EU hits back at China over WTO fasteners complaint

European Union trade regulators accused China on Friday of distorting raw materials prices, leading to unfair dumping of certain carbon steel fasteners in EU markets, the EU's executive Commission said.

"The (EU's) decision to impose measures was taken on the basis of clear evidence that unfair dumping of Chinese products has taken place with State distortion of raw material prices," European Commission trade spokesman Lutz Guellner said in a statement.

"This is harming the otherwise competitive EU industry, with potentially dire long term effects," he said.

The Commission was reacting to China's announcement that it had opened formal dispute proceedings at the World Trade Organisation in Geneva with the EU over the bloc's anti-dumping measures against imports of Chinese screws and bolts.