China extends anti-dumping investigation of EU brandy by three months Via Reuters

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s commerce ministry said on Wednesday it would extend its anti-dumping investigation of brandy from the European Union by three months, less than the full extension allowed under its previous guidelines. .

The investigation, which began on January 5 and must be completed in a year, will be extended until April 5 due to the “complexity” of the investigation, the department said in a brief statement, without elaborating.

The ministry previously said the investigation could be extended by six months under special circumstances.

Preliminary findings from the investigation showed the dumping of EU brandy threatens to damage the Chinese sector, the official said in October as he imposed temporary measures on EU brandy imports, which hit French brands. including Hennessy and Remy Martin.

The investigation was widely seen as a result of France’s support for EU tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. French President Emmanuel Macron previously called the probe “pure revenge”.

Chinese measures require Chinese exporters to pay security fees of up to 40% if they wish to import brandy from the bloc, making it more expensive upfront to ship brandy from EU.

France’s trade ministry previously called the Chinese measures “incomprehensible”, and that they violated free trade.

Last month, the EU Commission said it had formally brought China’s provisional anti-dumping measures to the World Trade Organization.

Exports of French brandy to China reached $1.7 billion last year and accounted for 99% of the country’s exports.