EU imposes provisional duties on copper tubes from four countries

Imports of copper tubes from China, Mexico, Vietnam and Uzbekistan now carry provisional EU anti-dumping dutiesEuropa of between 5.6% and 51.5%Europa. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2497Europa, adopted on 10 November 2026Europa, targets pipes and tubes of refined copper, in level wound coils, whether smooth or with inner grooves and not further processedEuropa, falling under CN code ex 7411 10 90 (TARIC 7411 10 90 10)Europa. The duties apply to the net, free-at-Union-frontier price before dutyEuropa, and release for free circulation is conditional on lodging a security deposit equal to the amount of the dutyEuropa.

The highest rates fall on China: 33.5% for Ningbo Jintian Copper Tube Co., LtdEuropa and 51.5% for all other Chinese importsEuropa. Mexico's cooperating exporter, GD Affiliates de RL de CV, faces 18.2%Europa, as do all other imports from MexicoEuropa. In Vietnam, Jintian Copper Industrial faces 13.8%Europa, Hailiang (Vietnam) Copper Manufacturing 12.3%Europa, other cooperating producers 13.3%Europa and all other imports 14.4%Europa. The three Uzbek exporters received the lowest rates: 11% for ICG Infinity Copper Group (jointly with Metal Processing Technology)Europa, 6.8% for JV Sharq TubesEuropa and 5.6% for Angren Pipe PlantEuropa, with 11% for all other Uzbek importsEuropa.

The company-specific rates apply only against a valid commercial invoice carrying a dated declaration, signed by an official of the issuing entity identified by name and function, certifying the tonnage, the manufacturer and address, the TARIC additional code and the country of manufactureEuropa. Until such an invoice is presented, customs apply the residual "all other imports" rate of the country concernedEuropa, and they may still require further documents such as shipping documents to verify the declaration.

On product scope, the Commission confirmed that straight copper pipes, pancake coils and insulated or coated copper tubes are not coveredEuropa. Small-diameter capillary tubes are covered when sold in level wound coilsEuropa, because the only observable difference from other covered tubes is the smaller diameter. A request by a Union user to extend the scope to finished insulated copper tubes was rejectedEuropa, as insulated tubes were never part of the complaintEuropa; the Commission noted that circumvention can be addressed through an anti-circumvention investigation if the conditions are met.

The case follows a complaint lodged on 26 January 2026Europa by the EU Copper Tubes Defence CommitteeEuropa, with the investigation opened on 12 March 2026Europa and calendar year 2025 as the dumping and injury investigation periodEuropa. For China the Commission constructed normal value on the basis of undistorted benchmarks because of significant state distortionsEuropa, and set the duty at the dumping marginEuropa. For Mexico, Vietnam and Uzbekistan the lesser-duty rule appliedEuropa, so each duty is the lower of the dumping margin and the injury marginEuropa. Copper tubes are used in heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems as well as sanitary, medical and industrial applications, and are a component of certain renewable energy networks.

Registration of the imports, imposed in May 2026Europa so that duties could later be collected retroactively, is discontinuedEuropa, but the data collected on goods that entered the EU for consumption up to 90 days before entry into force is kept until definitive measures are adopted or the proceeding endsEuropa. No decision on retroactive collection has been takenEuropa. Interested parties have 15 calendar days from entry into force to submit written commentsEuropa and five calendar days to request a hearing with the Commission or the Hearing OfficerEuropa. The findings are provisional and may be amended at the definitive stageEuropa.

Legal basis: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2497 imposing a provisional anti-dumping duty under Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 on protection against dumped importsEuropa.