CERAME-UNIE Activity

TRADE POLICY

In order to safeguard the industry's position in third markets, Cérame-Unie provides the European Commission with a continuous flow of information on a long range of trade barriers used by third countries. Examples are the high import tariffs levied by the USA on hotelware and ceramic tiles, by China and India on refractories, and so on. In addition action is taken on "technical" trade barriers, such as the compulsory certification of construction products, which has been imposed by several Eastern European and third countries. Cérame-Unie wants to use the ongoing WTO Doha Round for obtaining the removal of such trade barriers.

Another matter of concern for the ceramics sectors is the unfair competition from China. The EU import quota for Chinese tableware, which was set up as a correction to this competition, enabled by the Chinese state trading system, was abolished in 2005. Cérame-Unie is now requesting the introduction of an origin marking system for tableware, ornamentalware and tiles sold on the EU market. This should put an end to misleading information given by third country producers or distributors on the origin of their products. It is also taking action against the counterfeiting of European designs, which is very frequent in China and other Asian countries.