Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/313 of 6 February 2026 making imports of lightweight thermal paper originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration
Date: 2026-02-06
Institutions: Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security, European Commission
Subjects: China, anti-subsidy proceeding, import (EU), originating product, paper, surveillance concerning imports




L_202600313EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2026/313


9.2.2026







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/313
of 6 February 2026
         
making imports of lightweight thermal paper originating in the People’s Republic of China subject to registration


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/1037 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2016 on protection against subsidised imports from countries not members of the European Union (1) (‘the basic Regulation’), and in particular Article 24(5) thereof,


After informing the Member States,

Whereas:







(1)


On 7 November 2025, the European Commission (‘the Commission’) announced, by a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union (2), 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.












(2)


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.





1.   PRODUCT SUBJECT TO REGISTRATION







(3)


The product subject to registration (‘the product concerned’) is lightweight thermal paper, defined as thermal paper having a basis weight of 65 g/m2 or 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.










(4)


The product concerned is currently classified under CN codes ex 4809 90 00 , ex 4811 90 00 , ex 4816 90 00  and ex 4823 90 85  (Primarily, albeit not exclusively, TARIC codes 4809 90 00 10, 4811 90 00 10, 4816 90 00 10 and 4823 90 85 20). The CN and TARIC codes are given for information only and without prejudice to a subsequent change in the tariff classification.




2.   REGISTRATION







(5)


Under Article 24(5) of the basic Regulation, imports of the product concerned may be made subject to registration.










(6)


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.










(7)


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.










(8)


Any future liability would emanate from the findings of investigation the anti-subsidy investigations.










(9)


At this stage of the investigation it is not yet possible to estimate the amount of subsidisation. The complaint does not provide for an accurate estimation of the amount of subsidisation, which should normally be used as the basis to establish the countervailing duties. The calculations provided in the complaint requesting the initiation of an anti-subsidy investigation estimate the injury elimination at between 10 % and 25 % for the product concerned for the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025. In accordance with Article 15(1), fourth paragraph, of the basic Regulation, the injury elimination level would only be relevant in case a duty based on the amount of countervailable subsidies would be higher and the Commission clearly concludes that it is not in the Union’s interest to impose this higher duty.










(10)


However, at this stage the Commission is not in a position to estimate the amount of possible future liability. Thus, the amounts mentioned in the complaint are only for information purposes and cannot create any expectations as to the actual level of liability which will be established as a result of the investigation.




3.   PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA







(11)


Any personal data collected in the context of this registration will be treated in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3),




HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1

1.   The customs authorities are hereby directed, under Article 24(5) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1037, to take the appropriate steps to register imports into the Union of lightweight thermal paper, defined as thermal paper having a basis weight of 65 g/m2 or 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, currently classified under CN codes ex 4809 90 00 , ex 4811 90 00 , ex 4816 90 00  and ex 4823 90 85  (Primarily, albeit not exclusively, TARIC codes 4809 90 00 10, 4811 90 00 10, 4816 90 00 10 and 4823 90 85 20) and originating in the People’s Republic of China.


2.   Registration shall expire nine months following the date of entry into force of this Regulation.



Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.




This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 6 February 2026.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 176, 30.6.2016, p. 55, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/1037/oj.

(2)  
            OJ C, C/2025/5911, 7.11.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/5911/oj.

(3)  Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 and Decision No 1247/2002/EC (OJ L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 39, http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2018/1725/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/313/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)