11/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - Xavier R. Durieu, Secretary General of EuroCommerce, openly criticises in a press release the "spring clean" announced by Commissioner Pascal Lamy on the subject of European anti-dumping legislation, a clean-up of existing procedures which, according to EuroComemrce, is "bad news for consumers, commerce and developing countries" (see EUROPE of 9 March, p.8, on the subject of the press conference of the Trade Commissioner). Henceforth, definitive antidumping or antisubsidy measures will be considered adopted except if a simple majority of EU Member States rejects them at the latest one month after the Commission proposal, Mr Durieu recalls. He deplores the fact that this will increase the number of new measures against imports, and that "prices will increase and consumers' choice will be reduced", and "protectionist action against competitive imports from poor countries will become easier". Also, Mr Durieu reproaches the EU for having taken this decision without consulting those concerned, which, in his view, runs counter to the principles of good governance and better law making. Less competitive producers will thus be able to protect themselves more than ever before behind antidumping duties, Mr Durieu complains. He notes that "with 174 definitive measures in force at the end of 2002, the EU is the third most frequent antidumping user. This number is only exceeded by India and the US".