ANTI DUMPING

January, 2006 - Latest Info

BELGIUM: Trade Commissioner tackles anti-dumping issue - Plastic bags.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson is addressing the concerns of the retail sector regarding China-EU trade relations, according to the British Retail Consortium’s director general, Kevin Hawkins. A letter from Mandelson said he acknowledged concerns over the EU’s intentions to impose antidumping duties on leather footwear and plastic bag imports from China. Mandelson's comment comes in response to a written plea from the BRC and 13 of the UK's top retail chief executive officers before Christmas for the European Commission to act now to avoid a repeat of theChinese textiles dispute last summer. According to the BRC, Chinese-made shoes could rise in price by about GBP5 (US$8.8m) should protectionist measures – encouraged by countries such as Italy and France – be put into place. In response, Mandelson said he has made China-EU trade relations one of the key priorities of his mandate and is committed to "fostering growth in Europe by opening up our markets to competition". Mandelson also agreed that anti-dumping should not be used as an anti-competitive shield against undesired imports. The BRC met China’s Vice Minister for Trade, Gao Hucheng, today (11 January) to discuss these concerns and with the aim to preventing duties being imposed. Following the meeting, Hawkins, commented: "Our resolve to continue fighting the consumers' case was stiffened by today's very positive meeting with Minister Gao. "We welcome the priority that Beijing is attaching to preventing any anti-competitive measures the EU is considering imposing on popular shoe imports. We also agree that should duties be imposed by the EU; this could set Europe on a dangerous course of action with one of our most important trading partners. We will continue to watch the situation very carefully."

April, 2004

20 April 2004 ANTI-DUMPING WTO Secretariat reports significant decline in new anti-dumping investigations The WTO Secretariat reported that in the period 1 July - 31 December 2003, 14 Members initiated 115 anti-dumping investigations against exports from a total of 30 different countries or customs territories. This represents a significant decline from the corresponding period of 2002, during which 18 WTO Members had initiated 161 anti-dumping investigations. 46 of the 115 initiations during the second semester of 2003 were reported by developed countries.

Anti-dumping

The BTAA has been in constant contact with the European Commission on Anti-dumping proceedings concerning imports of leather handbags originating in the People’s Republic of China.  We have now received notification from the EU that no request for an expiry review on these measures has been received.  Although the official legislation is still awaited, this means that the levies which have been in place for the last 5 years will be dropped and the duty will revert back to the rate of 3% after 3^rd August, 2002.

Notification  - July, 2002.