PET resin chemicals are essential industrial inputs for key business sectors such as packaging, textiles, construction, and advanced materials. EU-based manufacturers of such chemicals are experiencing unprecedented difficulties, faced with high import pressure from third countries that is in turn fuelled by growing global overcapacities.
If the investigation confirms that EU producers are suffering serious injury because of increased imports from outside the European Union, the Commission may propose safeguard measures – if considered to be in the EU’s interest.
All the PET resin chemicals covered by this safeguard investigation are part of the PET resin value chain and include polyethylene terephthalate (PET, whether virgin PET, recycled PET, or PET glycol), and its upstream input materials terephthalic acid, mono-ethylene glycol, and purified isophthalic acid.
The imposition of safeguard measures would need to be supported by a qualified majority of EU Member States. Provisional measures may be imposed should the investigation confirm that the conditions to do so are met. If provisional measures are imposed, then definitive measures must follow within 200 days, but no later than nine months (or at the most, eleven months) after initiation.
The EU is already imposing anti-dumping measures on imports of PET from China and anti-subsidy measures on imports of PET from India. It also has in place anti-dumping measures on imports of terephthalic acid from Korea and Mexico, and on imports of mono-ethylene glycol from Saudi Arabia and the USA.
