The European Commission published, in the first week of September, its state of play on trade defence activities during the first half of 2019. At the end of this six-month period, 94 anti-dumping, 14 countervailing and 3 safeguard measures were in force in the European Union.
40 investigations were ongoing as at 30 June 2019, with eight new investigations into suspected dumping or subsidisation initiated during this period (see EUROPE 12257/14), including an anti-dumping investigation on glass fibre reinforcements ('GFR') from Bahrain and Egypt and two anti-subsidies – on glass fibre fabrics from China and Egypt and glass fibre reinforcements from Egypt.
In June, the Commission also reopened its investigation into imports of Indian ductile iron pipes and tubes (see EUROPE 12279/23).
Over the last 6 months, new definitive duties have been imposed following three investigations – one anti-dumping investigation on bicycles originating in China (see EUROPE 12175/19), and the other two anti-subsidies investigations on Chinese bicycles and Argentine biodiesel (see EUROPE 12189/22).
In April, following a new investigation, the Commission imposed a six-month provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of urea ammonium nitrate mixtures originating in Russia, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States.
On the other hand, two anti-dumping investigations – on bioethanol from the United States and on hollow sections from North Macedonia, Russia and Turkey – did not result in the imposition of defensive measures.
Three reviews concerning the expiry of defence measures were initiated during this period – one on Chinese and Russian ferro-silicon and the other two on Chinese solar glass.
Tariff duties were confirmed following reviews on imports of certain aluminium radiators originating in China (see EUROPE 12174/28) and on chamois leather, also from China, on certain tube and pipe fittings from South Korea, Malaysia and Russia. Chinese organic coated steels have also been subject to anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures (see EUROPE 12247/8), as well as imports of aluminium foil on Chinese rolls.
Finally, two reviews resulted in the repeal of the duties imposed on pipes and fittings produced in Turkey and on bioethanol from the United States.
Five interim reviews, covering steel products from China and Thailand, Chinese ceramic tableware and kitchen utensils (see EUROPE 12297/10), resulted in a change in the duties imposed. Two interim reviews were also initiated during this half-year, on PET (polyethylene terephthalate) from India and on rainbow trout from Turkey.
By the end of this first quarter of 2019, the EU had also put in place three safeguarding measures on steel products applicable to everyone (see EUROPE 12185/4) and on indica rice from Cambodia and Myanmar (see EUROPE 12237/35).
Among the commitments still in force, one concerns imports of Argentine biodiesel and the other Chinese citric acid (see EUROPE 9779/28).
To consult this document: https://bit.ly/2kCR4Vx (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)