The U.K.'s Department for International Trade in an Aug. 2 notice suspended the antidumping duties on hot-rolled flat iron, non-alloy or other alloy steel goods from Iran or Russia, where those products are subject to the tariff-rate quota on steel goods. The effect is that antidumping duties will be charged on items until the import quota is exceeded. After that, only a portion of the AD exceeding the safeguard duty is charged, the notice said. The duties range from 5.3% to 33% for Russian companies, and are 17.9% for Iranian companies.

The EU on July 28 added nine individuals to its sanctions regime covering those who commit human rights abuses and sustain armed conflict. The restrictions cover nine Congolese and Rwandan people who are charged with carrying out serious human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the European Council said. The people include members of non-state militant groups M23, Twirwaneho, ADF, APCLS, CODECO/ALC and FDLR/FOCA. In addition, a member of the Congolese Armed Forces and one member of the Rwanda Defense Force were listed.

The World Trade Organization's dispute settlement body during its July 28 meeting agreed to the EU's request to create a compliance panel concerning whether the U.S. fully complied with a prior panel ruling on its countervailing duties on ripe olives from Spain. During the meeting, the EU said further action was needed given the U.S. failure to fully implement the ruling and engage with the EU, a Geneva-based trade official said in an email. The U.S. said it was disappointed the bloc requested the panel, adding that under a procedural understanding between it and the EU, the U.S. accepts the compliance panel, the official said.

Colombia, Canada, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil recently announced antidumping and countervailing duty actions and decisions on certain products from mainland China, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 27.

Anna Dias, former partner at Gide Loyrette, has joined DLA Piper as an international trade partner in the Brussels office, the firm announced. Dias' practice will center on international trade law and EU regulatory matters with a special focus on antidumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard proceedings along with World Trade Organization rules-related advice, the firm said. She also works on EU sanctions compliance. Prior to working at Gide Loyrette, Dias worked for the Brazilian Mission to the WTO in Geneva.

The Biden administration will complete its review of the Section 301 tariffs "this fall," U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai wrote to senators, and while she did not commit to any course of action, she wrote: "As part of the 4-Year Review of the Section 301 tariffs, USTR is reviewing the effectiveness of the tariffs in achieving the objectives of the investigation, as well as the effect of the tariffs on consumers, workers, and the U.S. economy at large. As part of this review, we are considering the existing tariffs structure and how to make the tariffs more strategic in light of impacts on sectors of the U.S. economy as well [as] the goal of increasing domestic manufacturing."

The World Trade Organization's published agenda for the Dispute Settlement Body's July 28 meeting includes U.S. status reports on the implementation of DSB recommendations on antidumping measures on certain hot-rolled steel products from Japan; antidumping and countervailing measures on large residential washers from South Korea; certain methodologies and their application to antidumping proceedings involving China; and Section 110(5) of the U.S. Copyright Act. Status reports are also expected from Indonesia on measures related to the import of horticultural products, animals and animal products, and from the EU on measures affecting the approval and marketing of biotech products.

The U.S. and India formally submitted their bids to end five disputes at the World Trade Organization, including a dispute surrounding India's retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. goods due to the Section 232 steel and aluminum duties. India and the U.S. told the WTO that mutually agreed to solutions were reached in India's disputes against U.S. countervailing duties on hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from India, measures on the renewable energy sector and Section 232 duties on steel and aluminum products. Solutions were also reached in the U.S. objection to India's measures on solar cells and modules and export-related restrictions. The deal to drop the cases was struck during a visit from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House in June (see 2306230038).

The Bureau of Industry and Security this week added four European spyware and surveillance technology companies to the Entity List for their role in “threatening” cyber activities. BIS accused all four of “trafficking in cyber exploits used to gain access to information systems, threatening the privacy and security of individuals and organizations worldwide.”

The EU on July 4 imposed antidumping duties on stainless steel refillable kegs from China for five years, the European Commission announced that day. The duties range from 62.6% to 69.6% and follow an investigation that found the kegs were being dumped into the bloc. "The measures will help to ensure that the EU keg industry, which employs 500 people, can compete on an equal footing with keg imports from China," the commission said.