#PresRo2019: Trade defence instruments on the agenda of the informal meeting of the Working Party on Trade Questions, organized in Buzău - Hoofdinhoud

The Romanian Presidency to the Council of the European Union organized the informal meeting of the Working Party on Trade Questions in Buzău, between 30-31 May, 2019. The Working Party on Trade Questions is the main working format at the Council of the EU i’s level where legislative files concerning the common commercial policy are negotiated.

During the meeting, delegates from member states and the European Commission discussed the Commission’s working document on significant distortions in the economy of the People’s Republic of China for the purpose of trade defence investigations.

The debates of the informal meeting were opened by Ms. Gabriela Mihaela Voicilă, secretary of state in the Ministry for Business Environment, Commerce and Entrepreneurship, and Mr. Petre Emanoil Neagu, president of the Buzău County Council.

Secretary of State Voicilă mentioned in her speech the entrance into force, during RO PRES, of two EU important legislative acts that will strengthen the leverage EU has in securing a level playing field in relation to third countries, namely the FDI Screening Regulation and the Horizontal Bilateral Safeguard Clauses Regulation.

Moreover, the Secretary of State underlined the importance of the multilateral fair, rules-based trade, emphasising the role of trade defence measures to address EU’s market distortions created by unfair practices of exporters from third countries.

The representatives of the Member States and of the European Commission discussed the factors leading to exports of goods and services at dumped prices originating in the People’s Republic of China, distortions in certain industrial sectors and measures implemented by the European Union in order to eliminate the injury caused to the EU producers.

RO PRES has led the debates in accordance to its role as honest broker with the aim of strengthening European Union’s position in relation with the issues on the agenda, the national mandate being guided by the priorities of the RO PRES in the field of the Common Commercial Policy.

Background information: Commission staff working document on significant distortions in the economy of the people’s Republic of China for the purposes of trade defence investigations - http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2017/december/tradoc_156474.pdf