The European Commission served notice at the weekend, in its official journal, that following a complaint received last minth, it is investigating Chinese ceramic tile producers and exporters.

Products being probed are "glazed and unglazed ceramic flags and paving, hearth or wall tiles" and "glazed and unglazed ceramic mosaic cubes," according to the European Union's Official Journal of legal notices, dated June 19.

It reported accusations that the "volume and prices of the imported product" had caused "a negative impact on the quantities sold and the market share" held by European producers.

Dumping occurs when exports are sold at below the cost on their home market, and the EU and China have become embroiled in a series of tit-for-tat disputes, notably in the cases of Chinese shoes and iron or steel fasteners such as screws, requiring World Trade Organization adjudication.

EU-China trade has exploded in recent years, making the EU the top destination for Chinese exports while China is Europe's biggest trade partner after the United States.

It has also led to an accumulation of disputes between the two sides at the Geneva-based global trade body, notably Chinese shoes and certain raw materials.

An investigation such as the current one can take up to 15 months from the date of publication in the journal, with the EU having nine months in which to impose provisional penalty duties.

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