EU anti-subsidy duties on Argentine biodiesel to be restored?

Reuters is reporting that the European Commission has proposed reinstating anti-subsidy duties on imports of Argentine biodiesel.

A surge in biodiesel shipments from Latin America into the EU has threatened the industry and pushed the proposed renewal from the European Commission, Reuters claims, citing an EU document seen by the publication’s journalists.

The latest development marks another twist in a story that has loomed over the European biodiesel sector for the last five years.

In 2013 Argentina and Indonesia were first accused of ‘dumping’ biodiesel into the EU market. Tariffs were placed on biodiesel imports from the two countries, yet in in September the European Commission announced that it would not reinstate those provisional tariffs.

Back in April of this year, German biodiesel producer Natural Energy West announced it was cutting production at its facility in Marl. It made clear that the influx of Argentine and Indonesian biodiesel into the EU market had played a part in the decision.

“If the German government and the European Commission do nothing against the unfair trading practices undertaken by Argentina and Indonesia, the European (biodiesel) industry and the farming sector which supports it will face damage that threatens its existence,” CEO Detlef Volz said at the time.

The new proposal for anti-subsidy tariffs will need to be approved by EU member states.