Glass Fibre Europe welcomes the European Union’s decision to extend for a further five years the anti-subsidy measures on imports of certain glass fibre reinforcements originating in Egypt. These measures are an essential component of the broader framework needed to ensure fair competition in the European market and support the long-term viability of the European glass fibre industry.
Over the past decade, the European market has seen a significant increase of subsidised imports of glass fibre products from Chinese-owned production facilities located both in China and in third countries. In June 2020, the European Commission imposed countervailing duties of 13.1% on imports of glass fibre reinforcements from Egypt, where production capacity had been established to access the Union market without paying the duties on imports from China. These measures were complemented in April 2026 by anti-dumping duties of 11%. Following an expiry review, the Commission has now confirmed the continuation of the anti-subsidy measures for a further five years.
Cédric Janssens, Secretary General of Glass Fibre Europe, commented: “The extension of these measures is an important reaffirmation of the European Union’s commitment to protecting its domestic glass fibre industry against unfair trade practices. However, the continued expansion of Chinese-controlled production capacity, both in China and through a network of production facilities in third countries, is exacerbating global overcapacity and contributing to growing volumes of imports at predatory prices into the European market. This points to a broader pattern of interconnected market distortions that conventional trade defence instruments alone have not adequately addressed. Anti-subsidy and anti-dumping measures remain indispensable, but they must form part of a broader framework capable of preserving Europe’s manufacturing base.”
Glass Fibre Europe stresses that the extension of the measures, while necessary, is not sufficient to address the structural challenges facing European producers. Egypt has become the largest source of glass fibre reinforcement imports into Europe, with further production capacity expected in China and in third countries. Against this backdrop, Glass Fibre Europe continues to advance regulatory proposals aimed at addressing persistent market distortions, ensuring fair pricing of imports into the European market and safeguarding the long-term viability of the European glass fibre industry and the wider composite input material value chain.