Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/260 of 10 February 2025 making imports of fused alumina originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to 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 ¹ (‘the basic Regulation’) and in particular Article 14(5) thereof,

After informing the Member States,

Whereas:

• (1) On 21 November 2024, the European Commission (‘the Commission’) announced, by a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union ², the initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding with regard to imports into the Union of fused alumina originating in the People’s Republic of China (‘the PRC’).

• (2) This initiation followed a complaint lodged on 9 October 2024 by Imerys S.A. on behalf of producers representing more than 25 % of the total Union production of fused alumina.

1. PRODUCT SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION

• (3) The product subject to registration (‘the product concerned’) is artificial corundum, whether or not chemically defined, also known as fused alumina, currently classified under CN codes 2818 10 11 , 2818 10 19 , ex 2818 10 91 , and 2818 10 99 (TARIC codes 2818 10 91 20, 2818 10 91 90) and originating in the PRC. The HS, CN and TARIC codes are given for information only and without prejudice to a subsequent change in the tariff classification.

• (4) However, artificial corundum currently classified under TARIC code 2818 10 91 30 (i.e., sintered corundum with a micro crystalline structure consisting of aluminium oxide (CAS RN 1344-28-1) and magnesium aluminate (CAS RN 12068-51-8) with a content by weight (calculated as oxides) of 92 % or more, but not more than 94 % of aluminium oxide, and 7 % (± 1 %) of magnesium oxide) is not part of the product concerned. Mechanical mixtures of artificial corundum and other substances, currently classified under heading 3824 , are also not part of the product concerned.

2. REGISTRATION

• (5) Under Article 14(5) of the basic Regulation, imports of the product concerned may be made subject to registration for the purpose of ensuring that, if the investigation results in findings leading to the imposition of anti-dumping duties, those duties can, if the necessary conditions are fulfilled, be levied retroactively on the registered imports in accordance with the applicable legal provisions.

• (6) The Commission has decided to make imports of the product concerned subject to registration on its own initative under Article 14(5) of the basic Regulation. The conditions for retroactive collection of duties will be assessed in the regulation imposing definitive duties if any.

• (7) Any future liability would emanate from the findings of the anti-dumping investigation.

• (8) The allegations in the complaint requesting the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation estimate dumping margins between 97 % and 215 % and an injury elimination level between 100 % and 200 % for the product concerned for the period from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024. The amount of possible future liability would normally be set at the lower of those two levels according to Article 7(2) of the basic Regulation.

• (9) If, during the investigation, the Commission finds evidence of raw material distortions pursuant to Article 7(2a) of the basic Regulation, the amount of possible future liability would be set at the level of the dumping margin as provided for in Article 7(2a) of the basic Regulation if it is concluded that a duty lower than the margin of dumping would not be sufficient to remove the injury suffered by the Union industry.

• (10) At this stage the Commission is not in a position to estimate the amount of possible future liability. Thus, the amounts mentioned in the complaint are only for information purposes and cannot create any expectations as to the actual level of liability which will be established as a result of the investigation.

3. PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA

• (11) Any personal data collected in the context of this registration will be treated in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council ³,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 10 February 2025.

For the Commission

The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/260/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)