The European Commission has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into glass fibre imports from
Bahrain, Egypt, and Thailand, following a complaint by Glass Fibre Europe. The trade association
welcomes this critical step in addressing the surge of unfairly traded products entering the EU market
from Chinese State-owned producers operating in these third countries.
Cédric Janssens, Secretary General of Glass Fibre Europe, emphasized the urgency of trade defence
measures, stating: “Our European industry is under increasing attack by Chinese producers, who are
aggressively expanding capacities in the supply chain of key sectors such as automotive and wind
energy. Imports from China, Bahrain, Egypt and Thailand – countries where State-subsidised Chinese
producers have continuously built large export capacities – have undermined the EU glass fibre value
chain for years. The situation is now critical, with severe price undercutting threatening the short-term
viability of EU manufacturers.”
European glass fibre producers play a key role in supporting Europe’s resilience and twin transitions to
a digital and green economy by supplying lightweight materials that reduce costs, energy consumption,
and greenhouse gas emissions across various industries, including transport, construction, energy,
industrial applications, and consumer goods. They also contribute to critical sectors such as aerospace
and defence, where maintaining a reliable and secure EU supply chain is essential for Europe’s
strategic autonomy and security.
Cédric Janssens underlined the risk of vulnerability in these segments: “If the EU does not act swiftly
with strong trade defence measures, Chinese overcapacity and predatory pricing will force EU
producers to cut capacity, postpone investments, or relocate production outside Europe. This could
leave Europe dangerously dependent on Chinese State-backed suppliers.”
Glass Fibre Europe is available to assist the Commission with any information required during the
investigation. “It is encouraging that the European Commission intends to order the registration of
imports quickly. We trust the European Commission will take the necessary steps to impose effective
measures”, concluded Cédric Janssens.
