Fifteenth report: Overview of third country trade defence actions against the European Union for the year 2017

Summary:

On 18 October 2018 the European Commission presented a report on third country trade defence actions against the European Union in 2017.

Further information:

Trade defence instruments (TDI) are important tools for industries to defend themselves when faced with unfair trade practices. The three instruments are anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguards.

Anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures aim at counteracting the negative effects of unfair trade practices such as dumped or subsidised imports, while the purpose of safeguards is to temporarily shield industries from the negative effect of unforeseen and significant increases of imports. Safeguard measures also differ from the other two instruments, as they are applied on imports from all origins, while anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures are country (and even company) specific.

The European Commission monitors and assists affected EU industries when non-EU countries take trade defence measures against EU exporters. When a third country opens a trade defence investigation against EU exports, the role of the Commission is to actively intervene, whenever necessary, in order to rebut undue allegations and findings raised in the proceeding that are at odds with WTO rules.

This report describes the overall trends in trade defence activities by third countries, which adversely impact or may impact EU exports; the main problems identified; and the results achieved in 2017. The Commission staff working document accompanying the report contains a detailed country-by-country analysis of third countries' TDI investigations and measures, including the interventions made by the Commission, together with a complete set of data by country and by type of TDI instrument.

EUR-Lex: SWD(2018)442: Commission Staff Working Document accompanying the report https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=SWD:2018:442:FIN

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