Market evolution: Ceramic sanitary fixtures (CN 6910) — 2015–2025

Introduction

This report analyses the evolution of EU trade in ceramic sanitary fixtures classified under CN 6910 over the 2015–2025 period. The product heading covers sinks, washbasins, baths, bidets, water closet pans, flushing cisterns, urinals and similar sanitary fixtures made of ceramic, excluding smaller accessories such as soap dishes or towel holders. It encompasses two sub-categories: porcelain or china items (CN 691010) and other ceramic items (CN 691090).

The decade under review has been marked by a fundamental reconfiguration of the EU's position in this market. What was a modest trade surplus in 2015 has transformed into a substantial deficit by 2025. This shift has been driven by a surge in imports — particularly from China and other low-cost producing nations — combined with a sharp contraction in EU export volumes. At the same time, EU domestic production has been halved in physical terms, raising important questions about the future competitiveness and strategic autonomy of European ceramics manufacturing.

1. From Surplus to Deficit: A Decade of Import Surplus and Export Erosion

The most striking feature of the 2015–2025 period is the dramatic reversal of the EU's trade balance in ceramic sanitary fixtures.

1.1 The trade balance swing

In 2015, the EU recorded a trade surplus of €118.3 million with non-EU countries. By 2025, this had become a deficit of €366.7 million, representing a cumulative deterioration of over €485 million.

The net import reliance swung from −12.1% in 2015 to +18.9% in 2025, confirming that the EU shifted from being a net exporter to a structurally net-importing market over the decade.

1.2 Volume tells an even starker story

While export values declined by only 8.5%, export volumes collapsed by 38.6%, falling from 151,044 tonnes to 92,679 tonnes. This means that higher unit prices masked a severe decline in the physical quantity shipped abroad. Conversely, import volumes nearly doubled (+88.3%), rising from 244,472 tonnes to 460,263 tonnes.

The divergence between value and volume dynamics points to a structural shift: the EU is exporting fewer but more expensive items (likely higher-end porcelain products), while importing ever-larger volumes of lower-priced ceramic fixtures.

1.3 Unit prices reveal a two-tier market

The average export price of €4,841 per tonne in 2025 was 2.7 times higher than the average import price of €1,772 per tonne. This gap widened over the period: export prices rose nearly three times faster than import prices. This is consistent with a polarisation of the market, where EU producers increasingly occupy premium niches while losing ground in volume-driven, mass-market segments.

2. Shifting Geographies: China's Rise, Russia's Fall, and New Supply Routes

The geographic reconfiguration of trade flows is central to understanding the EU's changing position in the global ceramics market.

2.1 China dominates the import surge

China is by far the largest origin of EU imports, accounting for €413.0 million in 2025 — more than half of all non-EU imports. Chinese shipments grew by 189.4% from €142.7 million in 2015, a pace that accelerated sharply after 2019.

Beyond China, several emerging suppliers have gained ground rapidly. Egypt (+202.2%) and India (+240.0%) have become increasingly significant, likely reflecting lower production costs and growing manufacturing capacity in those countries. Türkiye remains the second-largest supplier but grew more moderately (+38.3%). Notably, the concentration of imports (HHI) increased from 2,276 to 2,998, indicating growing dependence on a smaller number of supplier countries — with China's dominance being the primary driver.

2.2 Exports: the UK weakens, Russia collapses, Switzerland rises

The EU's export geography underwent significant reshaping:

The United Kingdom remained the largest EU export destination but saw a €38 million decline, partly reflecting post-Brexit trade frictions and the UK's own growing import profile. The most dramatic collapse occurred in exports to the Russian Federation, which fell by 76.2% from €41.7 million to just €9.9 million — a decline almost certainly linked to EU sanctions following 2022. In contrast, Switzerland became an increasingly important market, growing by 76.2% to €90.1 million, making it nearly as large as the UK destination by 2025.

2.3 Which EU member states are driving the flows?

On the import side, Germany (€158.5M, +164.7%), France (€118.1M, +66.5%), Spain (€115.2M, +130.2%), and Italy (€83.4M, +116.8%) were the largest importers in 2025, with Poland (€75.8M, +228.7%) and the Netherlands (€52.3M, +341.5%) showing the fastest growth rates. The Netherlands' near-350% increase likely reflects its role as a logistics hub re-distributing goods to other EU markets.

On the export side, Germany was the only major exporter to grow (+40.5%, reaching €157.4M), while Italy (−30.4%) and Spain (−46.7%) — both traditionally strong ceramic producers — experienced steep declines. This suggests a reallocation of export capacity within the EU, with Germany consolidating its position as the leading exporter while southern European producers lost competitiveness in third-country markets.

3. A Shrinking Industrial Base: Production Collapse and the Premiumisation of EU Output

The trade data only partially captures the structural transformation underway in the EU ceramics industry. Production data tells an even more sobering story.

3.1 EU production has halved in volume

According to EU production data, the number of ceramic sanitary fixtures produced within the EU fell from 50.2 million items in 2015 to 22.7 million items in 2025 — a decline of 54.8%. Production value also decreased, but less steeply (−16.8%), falling from €1.80 billion to €1.50 billion.

The fact that value declined far less than volume indicates that average output values per item increased, consistent with a shift towards higher-value products (premium porcelain, design-led ranges) and away from commodity ceramics.

3.2 Sub-segment dynamics: porcelain holds value, other ceramics hold volume

The breakdown by sub-segment reveals diverging trajectories:

• Porcelain (CN 691010) remains the larger segment in export value (€295.8M in 2025), with export prices reaching €4,448/t. Import prices for porcelain were significantly lower at €1,774/t, creating a price ratio of 2.5:1.
• Other ceramics (CN 691090) had an even wider price gap: export prices of €5,837/t versus import prices of €1,769/t, a ratio of 3.3:1. However, this segment saw sharper volume declines in exports (from 54,002 to 26,174 tonnes, −51.5%).

These figures strongly suggest that EU producers are retreating to the premium end of the market, competing on quality, design, and brand rather than on price. Meanwhile, the mass market is increasingly supplied by imports from Asia, North Africa, and the Eastern Mediterranean.

3.3 Specialisation and concentration: which countries remain competitive?

The specialisation data for 2025 identifies Bulgaria (RSCA: 0.78) and Portugal (RSCA: 0.74) as the most specialised EU exporters, with Poland (0.41), Romania (0.39), and Latvia (0.32) also showing significant specialisation. Notably, the traditionally dominant ceramics producers — Italy and Spain — do not appear among the most specialised, a further indication of the erosion of their competitive edge in this product category.

At the other end of the spectrum, Malta, Ireland, Slovenia, and Luxembourg show no meaningful specialisation in this sector.

The rising import concentration HHI (from 2,276 to 2,998 on a value basis) confirms that the EU's import base has become less diversified — a potential vulnerability if geopolitical or supply-chain disruptions were to affect key suppliers.

Conclusion

The EU ceramic sanitary fixtures market (CN 6910) has undergone a profound structural transformation between 2015 and 2025. The most salient trends are:

1. A swing from surplus to deficit: The EU went from a €118 million trade surplus to a €367 million deficit, driven by import volumes that nearly doubled while export volumes fell by nearly 40%.

2. China's dominance and growing import concentration: China alone accounts for over half of non-EU imports, and the overall import market has become significantly more concentrated, raising potential supply-chain vulnerability concerns.

3. Premiumisation of EU production: EU production volumes halved, but values declined far less steeply, indicating a retreat into higher-value segments. Export unit prices are roughly three times higher than import prices, pointing to a two-tier market structure.

4. Geographic realignment: Russia's collapse as an export destination, the UK's declining share, Switzerland's rise, and the emergence of Egypt, India, and Ukraine as import sources all reflect broader geopolitical and economic shifts.

5. A changing internal map: Within the EU, Germany has consolidated its position as the leading exporter, while Italy and Spain have lost significant ground. Central and Eastern European producers (Bulgaria, Poland, Romania) show growing specialisation.

The data suggests that the EU ceramics industry is at an inflection point. While it retains competitiveness in premium segments, the scale of import penetration — particularly from China — and the collapse of domestic production volumes signal a market increasingly shaped by global competition. Policymakers and industry stakeholders may wish to monitor these trends closely, particularly in the context of trade defence instruments, supply-chain resilience strategies, and the EU's broader industrial competitiveness agenda.