The European Union has started an anti-dumping investigation into imports of steel towers from China used for wind turbines, according to the bloc's official journal.
The investigation follows a complaint by the European Wind Tower Association, which says the volumes and low prices of the towers have hit European producers.
The European Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 27-nation EU, has concluded there is sufficient evidence of dumping to justify the start of proceedings.
Dumping in an international trading context is when the exporter puts a lower price on goods in the importing country than it has in its own domestic market. It is usually done to gain a market advantage where they are trading abroad.