Micah Jonah
February 7, 2026
The European Union has approved a sharp increase in tariffs on ceramic tableware imports from China, raising duties to a flat 79 percent following a review of long standing anti dumping measures.
The decision affects ceramic plates, cups, bowls and other table and kitchenware products, replaces earlier tariff levels that ranged between 13.1 percent and 36.1 percent. The new duty is expected to remain in force for the next five years.
EU authorities said the move forms part of broader efforts to address what the bloc describes as unfair trade practices by Chinese manufacturers, noting that a significant number of ongoing trade investigations currently involve Chinese products.
According to the European Commission, Chinese ceramic producers benefit from extensive state support, including preferential access to financing, land and raw materials. The Commission said it assessed production costs using international reference data and concluded that Chinese exporters were selling ceramics in the EU at artificially low prices.
Industry groups within the bloc welcomed the decision, arguing that the revised tariffs are necessary to protect local manufacturers and thousands of jobs across the ceramics value chain.
The tariff hike is expected to further strain already tense trade relations between the European Union and China, as Brussels continues to tighten scrutiny on imports it believes undermine fair competition within the single market.
