Brussels opens anti-dumping investigation into Chinese acetylsalicylic acid imports

The European Commission has opened an anti-dumping investigation into imports of acetylsalicylic acid originating in the People’s Republic of China, after a complaint lodged by the Union producer Novacyl SAS. The notice of initiation was published in the Official Journal of the European Union, C series, on 23 September 2026 under reference C/2026/4913. The proceeding will determine whether those imports are dumped and whether they have caused injury to the Union industry.

The investigation is opened under Article 5 of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Union, the basic Regulation. The complaint was lodged on 10 August 2026 by Novacyl SAS, acting on behalf of the Union industry of acetylsalicylic acid within the meaning of Article 5(4) of that regulation. An open version of the complaint and the analysis of the degree of support by Union producers are available in the file for inspection by interested parties.

The product under investigation is o-acetylsalicylic acid (CAS RN 50-78-2), currently classified under CN code ex 2918 22 00 (TARIC code 2918 22 00 20). The complainant alleges that imports from China have increased overall in terms of market share and that their volume and prices have had a negative impact on the quantities sold, the price level and the market share of the Union industry, with substantial adverse effects on its performance, financial situation and employment.

Significant distortions and the representative country

Novacyl SAS claimed that domestic prices and costs in China cannot be used because of significant distortions within the meaning of Article 2(6a)(b) of the basic Regulation. It relied on the Commission Staff Working Document on Significant Distortions in the Economy of the PRC for the Purposes of Trade Defence Investigations of 10 April 2024, SWD(2024) 91 final, citing State presence in the chemicals sector and distortions in land, energy, capital, raw materials and labour. It also invoked the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans, the Company Law of the PRC and recent market studies.

The dumping allegation is therefore based on a comparison between a normal value constructed at ex-works level from undistorted costs and the export price of the product sold to the Union. The complainant proposes Brazil as an appropriate representative country; the Commission states that Brazil is a possible appropriate representative third country and will inform parties of the sources it intends to use.

Procedure and deadlines

Exporting producers, unrelated importers and Union producers are invited to participate, and the Commission may use sampling under Article 17 of the basic Regulation. The main deadlines, counted from publication of the notice, are:

• 7 days for exporting producers and unrelated importers to submit sampling information via TRON.tdi;
• 10 days to submit information on the product scope;
• 15 days to request a hearing on the initiation, to comment on the inputs and HS codes, and to propose a representative country;
• 30 days for sampled companies to return completed questionnaires;
• 37 days to comment on the complaint and the initiation, and to submit information on Union interest;
• 65 days to file factual information on costs and prices under Article 2(6a)(a);
• 70 days for information at the stage of provisional findings.

The investigation period for dumping and injury runs from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, while injury trends are examined from 1 January 2022 to the end of that period. The Commission intends to instruct customs authorities to register imports of acetylsalicylic acid from China at an early stage of the investigation, which may lead to retroactive collection of definitive duties.

Schedule and possible outcome

The investigation must be concluded within one year, and in no case more than 14 months, from publication of the notice. Provisional measures may be imposed no later than seven months, and in any event not later than eight months, from publication. If dumping and injury are established, the Commission will also examine under Article 21 whether imposing measures would not be in the Union interest. Non-cooperation may lead to findings based on the facts available under Article 18 of the basic Regulation.

The case, registered as AD761, directly affects European pharmaceutical manufacturers and Chinese exporters of a widely used active ingredient. Interested parties must act within the short deadlines set out in the notice, since the registration of imports opens the door to duties applied retroactively.

Source: Official Journal of the European Union, C/2026/4913, 23 September 2026, C series (official reference: C/2026/4913).