On October 4, the fourth day of the holiday, let's first explain three things directly related to the export business:On October 3, the Ministry of Commerce launched an anti-dumping investigation against p-nitrotoluene originating in the European Union. The application for export licenses for automobiles and motorcycles for 2027 has been opened. The suspension period for U.S. ship port fees expires on November 9 and enters the countdown.Check item by item as follows, and the source of key data is attached.
1. The Ministry of Commerce initiated an anti-dumping investigation into the EU against nitrotoluene
Ministry of Commerce released on October 3Announcement No. 44 of 2026, decided to initiate an anti-dumping investigation against imported p-nitrotoluene originating in the European Union from now on. Several key messages:
- Applicants: Jiangsu Huaihe Chemical Co., Ltd. and Hubei Dongfang Chemical Co., Ltd., officially submitted applications on behalf of the domestic industry on September 14;
- Dumping investigation period: July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026; industrial damage investigation period: January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2026;
- The products under investigation are classified under the tariff code 29042020; p-nitrotoluene is mainly used to produce p-toluidine, DSD acid, p-nitrotoluic acid, toluene diisocyanate, etc., and is widely used in dyes, pigments, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals.;
- Interested parties shall register with the Trade Relief Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce to participate in the investigation within 20 days from the date of issuance of the announcement.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said that preliminary evidence shows that the quantity of p-nitrotoluene imported from Europe is at a high level from 2022 to 2025, and the cumulative price has dropped by nearly 60%. At the same time, the EU has initiated 28 trade relief investigations against China since 2025, of which About half are chemical products, and three investigations have been launched in a row on Chinese chemical products such as polyvinyl chloride. When manufacturing factories in the dye, pharmaceutical intermediates, and TDI industry chains, we are concerned about two things: First, the import channels of similar products in the EU may shrink, and there are opportunities for domestic substitution production capacity; second, if EU customers are worried about China's counter-escalation, they will inquire and lock goods in advance. The pace of quoting chemicals to Europe in the fourth quarter can be more proactive. Source:Disclosure of Government Information by the Ministry of Commerce (Announcement No. 44 of 2026, October 3)、CCTV reported on October 3.
2. Application for export licenses for automobiles and motorcycles in 2027 opens: online application, outlet certification is a hard threshold
The General Office of the Ministry of Commerce issued a notice on September 30 (Shang Ban Mao Han [2026] No. 404),The 2027 automobile and motorcycle export license application adopts online formThe application system was launched on the unified business management platform of the Ministry of Commerce on September 30. Production companies log in to the enterprise to fill in the application form, upload supporting materials, and submit them to the local commercial authorities for preliminary approval. The heaviest piece in the application materials isCertificate of overseas after-sales service outlets: Network cooperation certificate, business license or maintenance business license of the country where the location is located, description of the maintenance capabilities of the entire vehicle and key parts, maintenance personnel certificates and spare parts logistics records, etc. A class of automobile manufacturers must provide information on at least 50 outlets; Enterprises that provide false materials may be notified, warned, and even suspended or cancelled their export qualifications. Factories that export complete vehicles, modified vehicles, and motorcycles will organize application materials as soon as possible after the holiday, and the outlets must check the local regulations item by item. Source:Original notice from the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce.
3. The suspension period for U.S. ship port fees expires on November 9:209 industry associations jointly requested an extension
According to industry reports, on September 23, businesses including importers, exporters, retailers, manufacturers, agricultural organizations, logistics companies and shipping companies209 U.S. and international industry associationsA joint letter was sent to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) requesting an extension of the suspension period for "Section 301" charges for China ships. The suspension will be implemented for one year starting from November 10, 2025.Will expire on November 9, 2026。According to the standards before the suspension: for ships imported into the United States by China shipowners and operators, the fees will start from US$50 per net ton; for China built ships operated by non-China shipping companies, the fees will be increased year by year, and the same ship will be collected up to 5 times per fiscal year. Statistics show that in 2024, ships built by China will account for about 29% of U.S. ports on non-domestic routes, including about 30% of container ships. Source:To PR Research Institute on October 3 (published by Netease).
This fee is ultimately transmitted from the carrier to freight rates and shipping space arrangements, and the impact on the factory is detailed in the pace of shipments in the fourth quarter (see also Today's Industry Trends). Here is one action first: In the long order quotation for the United States, the transmission clause for freight fluctuations should be added now.
4. Three things foreign traders should do during the holidays
- For European chemical and industrial chain factories: check whether their own products are on the 29042020 related chain, evaluate the possibility of EU customers locking goods in advance, and proactively issue a quotation plan;
- Automobile and motorcycle export enterprises: collate overseas outlet certificates according to the notice list, start online declaration immediately after the festival, and do not delay until the publicity period to find material gaps;
- For U.S. shipping factories: Mark the date of November 9 in the calendar, and make plans for shipping space, quotations, and delivery commitments in the fourth quarter based on "port fees may be restored."
common problems
1. We do not import p-nitrotoluene from EU. Is this anti-dumping investigation related to us?
The direct relationship is not big, but the indirect impact is worth paying attention to: the domestic supply pattern of p-nitrotoluene and downstream (dyes, pesticides, pharmaceutical intermediates) may change. If you are in these downstream industries, raw material procurement and export quotations will have the opportunity to renegotiate; At the same time, China-EU trade relief interactions have increased, and chemical products exported to Europe must pay more attention to the investigation trends of each other's countries.
2. What will happen this time when I miss the application for a car export license?
Enterprises that are not included in the annual export license list cannot apply for export licenses normally, and the export channel for complete vehicles will be cut off. The application system has been launched on September 30. The certification of outlets with complex materials is the most time-consuming. It is recommended to start it immediately after the holiday; if there is any difficulty, contact the local commercial authority to confirm the supplementary application window.
3. After the resumption of port charges in the United States, will freight rates definitely rise sharply?
It may not necessarily rise immediately-shipping companies can share costs by diverting ships, avoiding ports, and increasing prices, and the actual transmission before last year's suspension also varied. But the direction is certain: the upside risks to U.S. line transportation costs are increasing. The correct way is not to guess how much the increase will increase, but to write the freight adjustment clause into the contract and let the rules carry out fluctuations for you.
--Qihang AI Foreign Trade Research Institute·Let China Intelligent Manufacturing Set sail to the sea| Foreign trade customer consultation: 180-0327-6609
