EU Opens First Anti-Dumping Case on Chinese Peking Duck and UK tariff codes shift as a result

An EU anti-dumping case on Chinese duck has just moved codes across the UK poultry tariff, including some that have nothing to do with duck. This is something new that’s happened just this month which we’re supporting our food and drink customers with.

On 9 July 2026 the European Commission opened an anti-dumping investigation into Pekin duck from China. Published in the Official Journal as notice C/2026/3584, it follows a complaint lodged on 26 May by five EU duck producers, who allege Chinese duck is being sold below normal value on the back of state subsidies and cheap feed. It is the first EU anti-dumping case against a Chinese agricultural product.

This is essentially an EU duty story, but the practical takeaway, for anyone importing or exporting poultry, is a code change. And a significant one.

Classifying duck now carries a live investigation in the EU and a possible duty within months, and the poultry tariff itself has been restructured around it. If you think this “EU anti-dumping” case has nothing to do with you and you ship any form of poultry, you could be in for a surprise. It’s that kind of assumption, that could mean your shipment is stopped and when a product is flagged for ‘anti-dumping’ it can also suggest additional scrutiny at borders too.

Get your ducks in a row

Does this EU ruling affect UK importers? Yes, through the code changes. This was an EU-driven change, but the UK tariff has moved with it, and it reaches further than Chinese duck alone.

Heading 0207 (duck, fresh, chilled or frozen) has been restructured. Every duck code has been split in two to ask a new question: Is this pekin duck or not? A code that used to end in 00, now ends 10 for Pekin duck and 90 for everything else. Chicken, turkey and goose codes under 0207 are unchanged, and nothing has shifted.
Heading 0210 99 is where it widens, changing codes whether poultry meat is salted or in brine. And code 1602 38 covers all prepared and preserved poultry, including goose and guinea fowl, as well as duck. 1602 38 covers all prepared and preserved poultry, including goose and guinea fowl, as well as duck. – this should be 1603 39 which includes goose , guinea fowl as well as duck.
No duty is payable anywhere yet, and nothing is due at the point of initiation. But the code you declare must be right from the day the tariff changes, not from the day a duty lands.

EU anti-dumping duties do not apply to GB imports, which run through the UK’s own Trade Remedies Authority. The code changes still apply; the EU duty does not.

Northern Ireland is the exception. Under the Windsor Framework, goods subject to a provisional or definitive EU anti-dumping duty cannot be declared “not at risk” moving into Northern Ireland, even under UK Internal Market Scheme authorisation. They move “at risk” and are charged the EU tariff. So, if a duty lands on Chinese Pekin duck, a business bringing it into Northern Ireland pays it.

Businesses importing through an EU entity, or selling into the EU, are exposed on the same terms as any EU importer.

Christmas and Chinese New Year make this urgent

Duck and goose are Christmas products, and a lot of festive classification are done months ahead. Anyone who classified their Christmas range before July has done it against the old structure and will need to check it again. Chinese New Year follows soon after, with Pekin duck at the centre of it. Two of the biggest duck and goose seasons of the year both fall while this case is live, so the businesses most exposed are often the most organised ones, the ones who classified early.

Which codes are in scope?

The investigation covers Pekin duck meat in almost every form, whole and in cuts, across around 25 CN subheadings under three headings. As a result of the restructure, the codes around them have moved too, so this reaches wider than duck alone. The headings largely affected include:

Heading 0207 – Duck meat and cuts, fresh, chilled or frozen

Heading 0210 99 – Poultry meat (salted or in brine)

Heading – 1602 39 – Duck, goose or guinea fowl, prepared or preserved, including ready meals that contain them

1602 39 is the one that catches people out. It covers duck, goose or guinea fowl that has been prepared or preserved, and that includes any prepared meal with duck or goose in it, not just the plain cut. Turkey and chicken have their own prepared codes. If you make or import ready meals, the case can reach further into your range than you expect.

Every code in the notice is marked “ex”, meaning only the Pekin duck part of each subheading is caught, not duck in general. An anti-dumping duty attaches to a code and an origin, not to a product description, so the code you declare decides what you owe.

Why act now, not later

Because the case names anti-dumping, customs have an extra reason to look a little more closely. A load of duck that arrives under the wrong code is exactly what gets pulled for inspection, and duck does not wait. Fresh or frozen, it is perishable, so a hold is not just demurrage and a delayed delivery, it can be the whole consignment written off.

FAQ: EU anti-dumping case on Chinese Pekin duck

What has the EU decided on Chinese Pekin duck?

On 9 July 2026 the European Commission opened an anti-dumping investigation into Pekin duck from China, published as Official Journal notice C/2026/3584. It follows a complaint lodged on 26 May 2026 by five EU producers. It is the first EU anti-dumping case against a Chinese agricultural product. No duty is in force yet.

Does this only affect businesses importing Chinese duck?

No. The duty question is about Chinese Pekin duck, but the tariff change is wider. Check the code, not just the country of origin.

Does it affect UK importers?

The code changes apply in the UK. EU anti-dumping duties do not apply to imports into Great Britain, which runs its own regime through the Trade Remedies Authority. Businesses moving Chinese duck into Northern Ireland, importing through an EU entity, or selling into the EU are exposed to any duty that results.

Why does Northern Ireland matter here?

Under the Windsor Framework, goods subject to a provisional or definitive EU anti-dumping duty cannot be declared not at risk into Northern Ireland, even under UK Internal Market Scheme authorisation. They move at risk and are charged the EU tariff. If a duty lands on Chinese Pekin duck, a business moving it into Northern Ireland pays it.

Which commodity codes are covered?

Around 25 CN subheadings, all marked ex, under heading 0207 for duck meat fresh, chilled or frozen, 0210 99 39 for poultry meat salted or in brine, and 1602 39 for prepared or preserved. 1602 39 covers duck, goose and guinea fowl, including ready meals that contain them. The full list is set out in notice C/2026/3584. The ex marker means only the Pekin duck part of each code is caught.

Check your duck and poultry codes while it still costs nothing

Now is the time to confirm which of your products the case could reach, especially anything crossing into Northern Ireland or sold into the EU, and any Christmas or Chinese New Year range classified before July.

Check a product’s code in a few clicks with TTExplore or get the expert-backed code with anti-dumping flags and a full audit trail on TTVerified.