Furniture sector calls on Brussels to tackle the influx of products from China

This is not a new phenomenon in Europe: it is being discussed more widely today and there is greater awareness of the issue, because the rise in furniture imports from China has been accompanied by a sharp fall in exports, which, for Italia, fell by 17.7 per cent in the first seven months of the year compared with July 2025.

Competition from Chinese products on the EU market – fierce in terms of price and often unfair – began, however, several years ago and has caused considerable difficulties for European manufacturers, particularly in Germany, France and also in Poland, where the bulk of domestic production is in the mid-range segment.

Until now, Italia seemed to have remained unscathed, thanks to a manufacturing sector specialising primarily in design and high-end products. So far, that is. Because the figures from FederlegnoArredo on furniture imports from China in the first half of the year are setting off more than one alarm bell. On the face of it, the figures seem harmless: between January and June this year, our country imported goods worth 1.1 billion euros – a small proportion of total EU imports (15.4 billion) and, more importantly, down by 1 per cent compared with the first half of 2025. “But behind this cumulative figure lie peaks recorded in April, June, July and August, with increases of 19.6 per cent, 9 per cent, 20 per cent and 42 per cent respectively,” notes Claudio Feltrin, president of the federation.

Not only that: during the same period, imports of wood and furniture products from other Asian countries – particularly Vietnam – have risen, suggesting the possibility of triangulation, especially for certain categories (such as wooden flooring) on which an anti-dumping measure against China came into force last year. Another indication is the sharp rise in imports from this sector (+62.4 per cent) recorded by the Netherlands, home to the strategic port of Rotterdam.

Above all, however, Feltrin urges us to examine and interpret the data on import volumes: between January and July 2026, whilst the value of imports fell by 2.5 per cent, Italia actually imported 9.4 per cent more by volume from that Asian country. This raises another issue, one that is just as serious, if not more so: ‘We are facing unfair competition, which risks bringing our companies to their knees, as they are already burdened by rising production costs due to high energy prices,’ says Feltrin. “Our supply chain is under attack across Europe, just as has already happened in the automotive sector: many Chinese companies are selling products in Europe – including those of good quality – at rock-bottom prices, which would be impossible to offer if they did not have a government behind them covering the losses.”