Anti-Dumping (ADD) and Countervailing (CD) Duty

Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties are extra import duties imposed on goods in addition to the normal duties that apply. These duties apply to imported goods that are sold in the European Union (EU) at prices substantially lower than their normal value.

Anti-Dumping Duties are introduced to protect EU industry from the possible damage caused by the dumping of low-priced goods on the EU market.

Countervailing Duty applies to goods that have benefitted from government subsidies in their country of origin. This results in substantially lower than normal prices.

These charges are generally introduced following a complaint by an EU trader against the dumping of goods or the introduction of subsidies. The EU Commission examine such complaints.

How long will Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties apply?

These charges apply:

• provisionally (for a period of up to nine months)
• or
• definitively (normally for a period of five years).

A provisional duty will be applied if the preliminary investigation by the EU Commission shows that:

• dumping has occurred
• or
• subsidies have been introduced.

In these circumstances, the EU Commission will begin a full investigation.

If the full investigation confirms that dumping has occurred or that subsidies have been introduced, the charges are applied definitively. 

Retrospective anti-dumping and countervailing measures

Sometimes large stocks of the products under investigation for dumping are imported before the investigation is concluded. This is done to avoid paying any Anti-Dumping or Countervailing Duty that may be imposed. In these circumstances, Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties may be applied retrospectively.

In such cases, a registration measure may be imposed on the products. These measures make it possible to apply Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Duties retrospectively (up to a maximum of nine months) after goods have been imported.

You can find out if your goods are affected by retrospective measures, Anti-Dumping or Countervailing Duties by consulting TARIC.

For more information about Anti-Dumping or Countervailing Duties, please see further guidance.

Further information

If you require further information, please contact the Origin and Valuation Unit.