It seems like the calls of protest issued by composite processors calls did not go unnoticed. After having imposed provisional import duties of 43.6% on Chinese glass fibre in September last year – see Plasteurope.com of 02.09.2010 – the European Commission in late December released a document in which it proposes lowering the duties to 13.8% as of 16 March 2011. The new proposal also excludes yarns for woven mats from the proceedings.

The move has been welcomed by the European Plastics Converters (EuPC, Brussels / Belgium; www.eupc.org), who nevertheless cautioned that “the impact of such duties will seriously damage composites production and should not be underestimated.” The duties had been a bone of contention between the EU and Europe’s industry associations since they were first imposed, with the latter advocating that they should not have been imposed at all. “With an estimated number of 10,000 companies across Europe and around 150,000 employees, such duties will lead to negative consequences for the national economies and employment creation and retention,” according to EuPC.

It is for this reason that the two groups have called on interested parties to get in touch with their national representatives ahead of an upcoming 13 January EU 27 meeting, when the latest proposal is due for discussion, in order to forestall a passing of the washed down measures.