The European Commission has launched an anti-dumping investigation against cold rolled stainless steel product imports from China, a move detrimental to Chinese exporters, experts said on Friday.

The commission said on Thursday that the probe would cover cold-rolled stainless steel products imported from China's mainland and Taiwan, as it felt that steel products were being dumped at prices lower than the actual costs in the European Union.

Trade ties between China and the European Union worsened last year after the EU decided to investigate Chinese solar products for alleged dumping. China had retaliated by ordering a probe on polysilicon imports from the EU. Though the solar dispute was settled eventually, the new friction over stainless steel will hit both sides, experts said.