Overview
- Collection of the provisional duties begins Dec. 23 as cash deposits following a preliminary anti‑subsidy finding by China’s Commerce Ministry.
- Rates range from 21.9% to 42.7%, with most cooperators near 28.6%–29.7% and the top rate applied to non‑cooperating firms including FrieslandCampina units, while Italy’s Sterilgarda faces 21.9%.
- The measures cover selected cheeses, curd, and certain milk and cream products, including blue cheeses and cream with fat content above 10%.
- Beijing says EU subsidies caused substantial damage to China’s dairy industry, as domestic producers wrestle with a milk glut and falling prices, while Brussels labels the move unjustified and cites insufficient evidence.
- The step extends a broader EU‑China trade dispute linked to EV tariffs and recent actions on brandy and pork, with China’s dairy probe still open and rates subject to change at its conclusion.