The European Commission began a review of existing antidumping duties on certain cold-rolled flat steel products from China and Russia, an Aug. 3 notice in the Official Journal of the European Union said. Eurofer requested the review following the publication of the expiration notice for the duties. The commission will decide if an extension of the duties is necessary to further protect the European steel industry, the notice said. The period under investigation is July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021. The covered goods are “flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, or other alloy steel but excluding of stainless steel, of all widths, cold-rolled (cold-reduced), not clad, plated or coated and not further worked than cold-rolled (cold-reduced),” with a number of notable exceptions including flat-rolled products of other alloy steel, of all widths, of silicon-electrical steel.
The European Commission in an Aug. 3 notice announced the impending expiration of antidumping duty measures on certain continuous filament glass fiber products from China unless a review of the duties is initiated. European Union manufacturers can submit a written request for a review up to three months before the duty's April 26, 2022, expiration date.
The United Kingdom ceased applying an antidumping duty on pre- and post-stressing wires and wire strands of non-alloy steel (PSC wires and strands) from China Aug. 2, following a transition review. The measures were initially imposed on June 6, 2015, by the European Union on behalf of the U.K. and the other EU member states. Following the U.K.'s departure from the EU, the secretary of state for international trade transitioned the AD duty to continue applying during the U.K. transition period. Following a transition review, to decide whether to keep the duties, the AD duty will cease to apply, effective Aug. 2.
The United Kingdom and New Zealand are close to wrapping up a trade deal following Britain's departure from the European Union, U.K. International Trade Secretary Liz Truss confirmed to the Daily Express Aug. 1. Truss completed the most recent round of trade talks with New Zealand last week, saying the two sides are "closing in on a deal which would be one of the most advanced struck by any nation." The Daily Express also pegged the talks as another step by the U.K. to join the 11-member Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
The European Council adopted a framework on July 30 for targeted sanctions against Lebanese individuals and entities responsible for “undermining democracy or the rule of law in Lebanon.” Actions that may warrant sanctions include obstructing the democratic political process through “hampering the formation of a government” or the holding of elections, undermining plans by Lebanese authorities to improve accountability and proper governance and “serious financial misconduct,” a press release said. The sanctions will include a travel ban and an asset freeze for individuals, and an asset freeze for entities.
The European Commission began a review of existing antidumping duties on aspartame from China, a July 29 notice in the Official Journal of the European Union said. HSWT France S.A.S. requested the review following the publication of the expiration notice for the duties. The commission will decide if an extension of the duties is necessary to further protect the European aspartame industry, the notice said. The period under investigation is July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021.
The European Commission in a July 29 notice announced the expiration of antidumping duty measures on high fatigue performance steel concrete reinforcement bars from China. Since no “duly substantiated request for a review” was filed with the commission, the antidumping measures will expire July 30, the notice said.
The European Council announced July 27 that additional countries aligned their sanctions regimes with the European Union's regarding restrictive measures on individuals and entities in Myanmar and in response to the annexation of Crimea. Montenegro, Albania, Norway, Ukraine and Georgia aligned with the Crimea-related sanctions. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Ukraine and Moldova aligned with the Myanmar restrictions. The latter sanctions include eight individuals and four entities subject to restrictive measures.
The United Kingdom published an annual report for 2020 on its strategic export controls that includes licensing data, U.K. and EU legislation changes, and results of the Court of Appeal judgment on military exports to Saudi Arabia. In the July 21 report, the U.K. released data points such as the number of standard individual export licenses, which totaled 15,334, with 62% processed within 20 working days -- a drop from 77% in 2019. The report said 268 SIELs were refused or revoked. The publication also highlighted the resumption of trade in arms and military equipment to Saudi Arabia following the Court of Appeal judgment. The court in April OK'd a judicial review of the decision on export licensing for Saudi Arabia, the report said. The publication also touched on the Export Control Joint Unit and its 385 export control compliance checks in which 48% of first-time checked firms were compliant.
The International Dairy Foods Association is asking the European Commission and U.S. government to work together to resolve a dispute about animal health attestations that the trade group says will throw the infant formula and adult nutrition supply chains "into chaos," and will cause product shortages and price increases.