EU opens probe into key amino acid imports from China

BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Commission on Thursday said it had begun an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese imports of lysine, an amino acid that plays a key role in human and animal diets.

The decision came after “a complaint from the EU industry containing evidence of unfair trading practices” by Chinese producers, a commission spokesperson said.

Dumping is the practice of flooding a market with an underpriced product and is generally viewed as an unfair trade tactic.

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The probe will decide if the 27-member bloc should impose measures to counter the impact of the alleged unfair practices, taking into account the interests of all EU companies involved, the spokesperson added.

French firm Metex has complained of dumping by Chinese lysine producers putting it in a perilous financial position.

Its factory is the only one in Europe to produce the amino acid and faces the threat of closure if no buyer is found by May 27.