Brazil Slams Chinese Butyl Acrylate with Anti-Dumping Probe—Trade Tensions Heat Up in Specialty Chemicals

In a move that signals escalating trade scrutiny in the global chemical sector, Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC) launched an anti-dumping investigation on December 1, 2025, targeting butyl acrylate imports from China. The probe was initiated following a formal petition filed by BASF S.A.—the Brazilian subsidiary of the German chemical giant—on July 31, 2025, alleging that Chinese exporters are flooding the Brazilian market with the product at unfairly low prices.

The investigation centers on goods classified under Mercosur tariff code 2916.12.30, covering butyl acrylate—a key monomer used in paints, adhesives, textiles, and coatings. Authorities have set the dumping investigation period from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, while the broader injury assessment spans an unusually long five-year window: April 2020 through March 2025. This extended damage review suggests Brazilian regulators are examining not just recent price distortions but potential structural harm to the domestic industry over time.

Under the terms of the Ordinance No. 93/2025, questionnaires will be dispatched to Chinese exporters, local importers, and other Brazilian producers, with responses due within 30 days via Brazil’s SEI electronic filing system. Stakeholders also retain the right to request a hearing within five months of the investigation’s launch—a critical window for mounting legal and economic defenses.

The case underscores growing protectionist sentiment in Latin America’s largest economy, even as multinationals like BASF navigate complex global supply chains. With butyl acrylate sitting at the intersection of industrial manufacturing and consumer goods, any resulting tariffs could ripple across multiple downstream sectors. Companies involved are urged to monitor developments closely; inquiries can be directed to MDIC via phone (+55 61 2027-7770) or the dedicated email address: acrilato.butila@mdic.gov.br.

As Brazil tightens its trade enforcement lens, this investigation may foreshadow a new wave of anti-dumping actions targeting Asian chemical exports—making it a bellwether case for global specialty chemical trade dynamics in 2026 and beyond.