"We believe that China's measures are unfair. We believe they are unjustified. We believe they are inconsistent with the applicable international rules and are thus unfounded," said the commission's trade spokesman, Olof Gill.

Gill said the commission would study China's measures "and we will assess the next steps in order to best protect EU industry and economic interests".

Beijing launched an investigation last year into EU brandy, months after the bloc kickstarted a probe into Chinese electric vehicle subsidies.

Beijing's commerce ministry said on Friday that China's tariff commission had "decided to impose anti-dumping duties on imports of relevant brandy originating in the EU" from Saturday.

But China said in an explanatory note that several French cognac producers had signed onto a price commitment to avoid the tariffs -- as long as they sell at or above an agreed minimum price.

France's umbrella cognac producers association BNIC -- which covers key producers from Hennessy to Remy Cointreau and Martell -- confirmed the deal to avoid levies by hiking prices, calling it a "less unfavourable" outcome.

Gill said the EU had intervened during China's probe to defend industry and highlight its concerns about the "clear shortcomings" during the investigation.

"Regrettably, these measures are also part of a worrying pattern of China abusing trade defence instruments, starting and conducting investigations on the basis of questionable allegations and insufficient evidence, all this within a short period of time," he said.

raz/ec/giv

Rémy Cointreau