France and Italy weigh EU safeguard tariffs on PET imports, with Germany open to measures
France, Italy and potentially Germany are considering asking the European Commission to open EU safeguard investigations covering PET, epoxy resin and glass fibre imports, citing cheap Chinese supply, high energy costs and weak demand. Unlike anti-dumping duties, safeguards could impose quotas and tariffs on imports from nearly all trading partners, including countries with EU free-trade agreements such as Japan and Canada. Any measure would need a qualified majority of at least 15 member states representing 65% of the EU population, and could raise input costs for packaging, automotive and wind-energy manufacturers that rely on these materials.
Why this mattersPET is a core packaging resin, so EU safeguard tariffs would raise input costs for bottle and packaging converters even as they aim to shield domestic PET producers.
- France, Italy and potentially Germany are weighing EU safeguard investigation requests covering PET, epoxy resin and glass fibres
- Safeguards can impose quotas and tariffs on imports from nearly all trading partners, unlike targeted anti-dumping duties
- EU chemical production fell 3.2% year-on-year in Q1 2026 with plant utilisation around 74%, per the European Chemical Industry Council
- EU chemical exports fell EUR 4.6bn (12.4%) and imports fell EUR 4.8bn in Q1 2026
- European natural gas prices in the first four months of 2026 were about 3.3 times US levels
- Adopting a safeguard measure would require a qualified majority of at least 15 EU countries representing 65% of the bloc's population