European Commission Regulation Imposes High Import Duties on Chinese Hardwood Plywood
19.12.2025
The European Commission has adopted a Regulation imposing definitive anti-dumping duties of up to 86.8% on imports of hardwood plywood from China, effective from November 21. All Chinese hardwood plywood entering the EU will now face an 86.8% duty, with the exception of one cooperating exporter, which will be subject to a 43.2% rate. These definitive duties are significantly higher than the provisional measures introduced earlier this year, reflecting a more precise assessment of the extensive dumping practices by Chinese producers that caused material injury to EU manufacturers. The EU industry sees this decision as an essential step toward restoring fair competition with China, the world’s largest supplier of hardwood plywood.
“Latvijas Finieris is committed to dedicating resources and support to fair competition, both now and in the future. We monitor the market and refer cases of significant concern, including the potential circumvention or avoidance of applicable laws and regulations, to the competent authorities in both the EU and Latvia for independent investigation.
There are numerous cases in which Latvia is listed as the country of origin for birch raw materials. The volume of raw materials exported from Latvia is significantly lower than the volume of birch plywood supplied by third countries that claim Latvian origin for the birch resource. We have identified three independent cases in which the origin of birch logs from the same logging site in Latvia was stated in the due diligence documentation. The total volume of birch reportedly produced is disproportionate to a harvest of this size. We urge you to carefully review all documentation demonstrating the legality of the supply chain. Verify the documentation through reliable, independent sources, and report any suspicious cases to the competent authorities,”
comments Mārtiņš Lācis, Executive Board member, Head of Marketing, Sales and Logistics of Latvijas Finieris.
A distinctive aspect of this case is the deliberate and early shift by Chinese exporters to reclassify hardwood plywood as “softwood plywood” by applying extremely thin, superficial face layers-often so thin they can be peeled off-designed solely to secure a different customs classification and avoid anti-dumping duties. The Commission identified this circumvention tactic already during the provisional phase and initiated specific monitoring of such imports, opening the door to faster enforcement actions.
This development follows the Commission’s Special Alert issued in March 2025, which warned of the increased risk of circumvention involving Russian and Belarusian birch wood-materials banned in the EU but allegedly routed through China using false or misleading documentation. Similar concerns have surfaced outside the EU as well; for example, major UK market participants have reported sharp rises in suspicious birch plywood imports via third countries, potentially involving Russian-origin material prohibited under UK sanctions.
