Date: 2026-02-20Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/366 of 19 February 2026 making imports of sodium benzoate originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security
**Executive Summary**
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/366, dated 19 February 2026, mandates the registration of sodium benzoate imports originating in the People's Republic of China due to an anti-dumping proceeding initiated on 19 December 2025. This regulation aims to enable retroactive imposition of anti-dumping duties if the investigation confirms dumping. Registration expires nine months after the Regulation's entry into force, which is the day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Product Subject to Registration:**
* Sodium benzoate, typically under CUS number 0023120-9 and CAS number 532-32-1, currently classified under ex CN code 2916 31 00 (TARIC code 2916 31 00 91), originating in the People's Republic of China.
* **Registration Requirements:**
* Imports of the product are subject to registration to enable potential retroactive anti-dumping duties if the investigation leads to their imposition.
* The Commission decided to make imports of the product concerned subject to registration on its own initiative under Article 14(5) of the basic Regulation.
* Customs authorities are directed to register the imports.
* Registration will expire nine months after the regulation comes into force.
* **Anti-Dumping Investigation:**
* The anti-dumping investigation was initiated following a complaint by Lanxess Chemical B.V., representing over 25% of Union production.
* Calculations estimate a dumping margin of 125% and an injury elimination level between 70% and 90% for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. The possible future liability would be set at the lower of those two levels.
* If raw material distortions are found, the future liability could be set at the dumping margin level if a lower duty is insufficient to remove the injury.
* The actual level of liability will be established as a result of the investigation.
* **Processing of Personal Data:**
* Any personal data collected will be handled in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 regarding data protection.
**Impact Analysis**
**Customs Authorities**
* **Impact**: Required to implement the registration of sodium benzoate imports from China.
* **Action Required**: Take the appropriate steps to register imports under Article 14(5) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1036.
**Importers of Sodium Benzoate from China**
* **Impact**: Imports are now subject to registration, potentially leading to retroactive anti-dumping duties.
* **Action Required**: Be aware that imports are being tracked and may be subject to duties based on the outcome of the anti-dumping investigation.
**Union Sodium Benzoate Producers**
* **Impact**: Potentially benefit from the imposition of anti-dumping duties if dumping is confirmed and duties are imposed.
* **Action Required**: No specific action required, but likely to monitor the investigation's progress.
Key Entities Referenced
Regulation (EU) 2016/1036: Basic regulation on protection against dumped imports, the legal basis for the anti-dumping investigation and registration of imports.
People's Republic of China: Country of origin of the sodium benzoate imports subject to registration and potential anti-dumping duties.
European Commission: Initiated the anti-dumping proceeding and is responsible for the registration of imports and potential imposition of anti-dumping duties.
Sodium benzoate: The product being imported that is subject to registration and potential anti-dumping duties.
Brussels: Location where the regulation was issued.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2026/366 20.2.2026
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2026/366
of 19 February 2026
making imports of sodium benzoate originating in the People’s Republic of China 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 sodium benzoate originating in the People’s Republic of China.
(2) This initiation followed a complaint lodged on 10 November 2025 by Lanxess Chemical B.V on behalf of producers
representing more than 25 % of the total Union production of sodium benzoate.
1. PRODUCT SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION
(3) The product subject to registration (‘the product concerned’) is sodium benzoate, usually falling under the Customs
and Statistics (‘CUS’) number 0023120-9 and the Chemical Abstracts Service (‘CAS’) number 532-32-1, currently
classified under ex CN code 2916 31 00 (TARIC code 2916 31 00 91) and 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
for the purpose of ensuring that, if the investigation results in findings leading to the imposition of anti-dumping
duties, those duties can, if the necessary conditions are fulfilled, be levied retroactively on the registered imports in
accordance with the applicable legal provisions.
(5) 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.
(6) Any future liability would emanate from the findings of the anti-dumping investigation.
(7) The calculations provided in the complaint requesting the initiation of an anti-dumping investigation estimate a
dumping margin of 125 % and an injury elimination level between 70 % and 90 % for the product concerned for the
period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. The amount of possible future liability would normally be set at the lower of
those two levels, according to Article 9(4) of the basic Regulation.
(8) 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.
(1) OJ L 176, 30.6.2016, p. 21, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/1036/oj.
(2) OJ C, C/2025/6744, 19.12.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/6744/oj.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/366/oj 1/2EN
OJ L, 20.2.2026
(9) 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
(10) 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 sodium benzoate, usually falling under the Customs and Statistics
(‘CUS’) number 0023120-9 and the Chemical Abstracts Service (‘CAS’) number 532-32-1 currently classified ex CN code
2916 31 00 (TARIC code 2916 31 00 91) 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, 19 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/2026/366/oj