EU Solar-Panel Accord With China Approved by European Commission
The European Commission approved trade chief Karel De Guchts plan for curbs on Chinese solar panels, allowing import tariffs to be removed next week in Europes largest dumping dispute.
The commission, the European Unions executive arm in Brussels, today endorsed a negotiated settlement with China that sets a minimum price and a volume limit on EU imports of Chinese solar panels until the end of 2015. Chinese manufacturers that take part will be spared EU duties meant to counter below-cost sales, a practice known as dumping.
The goal is to limit Chinese competition against European manufacturers such as Solarworld AG (SWV) without resorting to anti-dumping duties that some EU national governments, including in Berlin and London, oppose. The case covers EU imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules or panels, and cells and wafers used in them -- shipments valued at 21 billion euros ($28 billion) in 2011.
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The agreement fixes a minimum price of 56 euro cents a watt for annual imports from China of as much as 7 gigawatts, a trade official in Europe said last weekend when the commission announced that a deal had been reached. The pact would cover around 90 Chinese exporters that have about 60 percent of the EU solar-panel market, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. EU governments, acting on a commission proposal, have until Dec. 6 to decide whether to accept the agreement as a definitive measure.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-02/eu-solar-panel-accord-with-china-approved-by-european-commission.html