Commission’s proposed duties are at a level just sufficient to create conditions in which companies can survive. Complaints started to arrive in my office more than then 6 years ago and it has been an arduous struggle for EuPC to secure this result. The duties on imports of plastic bags from China and Thailand will start to produce their effects from the date of publication into the EU Official Journal, they will last for 5 years and the duties imposed will reach a level of 28.8% depending on the company and the country’.

The EU plastic bag industry is among the most cost efficient in the world. It relies on state-ofthe-art technology and, until the influx of dumped imports, made substantial investments in technology and product development. It is committed to adapting and restructuring to meet changes in consumer demands and government regulation across all Member States of the EU. It employs over 50,000 workers across the EU both in its production facilities and supply chain.These jobs for manufacturing workers, engineers, and others are now secured according to Dangis. ‘The correction of enormous market distortions caused by dumped imports will not only safeguard jobs but may also pave the way for expanding employment in the European Union and for developing more recycling in this industry’.

The EU plastic bag industry is highly competitive and welcomes competition from imports.However, it simply could not continue to operate in the face of significant undercutting by unfairly priced imports from China and Thailand. The only explanation for the massive differences in the prices offered is the existence of fundamental defects or structural asymmetries in these exporting countries which enable their producers to accept losses on their sales into the EU market.

For more information on this topic, please contact:
Bianka Nagy

European Plastics Converters
Avenue de Cortenbergh 66, 1000 Bruxelles
T. +32 (0)2 739 63 86 - F. +32 (0)2 732 42 18
E-mail: bianka.nagy @eupc.org
Website: www.eupc.org