Christofer Fjellner MEP has been appointed the European Parliament's Rapporteur for the European Commission's proposal for the modernisation of the Union's trade defence instruments, the legal foundation for the measures against illegal dumping and subsidies used by companies based in non-EU countries. The Regulation has not been updated since 1995, although attempts were made in 2006/2007. The modernisation includes not only the Regulation itself, but also the guidelines in regards to the calculation of injury margins, the choice of analogue country, the estimation of the Union interest, the length of measures and the expiry review.

The instruments have recently become a hot topic in politics. On Tuesday, the Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht announced provisional punitive tariffs on Chinese solar panels due to the alleged dumping carried out by Chinese companies in order to increase export volumes to the EU. The tariffs, starting at 11%, will come into force as of Thursday June 6 and will be increased to 68% in August if no solution has been reached in the negotiations with Chinese companies.

The Commission also announced that an investigation into whether China has been involved in dumping and subsidising in regards to telecommunications network equipment is to be launched in the near future.

European Commission press release on the modernisation of TDI.

European Commission press release on anti-dumping tariffs on Chinese solar panels.

For further information:

Christofer FJELLNER MEP,+32-228-45536

Per Heister, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, tel.:+32-496-645530