The EU has more than doubled tariffs on Chinese ceramic tableware to 79%, citing state subsidies and below-cost pricing, as part of a broader crackdown on unfair trade practices that has seen Brussels launch 47 investigations into Chinese products.
The EU has dramatically increased import duties on Chinese ceramic tableware and kitchenware to 79%, replacing the previous range of 13.1% to 36.1% that had been in effect since 2013.
The European Commission justified the steep increase by citing evidence that Chinese ceramic manufacturers receive government assistance through preferential financing, subsidised land, and cheaper raw materials. The EU also concluded that Chinese exporters were selling products at artificially depressed prices.
This tariff hike represents one element of the EU’s wider effort to address what it views as unfair Chinese commercial practices. Currently, the European Commission is conducting 63 trade investigations, 47 of which target Chinese products.
The new 79% duty will remain in place for five years.
The EU has implemented anti-dumping measures on nearly 80 Chinese products, ranging from biodiesel and ironing boards to bicycles and electric vehicles, with the latter investigation.
Separately, on 12 December 2025, EU finance ministers agreed to eliminate the customs duty exemption for e-commerce imports valued at EUR 150 or less, replacing it with a flat EUR 3 per-parcel duty.
