Date: 2026-02-18Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/362 of 17 February 2026 making imports of benzyl alcohol 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) 2026/362, issued on February 17, 2026, mandates the registration of imports of benzyl alcohol originating in the People's Republic of China. This registration is a preliminary step to potentially impose anti-dumping duties. The regulation enters into force the day following its publication, and the registration requirement expires nine months after that date.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Subject of Registration:**
* Benzyl alcohol (also known as phenylmethanol, benzenemethanol, phenylcarbinol and hydroxytoluene), an aromatic alcohol.
* Usually falls under Chemicals Abstract Services (CAS) number 100-51-6 and Customs and Statistics Number (CUS) 0011660-9.
* Currently classified under CN code 2906 21 00.
* Originating in the People's Republic of China.
* **Purpose of Registration:**
* To enable the retroactive levying of anti-dumping duties, if applicable, based on the findings of the anti-dumping investigation.
* Future liability would emanate from the findings of the anti-dumping investigation.
* **Anti-Dumping Investigation Details:**
* An anti-dumping proceeding was initiated on December 19, 2025, following a complaint.
* The complaint estimated a dumping margin of 79% and an injury elimination level between 25% and 55% for the period from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025.
* **Data Protection:**
* Personal data collected during registration will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725.
* **Implementation & Duration:**
* Customs authorities are directed to register the imports.
* Registration expires nine months after the date of entry into force of this Regulation.
**Impact Analysis**
**Customs Authorities**
* *Impact*: Required to take appropriate steps to register imports of benzyl alcohol from China.
* *Action Required*: Implement procedures for the registration of relevant imports.
**Importers of Benzyl Alcohol from the People's Republic of China**
* *Impact*: Imports of benzyl alcohol are now subject to registration.
* *Action Required*: Comply with the registration requirements and prepare for potential retroactive anti-dumping duties.
**Union producers of benzyl alcohol**
* *Impact*: Anti-dumping investigation may lead to duties on Benzyl Alcohol from the People's Republic of China
* *Action Required*: Monitor the outcome of the investigation
Key Entities Referenced
Regulation (EU) 2016/1036: The basic Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Union, cited as the legal basis for this implementing regulation.
Benzyl alcohol: The specific product (also known as phenylmethanol, benzenemethanol, phenylcarbinol and hydroxytoluene) imported from China, which is subject to registration for potential anti-dumping duties.
People's Republic of China: The country of origin of the benzyl alcohol imports that are the subject of this registration for potential anti-dumping duties.
European Commission: The EU body responsible for initiating and conducting the anti-dumping investigation and implementing the regulation.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/362 18.2.2026
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2026/362
of 17 February 2026
making imports of benzyl alcohol 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 19 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 benzyl alcohol originating in the People’s Republic of China.
(2) This initiation followed a complaint lodged on 10 November 2025 by LANXESS Deutschland GmbH, LANXESS
Chemical B.V. and Vynova Advanced Organics Maastricht B.V., collectively representing more than 25 % of the total
Union production of benzyl alcohol.
1. PRODUCT SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION
(3) The product subject to registration (‘the product concerned’) is benzyl alcohol (also known as phenylmethanol,
benzenemethanol, phenylcarbinol and hydroxytoluene), an aromatic alcohol, usually falling under the Chemicals
Abstract Services (CAS) number 100-51-6 and the Customs and Statistics Number (CUS) 0011660-9, and
originating in the People’s Republic of China.
(4) The product concerned is currently classified under CN code 2906 21 00. The CN code is given for information only
and without prejudice to a subsequent change in the tariff classification.
2. REGISTRATION
(5) Under Article 14(5) of the basic Regulation, imports of the product concerned may be made subject to registration.
(6) 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.
(7) 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.
(8) Any future liability would emanate from the findings of the anti-dumping investigation.
(9) The calculations provided in the complaint requesting the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation estimate a
dumping margin of 79 % and an injury elimination level between 25 % and 55 % 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 9(4) 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/2025/6741, 19.12.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/6741/oj.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/362/oj 1/2EN
OJ L, 18.2.2026
(10) 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.
(11) 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
(12) 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 benzyl alcohol (also known as phenylmethanol, benzenemethanol,
phenylcarbinol and hydroxytoluene), an aromatic alcohol, usually falling under the Chemicals Abstract Services (CAS)
number 100-51-6 and the Customs and Statistics Number (CUS) 0011660-9, currently classified under CN code
2906 21 00, and 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, 17 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/2026/362/oj