Following the anti-dumping and countervailing measures imposed by the US on China and Taiwan solar PV makers, the European Union (EU) is now investigating other Asia countries for allegedly helping China violate the terms of a solar-export agreement it has with the EU, said Jason Huang, a research manager at EnergyTrend. The EU and China previously reached an agreement that allows solar panels from China to be sold to Europe in limited volumes at a fixed price, but EU ProSun, a joint initiative of European solar businesses, alleges that other countries are importing unfinished China solar products, putting the finishing touches on them and then exporting the products to Europe, he said, adding that South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are currently being investigated.
In June, EU ProSun presented documents to the EU Committee that alleged China solar products were being sold to Europe for less than the minimum price China and Europe had agreed upon. EU ProSun said that China went through multiple channels to sell solar products to Europe for below the agreed minimum. The EU Committee rejected EU ProSun's allegations, but in August, when it was rumored that new anti-dumping investigations would be launched, many makers clarified their statements and denied they had been investigated. But recently some makers have confirmed that they are being investigated and say they are complying with investigators. "If Asia makers are guilty of helping China solar firms circumvent the agreement China has with the EU, the EU may impose a 47% duty on all of their solar exports, as they did previously to China makers," Huang said.
Since a new minimum price of solar products exported from China to Europe has not been announced officially, the price for the fourth quarter may be lower than the price set in April, which was US$0.53/watt. Meanwhile, Taiwan makers have cost advantages in the Europe market. To avoid being hit with anti-dumping levies, they are trying to clarify that they don't help China makers to circumvent the minimum price agreement. Data show that Europe accounted for 18% of Taiwan's overall module exports in 2012 and 29% in 2013. Europe is Taiwan's second-largest module export market. Japan is the largest.
Meanwhile, since the US's decision on the countervailing act on China's solar exports will be postponed, a decision on the anti-dumping act will be postponed as well. That was originally scheduled to be announced in mid-December. For now, it is essential that the US and China come to a minimum price agreement similar to the one between China and Europe. The results of the agreement will not only affect the US solar market and Taiwan and China makers, but will have a major impact on the global solar supply chain, Huang said.
Meanwhile, Digitimes recently reported that China-based PV module makers and Taiwan-based crystalline silicon solar cell makers, in an attempt to avoid US anti-subsidization and anti-dumping tariffs, are seeking production capacities in locations outside of China and Taiwan.They are looking to acquire existing factories or vacant factories along with production equipment, or stake investments in existing producers to acquire portions of their capacities.
