Brussels, 21/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht is to call upon China to abide by its promise to facilitate consultations between European and Chinese producers.
Under the terms of the implicit arrangement with Beijing following the agreement over solar panels at the end of July, China will not take any action before the final date for adoption of definitive measures in June 2014 in its anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations, launched into European wines in April, said De Gucht on 18 October. At the request of France, the commissioner took stock of the matter at the meeting of European trade ministers.
Consultations between Chinese and European producers, promised by China, have yet to be opened, and De Gucht intends to remind his interlocutors of this at one of the sessions of the EU-China high level dialogue on economic and trade issues in Brussels on 24 October. China must facilitate discussions between its producers and EU producers, he said, adding that these consultations have still not been started, and this week, once again, he would insist that this situation be rectified without further ado.
The investigation into the production and financing conditions of European wines marketed in China is due to be completed by April 2014, with the possible imposition of provisional duties that could become definitive two months later. The Chinese are investigating some 15 different subsidies in the European winemaking sector, including national systems that form part of rural development policy, promotion programmes in third countries and support for wineries. (EH/transl.fl)