EU opens interim review of anti-dumping duties on Chinese silicon

The European Commission has initiated an interim review of the anti-dumping measures applicable to imports of silicon originating in the People’s Republic of China, covering both dumping and injury. The decision was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (C series, C/2026/4547) on 1 September 2026, under the basic anti-dumping Regulation (EU) 2016/1036.

The review was requested on 8 July 2026 by Euroalliages, acting on behalf of the Union silicon industry, and will re-examine whether the existing duties remain sufficient to counteract injurious dumping.

Scope of the review

The product under review is silicon, a non-metallic chemical element with symbol ‘Si’ and atomic number 14, currently falling under CN code 2804 69 00 (silicon containing less than 99.99 % by weight of silicon), originating in the PRC. The measures currently in force are the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1394, which was extended to silicon consigned from the Republic of Korea and from Taiwan.

The review investigation period runs from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, while the assessment of injury trends covers the period from 1 January 2023 to the end of the review period.

Grounds for the review

The applicant argues that circumstances have changed in a lasting manner since the original investigation of 1990 (Council Regulation (EEC) No 2200/90), citing:

• a significant build-up of massive overcapacities in the Chinese silicon industry combined with a decrease in export prices;
• a decline in Chinese domestic demand that has put lasting downward pressure on export prices;
• significant distortions within the meaning of Article 2(6a) of the basic Regulation, affecting land, energy, capital, access to finance, raw materials and labour;
• raw material distortions, notably medium ash coal, which is subject to an export licence and accounts for more than 17 % of the cost of production.

Because of these distortions, the Commission considers that domestic prices and costs in the PRC are not appropriate to determine normal value, and has indicated Malaysia as a possible representative third country. The investigation will also assess, under Article 7(2a) of the basic Regulation, whether a duty lower than the margin of dumping would suffice to remove injury.

Procedure and deadlines

Interested parties are invited to participate in the investigation, including exporting producers, unrelated importers and Union producers, with sampling possible under Article 17 of the basic Regulation. Key deadlines run from the date of publication of the notice:

• comments on the request and initiation: within 37 days;
• requests for a hearing on initiation: within 15 days;
• information for sampling of exporting producers and importers: within 7 days;
• views on inputs, representative countries and exporting producers: within 15 days;
• factual information to value costs and prices: within 65 days.

The review matters directly for EU importers and the downstream solar and electronics industries, which depend on silicon as a key input. Any change to the level of the duties will affect the cost and availability of the material on the Union market, making the outcome of the investigation of significant commercial consequence.

Source: Official Journal of the European Union, C series, C/2026/4547, 1 September 2026 (official reference: C/2026/4547).