600,000 tonnes of Argentinian biodiesel have entered the EU since September

600,000 tonnes of Argentinian biodiesel were sent to Europe between September 2017 and mid-January 2018, according to Reuters. The wire service cites Argentina’s main biofuel group, Carbio, for the figures.

The surge in imports came after the EU lowered import duties on Argentinian biodiesel, Reuters reports.

In September, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruled against measures taken by the EU on biodiesel imports from Argentina. The Union had placed import duties on Argentinian biodiesel in 2013, claiming the country was ‘dumping’ biodiesel.

The EU was forced to cut the anti-dumping duties from 22-25.7% down to between 4.5 and 8.1%. A move which caused a great deal of controversy.

 

Pressure mounts to reopen investigation

Pressure has been mounting to reopen the investigation into Argentinian biodiesel imports.

In late September, Raffaello Garofalo, secretary general of the European Biodiesel Board, said: “This is a legitimate fight to protect the EU biodiesel market - and the 120,000 jobs it supports - from a heavily subsidised export-oriented industry.”

Garofalo continued: “We are prepared to do whatever it takes to limit the recurring Argentinian biodiesel imports. An EBB anti-subsidy complaint will be presented imminently. In our view, it is essential that the registration of all incoming imports from Argentina starts as soon as possible and that a provisional duty is urgently established by EU Trade Defence authorities.”

According to Reuters, the European Commission is set to launch an investigation into whether Argentine producers exporting biofuels benefit from unfair subsidies. The wire service cites ‘people familiar with the case.’