Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

Trade defence tools played a key role in protecting EU jobs by promoting fairness and equal opportunities, according to the 2023 report on EU trade defence activities, which was adopted today, Tuesday, according to MAGA in a statement issued by the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union.

The statement explained, "A total of 182 trade defence measures were in force in the European Union at the end of 2023, including 156 anti-dumping measures, 25 anti-subsidy measures, and one safeguard measure. This represents an increase of about 40% compared to 2018, when there were 133 measures in force. Twice as many new investigations were launched in 2023 compared to 2022."

This significant increase in activity confirms the Commission's determination to deal forcefully with the increasing cases of unfair trade.
The number of EU jobs protected by these measures has also increased significantly, from 365,000 in 2018 to almost 500,000 direct jobs by the end of 2023. The industrial sectors protected by the measures in place include strategic sectors such as wind energy, solar glass and fibre optics; sectors that are crucial for the EU’s green and digital transformations. The report also covers several sectors with small and medium-sized enterprises – such as the ceramics industry, for example – that are particularly vulnerable to unfair trade practices.
In addition, the report stresses the need for action, such as launching an investigation into subsidies for battery-powered electric vehicles from China, to protect green technology sectors from unfair trade.
Finally, the report shows that the Commission has continued to strongly defend EU industry from unfair defensive measures by third countries, thus helping to ensure continued access to third country markets.
Helping SMEs tackle unfair trade
SMEs are more vulnerable to unfair competition. Throughout 2023, the Commission has prioritised and stepped up its actions to help it tackle unfair competition from dumped and subsidised imports. This includes a helpdesk, a dedicated webpage, practical assistance with investigations, detailed guidance, as well as numerous information and training programmes.
The report also highlights EU manufacturing sectors with a high proportion of SMEs that successfully use and benefit from EU trade defence measures, including the ceramics, bicycle and trout industries.
Proper implementation is crucial for the effectiveness of EU measures
Ensuring the effectiveness of trade defence measures remains key for the Commission as it redoubles its efforts to tackle increasingly sophisticated circumvention practices.
This entails improving the monitoring of trade defence measures in place, as well as taking effective action against ever-evolving circumvention practices by third countries. As a result, more than a fifth of trade measures currently in place specifically address evasion by economic operators. In 2023 alone, four new investigations out of twelve were opened into suspected cases of fraud, extending the scope of the measures to additional third countries. In addition, two existing measures were extended to additional countries to address transshipment practices. There was also an anti-sucking investigation – looking at producers who lower their prices to “suck” the tariffs imposed on them – which led to a significant increase in the original EU tariffs.