The European Commission has instructed EU customs authorities to begin registering imports of lightweight thermal paper from the People’s Republic of China as part of an ongoing anti-subsidy investigation launched on 7 November 2025.
According to the Official Journal of the European Union, this step allows any countervailing duties imposed later to be applied retroactively to registered imports, subject to certain conditions. Under the regulation, the product concerned is defined as thermal paper with a basis weight of 65 g/m² or less, supplied in rolls with a width of at least 20 cm and a weight of 50 kg or more, including so-called “jumbo rolls” with a diameter of 40 cm or more. The scope includes paper with or without a base coat, featuring a physical or chemical thermo-sensitive layer on one or both sides, and with or without a top coat.
The registration requirement applies to products currently classified under CN codes ex 4809 90 00, ex 4811 90 00, ex 4816 90 00 and ex 4823 90 85. The Commission stated that it is not yet possible to determine the exact level of subsidisation. However, calculations cited in the original complaint estimate an injury elimination level ranging between 10% and 25% for the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
According to the regulation, the registration measure will remain in effect for nine months from the date it enters into force, which will be the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
News Courtesy: Lesprom
