Beijing "deeply regrets" the decision by the European Commission to launch an investigation into the alleged dumping of solar panel products. The probe is expected to damage the industry globally. China exported nearly $26 billion of solar panels and products to Europe last year. "China deeply regrets that the European Commission decided to start the probe, even though the country has called many times to solve the problem through discussions and cooperation," China Daily quoted a statement by Shen Danyang, spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce. "Restricting China's solar panel products will not only hurt the interests of both Chinese and European industry, it will also undermine the healthy development of the global solar and clean energy sector." He urged the European Union to scrap protectionist measures and not to introduce new protectionist trade and investment policies before 2014. The EU statement said the investigation is expected to last 15 months. But "it is possible according to trade defense rules to impose provisional anti-dumping duties within 9 months, provided there is sufficient prima facie evidence of dumping.'