E-003027/2021
Answer given by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis on behalf of the European Commission
(17.8.2021)
The EU, as a Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), has the right to investigate and react to subsidies, dumping practices, and trade defence measures of other WTO Members in compliance with the applicable WTO rules. The Commission is closely scrutinising such practices and intervenes where necessary, assisting the affected producers and exporters. The EU has repeatedly investigated unfair trade practices in the aluminum sector.
Currently, five definitive anti-dumping (AD) measures are in place1. These measures protect ca. 56,000 jobs in the EU. Moreover, six AD investigations are also ongoing: three new cases2, one review3 and two anti-circumvention proceedings4, as the enforcement of measures is one of the EU’s priorities.
The current import tariff for aluminum products is the result of a complex balance struck by the Council between the needs of EU upstream and downstream industries.
EU producers, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), can lodge additional complaints with the Commission if they suffer an injury from imports that are dumped or subsidised. As a result, an investigation can lead to further measures, if warranted, to re-establish normal trading conditions.
Specifically, the Commission assists SMEs through a dedicated Trade defence instruments (TDI) helpdesk. SMEs have also benefitted from less burdensome TDI case questionnaires and investigation periods aligned with their financial year. In addition, an information package for SMEs on TDI use will be published in the course of 2021.
Finally, in order to deal with the possible distortive effects in the EU market of foreign subsidies that do not fall within the purview of WTO rules, in May 2021, the Commission adopted a proposal for a regulation to tackle foreign subsidies distorting the internal market5.
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1 On aluminum road wheels, aluminum foil (in small and jumbo rolls), aluminum radiators and aluminum extrusions from China. The latter case was one of the most significant investigations the Commission has dealt with, with a EUR 10 billion market value and 37,000 jobs affected.
2 Concerning Aluminium flat-rolled products (OJ C 268/5, 14.08.2020) and Aluminium converter foil (OJ C 352/1, 22.10.2020 and OJ C 419/32, 4.12.2020).
3 Concerning measures on Aluminium foil in jumbo rolls (OJ C 436/10, 17.12.2020).
4 Regarding measures on small and jumbo aluminum foil rolls (OJ L 431/42 and L 431/48, 21.12.2020).
5 COM(2021) 223 final.
© European Union, 2021 – EP