China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced Tuesday it is to extend an anti-dumping investigation into carbon steel fasteners imported from the European Union.

The investigation would be prolonged by six months to June 29 next year because "the situation in this case is quite special and complicated," said a brief notice on the MOC website without further explanation.

The MOC started the anti-dumping probe into EU carbon steel fasteners on Dec. 29, 2008, after an application for a probe by the fastener branch of the China General Machine Components Industry Association on behalf of Chinese fastener producers.

MOC said in a statement at the time that the investigation would normally be completed within a year, but could take until June 29, 2010.

According to the statement, the anti-dumping probe involved carbon steel fasteners used in making products like cars, electronic and electrical equipment and machinery.