EU May Renew U.S.-Biodiesel Tariffs Targeting ADM to Cargill

The European Union threatened to renew tariffs on biodiesel from the U.S. for another five years in a sign of persistent trade tensions over renewable energy.

The EU said it would examine in two probes whether to re-impose the duties introduced in 2009 to counter alleged subsidies and price undercutting by U.S. exporters of biodiesel, a type of biofuel made from vegetable oils and animal fats for use in diesel engines.

The duties to counter subsidies are as much as 237 euros ($323) a metric ton and the levies to fight below-cost, or “dumped,” imports are up to 198 euros a ton, depending on the company. The exporters targeted include Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. (ADM:US), the world’s biggest corn processor, and Cargill Inc., the largest closely held U.S. company.