Polyether polyols from China: imports registered, retroactive duties possible

SUNDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2026

Since 7 November EU customs have registered imports of Chinese polyether polyols, a raw material for polyurethane foam: if the investigation opened on 30 June ends with a duty, it may also apply to goods already cleared.

Polyether polyols from China: since 7 November 2026 EU customs authorities register every import. Registration is not a duty, but it allows any anti-dumping duty resulting from the investigation opened on 30 June to be applied retroactively.

What changes for polyether polyols from 7 November

The measure is Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2409, adopted on 5 November and published in the Official Journal on 6 November. It covers certain polyether polyols: polymers obtained from ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide, with a hydroxyl number between 10 and 520, currently classified under CN code ex 3907 29 20 (TARIC codes 3907 29 20 35 and 3907 29 20 90). Blends and formulations with additives, such as flame retardants, surfactants, stabilisers or catalysts, are also covered, provided at least 50% of the weight is pure polyether polyol. Polyethylene glycols (PEGs), classified under code 3907 29 11, are excluded.

Polyether polyols are a raw material of polyurethane chemistry, and polyurethane foam is one of their main uses. Polyurethane in turn is used for the flexible foam in mattresses and seating and for rigid insulating foam, for example in refrigerators and freezers.

The anti-dumping investigation timeline

The investigation followed a complaint lodged on 8 June 2026 by BASF, Covestro, PCC Rokita, Shell and Chimcomplex, which represent more than 25% of EU production. The timetable set by the Commission is as follows:

• 30 June 2026: initiation of the anti-dumping investigation into Chinese polyether polyols.
• 1 April 2025 - 31 March 2026: investigation period for dumping and injury; market trends are examined from 1 January 2022.
• 7 November 2026: import registration enters into force; it expires after nine months, in early August 2027.
• Within seven months of initiation, and no later than eight: any provisional duties, so between late January and late February 2027.
• Within one year, and no later than 14 months of initiation: conclusion of the investigation, so by late August 2027 at the latest.

What registration does and what it does not say

Registration serves one purpose only: if the investigation ends with a definitive duty and the conditions of the basic anti-dumping regulation are met, customs will be able to collect it on consignments already cleared during the registration period. The Commission states that the conditions for retroactive collection will only be assessed in the regulation imposing definitive duties, if any.

The regulation also states that the Commission is not yet in a position to estimate the amount of any duty, and that the figures given by the complainants are for information only. For now, nothing extra is paid at the border. Registration does signal, however, that the Commission has chosen to keep the option of a retroactive duty open, and it did so on its own initiative.

There is one more limit to keep in mind: the measure concerns the polyol as a chemical, not finished goods. A mattress, a cushion or a finished insulation panel imported from China is not registered under this regulation.

Polyether polyols from China: what it means for importers

Anyone buying polyols in China, for example to make foams, padding, adhesives or coatings, now faces a cost risk that does not appear on the invoice. Every consignment cleared between 7 November 2026 and early August 2027 could be asked to pay a duty after the fact, if the investigation ends with a definitive measure and the Commission decides to apply it retroactively.

The data does not say how high the duty will be or whether there will be one, but it suggests a few checks. It is worth verifying the exact TARIC code and composition of every polyol purchased, because blends and formulations with at least 50% pure polyol are included; stating in contracts who bears a possible retroactive duty, especially under DDP terms, where the supplier clears the goods; factoring the provisional duty window of January to February 2027 into the pricing of supplies over the coming months; and assessing alternative suppliers outside China in good time for the largest volumes.

Before the next order

With La Merce, companies importing polyols or polyurethane formulations from China check before ordering whether the goods fall under TARIC codes 3907 29 20 35 or 3907 29 20 90, registered since 7 November, and agree with the supplier who pays any retroactive duty.

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