The EU Council of Ministers has authorised definitive anti-dumping duties on imports into the EU from China of two key inputs: monosodium glutamate and citric acid.

The decision will significantly raise the price of these imports, which had been so low that they sparked complaints from EU manufacturers about unfair competition.

On monosodium glutamate, a note from the European Commission said: “The low-priced dumped imports… significantly undercut the prices of the EU industry [increasing] the injury suffered” by the EU producers.

The duties will be 39.7% for monosodium glutamate and 42.7% for citric acid, with lower tariffs for some Chinese suppliers who co-operated with EU inquiries into the problem.