Ministry of Commerce opposes EU's trade protectionism

China's Ministry of Commerce expressed concern over EU's recently announced plans to accelerate steel industry investigation, opposing its trade protection in the steel sector.

The European Commission announced plans on March 16 to speed up trade defense cases against cheap imports from China while urging EU member states to stop blocking measures that could set higher duties against dumped and subsidized products.

Countries including Britain, France and Germany have asked the commission to help the steel industry, which is suffering from an import surge from China in particular, as they say, and collapsing prices.

According to the ministry, China is very concerned about EU's measure of the removal of the so-called lesser duty rule, which limits the tariffs that can be imposed on dumped or unfairly subsidized imports.

China is also worried of EU's proposal to accelerate its investigation and measures implementation, which might prevent related exporters from effectively exercising their rights of pleading and defense.

According to the ministry, the plight of European steel industry has both to do with global atmosphere and self causes.

The slow recovery of the global economy these past few years has significantly affected the global supply and demand balance, which has gotten the global steel industry into trouble.

The global issue requires joint efforts and action from countries across the globe and the implementation of trade protection will not solve the problem fundamentally, it said.

China has always objected to trade protection, opposed the use of trade remedy measures and has always wanted to solve problems through talks and negotiation to better maintain a stable and justice trade environment.