Five EU states seek safeguard quotas on PET imports
Five EU member states have asked the European Commission to impose safeguard measures on PET imports, which would set country quotas and tariff or block out-of-quota volumes. The Commission has 30 days from the request to decide whether to open a formal investigation, adding to a wider wave of trade-defence actions in Europe's PET and chemicals sectors.
Why this mattersSafeguard quotas would raise PET resin costs and restrict supply for European bottle and packaging converters that depend on imported material.
- Five EU member states have asked the European Commission for PET safeguard measures, Reuters reported on 14 October 2026, citing EU trade lawyers.
- The European Commission has 30 days to decide whether to open a safeguard investigation.
- Proposed safeguards would set import quotas per exporting country, with out-of-quota PET volumes tariffed or blocked.
- The UK Trade Remedies Authority opened a separate PET safeguard investigation in August 2026 following an application from Alpek Polyester UK.
- Turkey (47,223 tonnes) and Vietnam (44,850 tonnes) were the EU's largest PET suppliers in July 2026, ahead of Egypt (12,519 tonnes) and Pakistan (12,475 tonnes).
- The EU terminated its antidumping investigation into Vietnamese PET in June 2026 after PET Europe withdrew its complaint.
Sources
chemweek.com