01/03/2019 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 1 March, the European Commission announced changes to the function of Hearing Officer (CA), the independent supervisory body of the EU trade defence proceedings, in order to improve the effective exercise of the parties' rights in these proceedings. According to the Commission, the new terms of reference will provide parties who consider their rights of defence to have been violated with clearer instructions to mobilise the Board and will increase the predictability and transparency of Board interventions for interested parties. Since 2007, the role of the CA has been to provide mediation, limited to procedural matters, between the parties and the Commission services. It shall facilitate communication on these matters and ensure that these proceedings are handled impartially and within a reasonable time. See the Official Journal of the EU: https://bit.ly/2EH4bfJ (HD)