EU customs authorities have to register imports of lightweight thermal paper originating in China while it conducts an anti-subsidy investigation it initiated on 7 November 2025, a move that can allow any countervailing duties to apply retroactively to registered shipments under certain conditions, according to the Official Journal of the European Union.
On 7 November 2025, the European Commission (‘the Commission’) announced, by a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union, the initiation of an anti-subsidy proceeding with regard to imports into the Union of lightweight thermal paper originating in the People’s Republic of China.
This initiation followed a complaint lodged on 24 September 2025 by the European Thermal Paper Association (ETPA) and its members, representing more than 25 % of the total Union production of lightweight thermal paper.
The product subject to registration is lightweight thermal paper, defined as thermal paper having a basis weight of 65 g/mor less, which is sold on rolls of a width of 20 cm or more, weighing 50 kg or more (including paper) and with a diameter of 40 cm or more (‘jumbo rolls’); with or without base coat on one or both sides; with a physical or chemical thermo-sensitive layer (i.e., a layer that reveals an image when heat is applied) on one or both sides; and with or without top coat, originating in the People’s Republic of China.
The purpose of registration is to ensure that countervailing 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.
The Commission has decided to make imports of the product concerned subject to registration on its own initiative under Article 24(5) of the basic Regulation. The conditions for retroactive collection of duties will be assessed in the regulation imposing definitive duties if any.
