China Reduces Proposed Tariffs on EU Dairy Imports

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has reduced the proposed final anti-subsidy tariffs on certain dairy products imported from the European Union to a range of 7.4–11.7 per cent. The revised tariffs follow an anti-subsidy investigation launched in August 2024 into EU exports of unsweetened milk and cream, as well as selected cheeses (including Roquefort and Camembert).

Provisional duties were applied between 23 December 2025 and 21 February 2026, with final tariff rates expected to be confirmed shortly. Major European exporters, including Arla Foods and Lactalis, are subject to proposed levies of up to 9.5 per cent.

According to MOFCOM, the investigation concluded that EU subsidies caused material injury to Chinese dairy producers through price suppression and price depression. In 2024, EU dairy exports covered by the probe were valued at approximately USD 589 million, representing between 24 and 35 per cent of China’s market for the affected products.

European industry associations, including the European Dairy Association (EDA) and Eucolait, welcomed the reduction in proposed tariffs while calling for the preservation of market access. Both organisations maintained that Common Agricultural Policy measures comply with World Trade Organization rules.

The European Commission confirmed that it received China’s tariff calculations on 3 February 2026 and is currently reviewing them ahead of the 21 February deadline. The Commission had previously lodged a complaint with the WTO concerning the investigation.

The dairy case forms part of a broader series of Chinese trade defence measures affecting EU agri-food exports, including an anti-subsidy probe into pork products, which resulted in duties imposed for five years, and an ongoing investigation into brandy imports.