In a statement, the commission said the anti-subsidy investigation focuses on imports from China and Indonesia. Meanwhile, it said imported steel road wheels from China will now face provisional anti-dumping duties ranging from 50.3% to 66.4%, pending a final determination. 

The commission said the wheel market was worth an estimated EUR800 million in 2018 and directly employs about 3,600 people, mostly in Germany, France, Spain, Czechia, Italy, Romania and Poland. 

As for the anti-subsidy investigation, the commission said it follows an anti-dumping investigation on hot-rolled stainless sheet and coil from Taiwan, China and Indonesia. The anti-dumping investigation was launched in August. 

Both investigations arose on a complaint from the European Steel Association on behalf of four producers: Acerinox Europa SAU, Aperam Stainless Europe, Outokumpu Oyj and Acciai Speciali Terni SpA.

“In recent years, imports from the countries concerned have surged in the EU, leading to a consistent increase in the market shares of these countries, reaching up to 29% of the free market during the second half of 2018, a record level despite the existence of the provisional EU safeguard measures,” the association wrote in its complaint. 

The commission said the investigation will explore whether subsidies received by foreign producers amount to unfair competition for EU companies located in Belgium, Finland, France, Italy and Spain.