EU Commission opens safeguard investigation into PET resin imports
The European Commission opened a safeguard investigation on 6 November 2026 into imports from all origins of PET resin, including virgin and recycled PET and PET-G, and of three feedstocks: terephthalic acid, monoethylene glycol and purified isophthalic acid. The case, opened at the request of member states, follows a 27% rise in imports of the four product groups to 2.70m tonnes between 2021 and 2025, lifting their share of EU consumption to 40% from 27%. No duties or quotas apply yet; any measures would need a qualified majority of member states.
Why this mattersAny safeguard duties on PET would reshape supply, cost and sourcing for bottle and food-packaging converters across Europe.
- The Commission opened the safeguard investigation on 6 November 2026 at the request of EU member states; it covers imports from all countries
- Scope: PET resin including virgin, recycled PET and PET-G, terephthalic acid, monoethylene glycol and purified isophthalic acid
- Combined imports rose 27% from 2.12m tonnes in 2021 to 2.70m tonnes in 2025, and their share of EU consumption rose to 40% from 27%, according to the notice
- The Commission estimates global spare capacity at about 67.84m tonnes
- Definitive measures must follow within 200 days of any provisional measures, and adoption needs a qualified majority of member states
- The EU already applies antidumping duties on PET from China, antisubsidy duties on PET from India, and measures on terephthalic acid from South Korea and Mexico and monoethylene glycol from Saudi Arabia and the US