Commission launches surveillance system for industrial chemical imports

Article summary

The European Commission has implemented a new three-year surveillance system on 24 March 2025 to monitor imports of specific industrial chemicals, including ethylene copolymers, high-nitrogen urea and ammonium sulphate. The system, operated through EU customs, tracks import volumes and values from all countries, responding to increased market share of imports, particularly from China. While not restricting trade, the mechanism enables the Commission to gather daily updated data to assess potential trade defence measures if evidence suggests injury to EU industry.