Peter Mandelson, EU trade commissioner, has become embroiled in a “fridge war” with electrical goods makers in Europe after he took an eleventh-hour decision not to levy anti-dumping duties on certain Korean imports.
Mr Mandelson is accused by Whirlpool, the US home appliance maker with operations in Europe, of succumbing to “devious lobbying activity” and of “a serious breach in procedures”.
It claims that his decision not to impose punitive tariffs on Korean “three-door side-by-side” fridges would have “direct and very significant consequences for the European industry”.
The large fridges, which have a freezer underneath, are popular in the US and are a growth sector in the domestic appliance market. European manufacturers claim Korean companies, particularly LG and Daewoo, are dumping them at below-cost price.
A lengthy inquiry by Mr Mandelson’s officials initially suggested levying anti-dumping duties of up to 12.2 per cent on Korean side-by-side fridges, but the commissioner intervened to limit the scope to cover only two-door appliances.
Story from the FT