Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/709 of 24 March 2026 extending the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1890 on imports of threaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of malleable cast iron and spheroidal graphite cast iron originating in the People’s Republic of China to imports of unthreaded tube or pipe cast fittings of malleable cast iron originating in the People’s Republic of China

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 13 thereof,

Whereas:

(1) By Implementing Regulation (EU) No 430/2013 (2), the Council imposed anti-dumping duties on imports of threaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of malleable cast iron, excluding bodies of compression fittings using ISO DIN 13 metric thread and malleable iron threaded circular junction boxes without having a lid, currently falling under CN codes ex 7307 19 10 (TARIC code 7307 19 10 10) originating in the People’s Republic of China (‘the PRC’ or ‘China’) and Thailand (‘the original investigation’).

(2) The duty, based on the elimination of dumping level, ranged between 14,9 % and 57,8 %.

(3) On 12 June 2013, the Chinese exporting producer Jinan Meide Castings Co., Ltd (‘Jinan Meide’) lodged an application at the General Court of the European Union seeking the annulment of Regulation (EU) No 430/2013 in so far as it applied to it. On 30 June 2016, the General Court in its judgement found that the rights of defence of Jinan Meide were breached and annulled the contested Regulation in so far as it imposed an anti-dumping duty on imports of threaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of malleable cast iron, manufactured by Jinan Meide.

(4) Following the above-mentioned judgement, by Notice of 28 October 2016 (3), the European Commission (‘the Commission’) reopened the anti-dumping investigation concerning threaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of malleable cast iron, manufactured by Jinan Meide.

(5) By Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1146 (4), the Commission reimposed a definitive anti-dumping duty of 39,2 % on imports of threaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of malleable cast iron, originating in China, manufactured by Jinan Meide.

(6) On 25 November 2015, the Commission initiated a partial interim review, following the request of Metpro Limited, concerning certain types of threaded tube or pipe cast fitting of malleable cast iron originating in China and Thailand to determine whether they fell within the scope of applicable anti-dumping measures. The Commission terminated this partial interim review on 18 July 2016, by Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/1176 (5) following the applicant’s withdrawal of his request.

(7) On 23 May 2017, the Commission initiated a partial interim review, following the request of Hebei Yulong Casting Co., Ltd, concerning certain types of threaded tube or pipe cast fitting of malleable cast iron originating in China and Thailand to determine whether they fall within the scope of applicable anti-dumping measures. The Commission terminated this partial interim review by Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/52 (6) following the applicant’s withdrawal of their request.

(8) On 12 July 2018, the Court of Justice of the European Union (7) decided that fittings, made of spheroidal graphite cast iron (also known as ductile cast iron) do not correspond to the concept of ‘malleable cast iron’ as defined within CN subheading 7307 19 10 . The Court concluded that fittings made of spheroidal graphite cast iron must be classified under the residual CN subheading 7307 19 90 (as other articles of other iron).

(9) On 14 February 2019, the Commission published Regulation (EU) 2019/262 (8) amending the references to TARIC codes to align them with the Court’s conclusions. Because anti-dumping measures are imposed according to the product definition irrespective of the tariff classification, this amendment did not have any effect on the product scope of the current measures.

(10) By Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1259 (9) the Commission reimposed the definitive anti-dumping measures on imports of threaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of malleable cast iron and spheroidal graphite cast iron originating in China and Thailand following an expiry review.

(11) Jinan Meide challenged Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1146 before the General Court. On 20 September 2019 the General Court issued its judgment in case T-650/17 (10) regarding Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1146.

(12) By Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1210 (11), the Commission reimposed a definitive anti-dumping duty of 36,0 % on imports of threaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of malleable cast iron, originating in China, manufactured by Jinan Meide.

(13) On 19 January 2023 (12) the Commission created additional TARIC codes for unthreaded malleable tube or pipe fittings to monitor trade flows following the acquisition of the Polish producer Odlewnia Zawiercie (‘OZ’) by Jinan Meide.

(14) On 18 November 2022 the Commission initiated a partial interim review (13) at the request of the Union importer KWTools BV, who requested that certain ductile iron threaded products be excluded from the product scope.

(16) By Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1890 (15) the Commission reimposed the definitive anti-dumping measures on imports of threaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of malleable cast iron and spheroidal graphite cast iron originating in China and Thailand following an expiry review (‘the last expiry review’).

(17) The anti-dumping duties currently in force range between 24,6 % and 57,8 % on imports from China and between 14,9 % and 15,5 % on imports from Thailand.

(18) The Commission received a request under Articles 13(3) and 14(5) of the basic Regulation to investigate the possible circumvention of the anti-dumping measures imposed on imports of threaded tube or pipe cast fittings of malleable cast iron, originating in China.

(19) The request was lodged on 2 June 2025 by the Ad Hoc Defence Committee of Tube or Pipe Cast Fittings, of Malleable Cast Iron of the European Union (‘the applicants’).

(20) The request contained sufficient evidence of a change in the pattern of trade involving exports from China to the Union that started after the imposition of the original measures. The request provided evidence that exports of threaded tube or pipe cast fittings of malleable cast iron from China were replaced to a certain extent by exports of unthreaded tube or pipe cast fittings of malleable cast iron.

(21) According to the request, this change appeared to stem from a practice, namely an assembly and/or completion operation under Article 13(2) of the basic Regulation of Chinese parts in the Union and subsequent sale of the completed like product in the Union market for which there was insufficient due cause or economic justification other than the imposition of the duty. The completion operation consists of the threading of the unthreaded parts imported. The evidence showed that these operations substantially increased after the imposition of the anti-dumping measures.

(22) The request also contained sufficient evidence showing that the parts from China constituted above 60 % of the total value of the parts of the finished product and the value added to the parts brought in during the completion operation was lower than 25 % of the manufacturing cost.

(23) Furthermore, the evidence showed that there was dumping and that the remedial effects of the original anti-dumping measures were being undermined both in terms of quantity and prices.

(24) Having determined, after informing the Member States, that sufficient evidence existed for the initiation of an investigation under Article 13(3) of the basic Regulation, the Commission initiated the investigation by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1448 (16) (the initiating Regulation) and made imports of unthreaded tube or pipe cast fittings of malleable cast iron subject to registration.

(25) The investigation period covered the period from 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2025 (‘the investigation period’). Data was collected for the investigation period to investigate the alleged change in the pattern of trade following the imposition of the original measures, and the existence of a practice, process or work for which there was insufficient due cause or economic justification other than the imposition of the duty.

(26) More detailed data was collected for the period from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 (‘the reporting period’), to examine if imports were undermining the remedial effect of the measures in force in terms of prices and/or quantities and the existence of dumping.

(27) The Commission officially informed all known exporters, importers and users and the Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union of the initiation of the investigation.

(28) An exemption claim form for importers in the Union and a questionnaire for producers/exporters in China were made available on DG TRADE’s website.

(29) Six importers submitted claim forms saying that they were not circumventing the measures in force. Exporter questionnaires were received from three companies in China.

(30) Interested parties were given the opportunity to make their views known in writing and to request a hearing within the time limit set in the initiating Regulation. All parties were informed that the non-submission of all relevant information or the submission of incomplete, false or misleading information might lead to the application of Article 18 of the basic Regulation and to findings being based on the facts available.

(32) The product concerned is classified under CN code ex 7307 19 10 (TARIC code 7307 19 10 10 and 7307 19 10 20) and originating in the People’s Republic of China and Thailand (‘the product concerned’ or ‘MTF’). This is the product to which the measures that are currently in force apply.

(33) The threaded products excluded from the product scope as set out in recital (31) above are classified currently under CN code ex 7307 19 10 (TARIC codes 7307 19 10 03 and 7307 19 10 05 for malleable cast iron and TARIC codes 7307 19 10 13 and 7307 19 10 15 for spheroidal graphite cast iron).

(34) During the investigation the Commission noted that malleable iron threaded circular junction boxes without having a lid were classified both under TARIC code 7307 19 10 05 and 7307 19 10 15. The Commission wishes to clarify that all threaded circular junction boxes of malleable cast iron without a lid should be classified under TARIC code 7307 19 10 05.

(35) The product under investigation for possible circumvention is unthreaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of malleable cast iron, currently falling under TARIC codes 7307 19 10 35 and 7307 19 10 45 (‘the product under investigation’, ‘unthreaded MTF’ or ‘UMTF’), and originating in the People’s Republic of China.

(36) Unthreaded tube or pipe cast fittings, of spheroidal graphite cast iron, currently falling under TARIC code 7307 19 10 40 are not subject to investigation.

(37) The investigation showed that MTF produced in the Union from Chinese UMTF have the same basic physical and chemical characteristics and the same uses as the MTF originating in the PRC. Therefore, they are like products within the meaning of Articles 1(4) and 13(1) of the basic Regulation.

(40) All five claim forms that related to imports of UMTF from China into the Union referred to in recital (29) above showed imports under the TARIC code 7307 19 10 35 (UMTF of malleable cast iron). None of these claims showed imports under TARIC code 7307 19 10 45 (other UMTF).

(41) The five exemption claims covered only 30 % of the imports under the two codes under investigation for circumvention (codes 7307 19 10 35 and 7307 19 10 45).

(42) The Commission therefore considered that cooperation was low, and therefore information from the request was used under Article 18 of the basic Regulation where data was not available otherwise.

(44) Between 2022 and the end of the reporting period the import data showed a decrease in the quantity of MTF entering the Union from China and paying the duties in force. However, at the same time the quantity of UMTF entering the Union from China increased.

(45) The decrease of imports of MTF into the Union, and the increase of UMTF imports in the same period, constituted a change in the pattern of trade under Article 13(1) of the basic Regulation.

(47) Based on data from Eurostat the Commission noted that imports under TARIC codes 7307 19 10 35 and 7307 19 10 45 are declining over the period and are much smaller in quantity than those from China.

(48) Article 13(1) of the basic Regulation requires that the change in the pattern of trade stems from a practice, process or work for which there is insufficient due cause or economic justification other than the imposition of the duty.

(49) The practice, process or work includes the assembly of parts or completion operations in accordance with Article 13(2) of the basic Regulation.

(50) The Commission considered that the threading of UMTF into MTF (the practice as set out in recital (19)) constitutes a completion operation under Article 13(2) of the basic Regulation.

(51) The import data showed that most UMTF coming into the Union and therefore expected to be part of the completion operation, are coming from China. The Commission could therefore assume from this data, and from the exemption claims received, that most threading operations sourced more than 60 % by value parts from the country subject to measures.

(52) Given the low level of cooperation, the Commission considered that the facts available, as set out in the request, showed that the completion operation would not add more than 25 % value added costs.

(53) The investigation confirmed from the exemption requests received that the practice in question, namely the importation of unthreaded UMTF from China, threading and then selling the threaded MTF in the Union can be carried out without adding more than 25 % value added costs to the parts brought in.

(54) The request stated that the reason for importing UMTF from China into the Union for threading and resale as MTF was to avoid the payment of the anti-dumping duties in force on imports of MTF from China. The level of investment needed to start a threading business in the Union is much lower than either starting full production of MTF in the Union or paying the anti-dumping duties on imports of MTF from China.

(55) The investigation found no evidence that the completion operation, namely threading UMTF into MTF, had any sufficient due cause or economic justification other than the imposition of the duty where the MTF was then sold for free circulation into the Union.

(56) The Commission therefore considered that the requirements of Article 13(1) and 13(2) of the basic Regulation were met.

(57) In accordance with Article 13(2) of the basic Regulation, the Commission examined whether the imports of the product under investigation into the Union, both in terms of quantities and prices, undermined the remedial effects of the measures currently in force.

(58) Eurostat data showed that 18 566 tonnes of UMTF were imported into the Union during the reporting period. The last expiry review showed that Union consumption of MTF was 28 000 tonnes per year. Imports of UMTF that could be threaded into MTF were therefore 66 % of total Union consumption.

(59) The Commission considered that this level of imports was significant.

(60) Eurostat data also gave information on the price of UMTF entering the Union, with an average price of EUR 2 224 per tonne in the reporting period. The average price of MTF from China on which duties would be paid for the same reporting period was EUR 3 027 per tonne, a difference of 36 %.

(61) The Commission also analysed the purchases of the four companies that claimed exemption for their imports of UMTF from China and found an average purchase price of EUR 1 512 per tonne.

(62) The Commission was also able to compare the MTF sales prices of the companies claiming exemption to the MTF sales prices of the Union industry in the latest expiry review.

(63) The companies claiming exemption sold MTF made by threading imports of UMTF from China at EUR 4 390 per tonne during the reporting period. In the review investigation period of the last expiry review (17) the Union industry average sales price was EUR 5 700 per tonne. This price was confirmed in the request (between EUR 4 900–5 600 per tonne). This clearly showed that the low price of UMTF from China is passed on to the customer after threading.

(64) The Commission therefore concluded that the remedial effect of the measures in force was undermined in terms of both quantities and prices.

(65) Article 13(1) of the basic Regulation requires evidence of dumping in relation to the previously established normal value for MTF.

(66) The latest expiry review constructed a normal value for MTF in China using the methodology set out in Article 2(6a) of the basic Regulation (18) for the investigation period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.

(67) The Commission was able to compare the price of MTF threaded in the Union from Chinese imports to this normal value, using data from the claims for exemption. The sales price in the Union was lower than the normal value and therefore these MTF were clearly dumped, with a dumping margin of at least 8 %.

(68) Based on the above, the Commission concluded that the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on imports of MTF originating in China was being circumvented by imports of UMTF.

(69) Under Article 13(1) of the basic Regulation, the anti-dumping measures in force should be extended to imports from China into the Union of the product under investigation.

(70) Under Article 13(1), second paragraph of the basic Regulation, the measure to be extended should be the one established in Article 1(2) of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1890 for ‘all other imports originating in China’, which is a definitive anti-dumping duty of 57,8 % applicable to the net, free-at-Union-frontier price, before customs duty.

(71) Under Article 13(3) of the basic Regulation duties are to be collected on those registered imports of the product under investigation in accordance with the findings made in this investigation.

(73) Each request for exemption was analysed to see if the company was engaged in the circumvention found by the Commission. Verification visits were carried out at the premises of all applicants except Saint-Gobain PAM Canalisation. This company was found not to be importing the product under investigation and therefore the exemption claim was not necessary.