EU trade experts voted on Jan. 16 in favor of slapping anti-dumping duties of 25% on imports of Chinese steel wire rods, a diplomat said.
The duties, which came after EU producers complained of Chinese dumping hurting their businesses, risk fuelling tensions with China after a series of recent anti-dumping decisions against emerging Asian economic giant.
The diplomat was unable to say how many national experts voted in favor and against but EU nations have been divided in recent Chinese anti-dumping decisions as the bloc struggles to deal with booming Chinese imports.
Last month EU countries narrowly voted in favor of duties on Chinese-made screws and bolts in one of the biggest anti-dumping cases against the emerging economic giant. In retaliation, China launched an anti-dumping probe into screws and bolts made in the European Union.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2009
