Total EU+UK imports of plywood from outside the region in 2025 were 3.87 million cu.m, up 3% compared to 2024. Import value was US$1819mil. in 2025, the same as the previous year.
This apparent stability in overall imports last year obscures major shifts in the sourcing of plywood by European manufacturers, particularly driven by antidumping measures imposed by the EU. Looking at the data more closely, it becomes clear that total imports increased rapidly in the first half of 2025 but then fell sharply in the second half of the year (Chart 1).
The decline in EU+UK imports in the second half of the year followed imposition of provisional anti-dumping duties of 62.4% on EU imports of all hardwood plywood from China, excepting only those from a single Chinese supplier for which a preliminary duty of 25.1% was imposed after they provided additional information during the EU’s anti-dumping investigation.
On 19 November 2025, a definitive duty of 86.8% was imposed on all EU imports of hardwood plywood from China, excepting products from the one company that provided additional information which is subject to 43.4% duty.
EU+UK imports of Chinese plywood faced with temperate hardwood fell 40% to 959,800 cu.m in 2025, while imports of Chinese plywood faced with tropical hardwood were down 58% to 38,200 cu.m.
In terms of share of total plywood import quantity in the EU+UK region, the share of Chinese temperate hardwood products fell from 43% in 2024 to 25% in 2025 while the share of Chinese tropical hardwood products fell from 2.4% to just 1% over the same period (Chart 2).
The imposition of definitive anti-dumping duties implies this downward trend will likely continue.
The duties do not apply in the UK, but the UK’s large plywood importers also sell into the EU single market, notably in Northern Ireland and are also expected to reduce their imports of Chinese hardwood plywood in the future.
Direct EU+UK imports of tropical hardwood plywood from tropical countries made significant gains in 2025. Import volume increased 36% to 405,800 cu.m while import value was up 22% to US$266m. The share of direct imports of tropical hardwood plywood in total EU+UK plywood imports increased from 7.9% in 2024 to 10.5% in 2025.
This rise in volume and share for Europe’s direct imports of tropical hardwood plywood showed signs of accelerating in the opening weeks of 2026.
This trend may well continue, particularly following the EU’s decision to impose definitive anti-dumping duties of 5.4% on Brazilian softwood plywood on 15 April 2026. Provisional duties at the same rate had already been in effect since 5 November 2025.
The EU+UK imported 1,043,900 cu.m of softwood plywood from Brazil in 2025, 9% more than the previous year. The share of Brazilian softwood plywood in total EU+UK imports increased from 25.3% in 2024 to 27.0% in 2025. However, by the end of February 2026, EU+UK imports of this commodity were already down 30% compared to the same period in 2025, this at a time when there is typically a rush to import before the annual dutyfree quota is fulfilled. However, almost inevitably, the potential gap in supply that opened following the imposition of EU anti-dumping duties imposed on hardwood plywood from China and softwood plywood from Brazil is now being filled by a big increase in EU+UK imports of softwood plywood from China.
EU+UK imports of Chinese softwood plywood increased six-fold from 95,000 cu.m in 2024 to 630,000 cu.m in 2025. The primary raw material for coniferous plywood exported from China to European markets is understood to be radiata pine imported in log form from New Zealand.
