GUANGZHOU — Household ceramics companies in Guangdong province are preparing to mount a legal response to an anti-dumping investigation initiated by the European Union, industrial insiders said.

Many ceramic tableware and kitchenware makers in Chaozhou, in the eastern part of Guangdong, have invited professional lawyers from Beijing to help them take “active legal” steps in response to the anti-dumping inquiry, which was begun by the European Commission in mid February.

“They will respond to the possible charge following the investigation,” said Cai Hao, an official with the Chaozhou Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.

More than 2,000 Chinese makers of household ceramics might be affected by the latest anti-dumping investigation, which follows similar inquiries that had targeted Chinese makers of building ceramics in 2011 and of ceramic tiles in 2010, sources with the China Ceramic Industrial Association said.

The ceramic makers who will possibly be affected by the investigation are mostly in Guangdong, which exported nearly $400 million worth of household ceramics to Europe last year, local customs sources said.

Household ceramics now make up nearly 70 percent of Chaozhou’s ceramics exports, and about 200 ceramics companies in the city may be affected by the investigation.

“The EU’s anti-dumping investigation will greatly affect local household-ceramic businesses since Chaozhou has become one of the chief household-ceramic bases in the country,” Cai said.

Foreign trade authorities issued a notice to ceramics producers on Feb 10, encouraging them to respond to the investigation.