China imposes provisional anti-dumping duties on EU pork of up to 62.4%
Beijing says European pork is being sold below fair value and will levy duties that target major exporters including Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark
China announced provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of pork and certain pig by-products from the European Union, declaring a preliminary finding that EU producers have been selling the products at unfairly low prices and that those prices have inflicted “substantial damage” on China’s domestic pork industry.
The Commerce Ministry said the duties, to take effect Sept. 10, range from 15.6% to 62.4% and apply to a variety of products including fresh and frozen pork meat, intestines and other internal organs. The ministry said it was taking cash deposits from EU pork exporters but did not specify whether and under what conditions those deposits might be returned.
China opened its anti-dumping investigation into EU pork in June of last year, just days after the European Union imposed provisional tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. The decision on pork follows other recent trade measures: Beijing imposed anti-dumping duties on European brandy the following month, and major producers later received exemptions. The Commerce Ministry also said it is investigating claims of potential dumping in European dairy products.
Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark are expected to be among the most affected EU producers; Spain accounted for nearly half of EU pork exports to China in recent years. EU exports of pork products to China peaked at 7.4 billion euros ($7.9 billion) in 2020, when China was reliant on foreign supplies after its pig herd was devastated by swine disease. Those exports declined to 2.5 billion euros ($2.6 billion) by 2023.
China did not provide detailed public evidence in its announcement on Sept. 5, 2025, beyond the preliminary finding that dumping had occurred and that it caused substantial damage to domestic producers. The Commerce Ministry's statement said the decision was preliminary; anti-dumping investigations typically proceed to a final determination after further evidence gathering, potential remedial measures and possible consultations with affected exporters and trading partners.
The move deepens an array of trade disputes between Beijing and the 27-member European bloc across multiple industries. EU officials have in the past criticized Chinese trade remedies as protectionist, while China has framed its measures as necessary to protect domestic producers from unfair competition. The sequence of investigations and duties between the EU and China in the past year underscores rising regulatory frictions as both sides use trade defense instruments.
Market participants and exporters will be watching how China administers the cash-deposit requirements and whether any exemptions or adjustments are granted once the probe advances. Any final duties could reshape flows of pork to China, a major market for global swine meat, and could prompt further steps by affected EU governments or exporters to contest the measures through administrative reviews or at the World Trade Organization.
China's Commerce Ministry did not provide an immediate comment on whether the provisional deposits are refundable or describe the timetable for a final determination. EU institutions and member-state trade authorities had not issued a coordinated response at the time of the announcement.