The World Trade Organization’s General Council meeting on Wednesday highlighted the deepening rift between the US and other members over steel, intellectual property and Appellate Body nominations. There seems to be no way out of the crisis for now.
Trade defence
Beyond Brussels: Oversupply of Chinese goods doesn’t hurt global trade, study finds
China may use subsidies to prop up a range of domestic industries, but oversupply in these sectors has little impact on global trade, a Swiss-based trade watchdog says in a new report on the current steel glut and protectionism.
New EU dumping methodology is illegal, Chinese, Russians and Saudis say
The EU can expect legal challenges against its new law to protect the bloc against dumped and subsidized imports. That message came out loud and clear during a meeting of the World Trade Organization’s Committee on Anti-Dumping Practices. The European regulation, which entered into force on 20 December, establishes …
WTO: EU, US and Japanese silence on steel measures speaks louder than words
The EU, the US and India came under fire today for measures to protect their steel and solar cell industries. But what’s more interesting is what wasn’t said during the meeting of the World Trade Organization’s Safeguards Committee. WTO members criticised the EU’s ‘safeguard’ investigation into steel as well …
Week ahead in EU trade: INTA, MIC, Mercosur, Tunisia, trade remedies, UK customs union
Put on your seatbelt and get prepared for a crazy ride this week.
A week in Brussels: Mexico progress, data flows, e-bikes, investment screening
It was another packed week in trade, with the trans-Atlantic relationship on top of everyone’s mind. We’ve covered some of it here, as well as developments in the run-up to the launch of EU-Australia and EU-New Zealand free trade talks. There’s been a lot of movement between the EU and …
Trade defence – member states release contours of new EU regulation
Member states green-lighted a legislative compromise on a long-standing trade defence instrument reform package initiated in 2013. Last December the Council, European Commission and European Parliament reached a final political compromise after a lengthy trilogue negotiation process. The final text is expected to be adopted by EU legislators …
Deng: Double whammy of EU steel safeguards and US duties would be ‘disaster’ for Taiwan
A decision by the EU to slap safeguards on foreign steel would have severe repercussions in Taiwan, whose exports of the alloy to the US are already subject to 25% duties, says Taiwan’s top trade negotiator. Without an exemption from the US tariffs – something Taiwan has tried and failed to …
Comment: EU should keep cool over Trump’s steel tariffs
When responding to the president of the United States’ decision to impose tariffs on EU steel for purported national security reasons the EU should focus on not harming the World Trade Organization further, argues Christofer Fjellner.
WTO: With new US envoy comes softer subsidy notifications text
The same day that Dennis Shea was sworn in as the top US envoy to the World Trade Organization, Washington submitted a revised proposal to toughen up rules for countries to meet deadlines for notifying agricultural subsidies and other trade measures. Although there were no changes in the proposed penalties …
