Date: 2026-02-10Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/297 of 9 February 2026 making imports of certain wires of silico-manganese steel (welding wire) originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration with a view to allowing the levy of anti-dumping duties on the imports subject to registration
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security
**Executive Summary**
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/297, dated 9 February 2026, mandates the registration of imports of certain silico-manganese steel wires originating in the People's Republic of China. This registration is intended to allow for the possible retroactive levy of anti-dumping duties. The regulation enters into force the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and the registration expires nine months from the date of entry into force.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Subject of Registration:**
* The regulation concerns wire of silico-manganese steel with specific characteristics:
* Cross-section diameter between 0.6 mm and 4 mm.
* Composition: Not more than 0.2% carbon, 0.6% to 1.4% silicon, and 0.9% to 1.9% manganese, without other elements altering steel characteristics.
* May be coated with copper, bronze, or wax/oil-based lubricant.
* Classified under CN code ex 7229 20 00 (TARIC code 7229 20 00 10).
* Originating in the People's Republic of China.
* **Registration Purpose and Basis:**
* Imports of the specified product are subject to registration under Article 14(5) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036.
* The purpose is to enable retroactive imposition of anti-dumping duties if the conditions for such duties are met.
* **Anti-dumping Investigation:**
* An anti-dumping proceeding was initiated on 11 December 2025, regarding imports of the product originating in the People's Republic of China.
* The investigation follows a complaint by several EU welding wire producers.
* **Future Liability:**
* Potential future liability will be determined based on the investigation findings.
* Calculations in the complaint suggest dumping margins between 38% and 52%, and injury elimination level between 45% and 105%.
* The amount of possible liability would normally be the lower of the dumping or injury level according to Article 7(2) of the basic regulation.
* **Raw Material Distortions:**
* If the investigation finds evidence of raw material distortions, the amount of future liability will be set at the dumping margin level if a lower duty is insufficient to remove the injury to the EU industry.
* **Personal Data:**
* Any personal data collected during registration will be handled according to Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 on personal data protection.
**Impact Analysis**
**EU Customs Authorities**
* **Impact:** Required to register imports of the specified silico-manganese steel wire.
* **Action Required:** Take appropriate steps to register imports into the Union of wire of silico-manganese steel with a cross section with a diameter of 0,6 mm to 4 mm, containing by weight not more than 0,2% of carbon, 0,6 % or more but not more than 1,4 % of silicon, and 0,9 % or more but not more than 1,9 % of manganese, but no other element in a proportion that would give the steel the characteristics of another alloy steel, whether coated with copper or bronze or wax/oil based lubricant or not, currently classified under CN code ex 7229 20 00 (TARIC code 7229 20 0010), originating in the People's Republic of China.
**Importers of Silico-Manganese Steel Wire from China**
* **Impact:** Imports are subject to registration, potentially leading to retroactive anti-dumping duties.
* **Action Required:** Monitor the investigation's progress and prepare for potential financial liabilities if anti-dumping duties are imposed retroactively.
**EU Producers of Silico-Manganese Steel Wire (including ELBOR S.p.a. Elektroda Zagreb d.d., Electro Portugal Lda., Hermann Fliess & Co. GmbH, Italfil Spa, Multimet Sp. z o.o., S.I.A.T. Società Italiana Acciai Trafilati S.p.A., and Westfälische Drahtindustrie GmbH)**
* **Impact:** Potential for relief from unfairly dumped imports and associated injury.
* **Action Required:** Continue to cooperate with the Commission in the anti-dumping investigation.
Key Entities Referenced
Regulation (EU) 2016/1036: The basic Regulation on protection against dumped imports, relevant because this regulation implements Article 14(5) of it.
People's Republic of China: Country of origin of the silico-manganese steel welding wire imports being investigated for anti-dumping duties.
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/297: The regulation itself, making imports of certain wires of silico-manganese steel from China subject to registration.
European Commission: The EU body initiating the anti-dumping investigation and implementing the registration of imports.
silico-manganese steel (‘welding wire'): The specific product being investigated for anti-dumping duties and subject to registration.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/297 10.2.2026
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2026/297
of 9 February 2026
making imports of certain wires of silico-manganese steel (‘welding wire’) originating in the People’s
Republic of China subject to registration with a view to allowing the levy of anti-dumping duties on
the imports subject to registration
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/1036 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on protection
against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Union(1)(‘the basic Regulation’) and in particular
Article 14(5) thereof,
After informing the Member States,
Whereas:
(1) On 11 December 2025, the European Commission (‘the Commission’) announced, by a notice published in the
Official Journal of the European Union(2), the initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding with regard to imports into the
Union of certain wires of silico-manganese steel (‘welding wire’) originating in the People’s Republic of China.
(2) This initiation followed a complaint lodged on 29 October 2025 by ELBOR S.p.a. Elektroda Zagreb d.d., Electro
Portugal Lda., Hermann Fliess & Co. GmbH, Italfil Spa, Multimet Sp. z o.o., S.I.A.T. Società Italiana Acciai Trafilati
S.p.A., and Westfälische Drahtindustrie GmbH, representing more than 25 % of the total Union production of
welding wire.
1. PRODUCT SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION
(3) The product subject to registration (‘the product concerned’) is wire of silico-manganese steel with a cross section
with a diameter of 0,6 mm to 4 mm, containing by weight not more than 0,2 % of carbon, 0,6 % or more but not
more than 1,4 % of silicon, and 0,9 % or more but not more than 1,9 % of manganese, but no other element in a
proportion that would give the steel the characteristics of another alloy steel, whether coated with copper or bronze
or wax/oil based lubricant or not, currently classified under CN code ex 7229 20 00 (TARIC code 7229 20 00 10),
originating in the People’s Republic of China.
2. REGISTRATION
(4) Under Article 14(5) of the basic Regulation, imports of the product concerned may be made subject to registration.
(5) The purpose of registration is to ensure that anti-dumping duties, if any, can be levied retroactively on the imports
subject to registration in accordance with the applicable legal provisions, if the necessary conditions are met.
(6) The Commission has decided to make imports of the product concerned subject to registration on its own initiative
under Article 14(5) of the basic Regulation. The conditions for retroactive collection of duties will be assessed in the
regulation imposing definitive duties if any.
(7) Any future liability would emanate from the findings of the investigation.
(8) The calculations provided in the complaint requesting the initiation of the anti-dumping investigation estimate
dumping margins between 38 % and 52 % and injury elimination level between 45 % and 105 % for the product
concerned for the period from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025. The amount of possible future liability would normally
be set at the lower of the dumping or injury level according to Article 7(2) of the basic Regulation.
(1) OJ L 176, 30.6.2016, p. 21, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/1036/oj.
(2) OJ C, C/2025/6555, 11.12.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/6555/oj.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/297/oj 1/2EN
OJ L, 10.2.2026
(9) If, during the investigation, the Commission finds evidence of raw material distortions pursuant to Article 7(2a) of
the basic Regulation, the amount of possible future liability would be set at the level of the dumping margin as
provided for in Article 7(2b) of the basic Regulation if it is concluded that a duty lower than the margin of dumping
would not be sufficient to remove the injury suffered by the Union industry.
(10) However, at this stage the Commission is not in a position to estimate the amount of possible future liability. Thus,
the amounts mentioned in the complaint are only for information purposes and cannot create any expectations as to
the actual level of liability which will be established as a result of the investigation.
3. PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA
(11) Any personal data collected in the context of this registration will be treated in accordance with Regulation
(EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council(3)on the protection of natural persons with regard
to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement
of such data,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. The customs authorities are hereby directed, under Article 14(5) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036, to take the
appropriate steps to register imports into the Union of wire of silico-manganese steel with a cross section with a diameter
of 0,6 mm to 4 mm, containing by weight not more than 0,2 % of carbon, 0,6 % or more but not more than 1,4 % of
silicon, and 0,9 % or more but not more than 1,9 % of manganese, but no other element in a proportion that would give
the steel the characteristics of another alloy steel, whether coated with copper or bronze or wax/oil based lubricant or not,
currently classified under CN code ex 7229 20 00 (TARIC code 7229 20 00 10), originating in the People’s Republic of
China.
2. Registration shall expire nine months following the date of entry into force of this Regulation.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 9 February 2026.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
(3) Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons
with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of
such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39, ELI: http://data.
europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1725/oj).
2/2 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/297/oj