A majority of envoys from EU countries backed import duties of up to 73 percent on the 275 million euros of Chinese tiles sold into Europe annually at what the EU says are illegally low prices, the diplomats said.
"There was limited opposition to the duties, and so they will go through," said one.
The duties must be launched by March 18 and can stay in place for up to six months while the EU's executive arm or Commission considers whether to impose five-year tarriffs.
Only one Chinese ceramic tile maker is eligible for a lower duty at 26 percent, the diplomats said.
The European Union is the world's biggest ceramic tiles producer after China and exports 25 percent of its production, with market share rising abroad, according to industry figures.
The 27-state bloc uses about one billion square metres of floor and wall tiles every year. About 7 percent of these come from China.
The European Commission launched its investigation into Chinese market dumping last after a complaint was lodged by the European Ceramic Tile Manufacturers' Federation.
European ceramics makers have been looking at ways also of curbing imports of Chinese ceramic tableware, say people familiar with the issue. (Reuters)
