EU to continue anti-subsidy solar probe

BRUSSELS -- The European Commission announced on Wednesday it would continue anti-subsidy investigation on solar panels from China, without taking provisional measures such as imposing punitive duties in June.

"The investigation will continue without provisional measures and the Commission will continue working actively on the case in order to arrive at definitive findings that are due at the end of this year," The Commission said in a statement.

The Commission noted that the decision not to impose any provisional anti-subsidy measures would not prejudge the final outcome of the anti-subsidy investigation.

The Commission will decide whether a definitive anti-subsidy levies should be imposed no later than Dec 5, after issuing the final findings in both of its anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations.

The announcement came nearly two months after the European Commission decided on June 4 to impose provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of solar panels, cells and wafers from China.

Tension eased after an amicable agreement was reached last month under which producers accounting for about 70 percent of Chinese solar panel exports to the EU have agreed to set a minimum price for them.