Global Trade Alert

On 8 June 2018, the European Union amended the trade defence rules as so far as it relates to antidumping and anti-subsidy (see related intervention) cases. As a result of said amendments, the period of an antidumping investigation, until the provisional determination, is shortened from 9 to 7 months. The period is also shortened in regards to anti-subsidy investigations, see related interventions. In this context, companies will also be notified through an early warning system if provisional duties will be imposed.

Additionally, amendments to the lesser duty rule will enable the EU to impose higher antidumping duties on imports of goods "produced using raw materials and energy provided at an artificially low price". Higher duty levels may also apply to anti-subsidy cases, see related intervention.

The Commission will also assist smaller and medium-sized companies to support their participation in trade defence proceedings and will allow trade unions to participate in trade defence proceedings.

Lastly, price undertakings will not be accepted from countries having a "bad record on implementing core International Labour Organisation standards and environmental agreements".

In this context, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker stated in a press release: "The EU believes in open and fair trade but we are not naïve free traders. We have shown our teeth when we had to by adopting anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures. And now we have new and improved trade defence rules in our arsenal to face down some of today's challenges in global trade. Make no mistake – we will do whatever it takes to defend European producers and workers when others distort the market or don't play by the rules." 

The changes were announced in a press release on 7 June 2018.