Following the publication of the Commission’s Communication on the reform the EU trade defence instruments (TDIs), today the heads of governments meeting in Brussels acknowledged that unfair trade practices need to be tackled efficiently and robustly.
 
Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament have been calling for an update to the EU’s trade defences for two years already. Now that the Communication reiterates the urgency of the Commission's proposal already on the table, they urge the Council to act as soon as possible to save jobs in Europe that are at stake due to unfairly traded imports from countries like China.

S&D spokesperson on trade defence, Alessia Mosca MEP, said:
 
"The Communication by the Commission goes in the right direction, even if we would expect some clarifications on the next steps. The Parliament already expressed its position back in 2014, and the non-application of the Lesser Duty Rule* remains for us an absolute priority. 
 
"It is now time for the Council to make concrete steps forward and to find an agreement on such an important matter for the European producers and workers."

S&D spokesperson on trade, David Martin MEP, said:
 
"It is critical for European industrial communities that we have trade defence instruments with teeth. Unfair competition is destroying EU manufacturing jobs and we must be able to defend ourselves.
 
"The Commission and MEPs have done their bit, offering sensible and effective solutions to tackle dumping. We now urge the member states to find an immediate solution to this impasse.
 
"It is particularly distressing to hear that the UK remains one of the main obstructions to these urgently-needed reforms. As ever, they tell the steelworkers at home one thing and then act against their interests in Brussels."
 
* Note to the editors:

Under a lesser duty rule, authorities impose duties at a level lower than the margin of dumping if this level is adequate to remove injury. It is not a WTO obligation.