WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION

EU-US Trade Tensions Persist, Yet Hope Remains for Adoption of Bilateral Pact

16 April 2019

On 8 April 2019, the US threatened to impose tariffs amounting to USD 11.2 billion on a range of EU products, as a countermeasure to illegal subsidies provided by the EU to Airbus. The ultimate purpose, in the words of US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, is “to reach an agreement with the EU to end all WTO-inconsistent subsidies to large civil aircraft”. More

hktdc research

Lighthizer Continues to Favour Tough Action to Achieve WTO Reform

14 March 2019

In a 12 March hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said the United States should continue to boldly use its leverage to achieve much-needed reform at the World Trade Organisation. More

hktdc research

U.S. Claims WTO Win on Mainland China Grain Subsidies

11 March 2019

A WTO dispute settlement panel has sided with the United States in the first WTO case pursued by that country against mainland China’s agricultural support policy. A Bloomberg article notes that if mainland China complies with this “landmark ruling” it could “help make America’s farmers more competitive as they struggle with the fallout of Trump’s trade war with China.” More

hktdc research

U.S. Seeks to Limit Special and Differential Treatment under WTO Rules

21 February 2019

On 15 February, the Secretariat of the World Trade Organisation circulated a U.S. proposal aimed at limiting the rights of WTO members to self-designate as a developing country eligible for special and differential treatment. More

hktdc research

European Commission Publishes Regulation Imposing Definitive Safeguards on Imports of Certain Steel Products

08 February 2019

On 1 February 2019, the EU published Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/159 (“Regulation 2019/159” or the “Definitive Regulation”) by means of which it imposes safeguard measures on imports of certain steel products. According to the provisions of Regulation 2019/159, the safeguard measures take the form of tariff-rate quotas combined with a 25% ad valorem duty. More

hktdc research

USTR Highlights Outstanding Concerns in Annual Report on Mainland China’s WTO Compliance

08 February 2019

The United States is taking a more aggressive approach to ensure that mainland China, not the United States, bears the costs of its non-market economic system, according to a report from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. At the same time, the United States will encourage mainland China to make fundamental structural changes to its approach to the economy and trade. More

hktdc research

More Section 301 Tariff Exclusion Requests Denied Than Approved to Date

30 January 2019

The Trump administration has received nearly 13,000 requests for exclusions from the additional tariffs it has imposed on imports from mainland China, according to information made available by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Some have been granted and more have been denied but most are still at various stages of review. More

hktdc research

U.S. Joins EU’s WTO Case on Mainland China’s Forced Technology Transfers

29 January 2019

On 18 January, the United States notified the World Trade Organisation Dispute Settlement Body that it wished to join the European Union’s dispute settlement case on mainland China’s technology transfer policies. The U.S. request noted a “substantial trade interest” in the EU’s dispute with mainland China as well as its own request for consultations on intellectual property rights protection in the mainland. More

hktdc research

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Offers More Details on Trade Priorities for this Year

11 January 2019

As previously reported, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley will once again chair the Senate Finance Committee after a 12-year hiatus due to Republican Party term limits for committee chairmen. More

hktdc research

European Commission Notifies WTO of Proposed Definitive Steel Safeguard Measures: Some Mainland Chinese Exports to Fall Within Their Scope

09 January 2019

The investigation was launched on 26 March 2018 as part of the EU’s response to the decision by the United States to impose tariffs on steel products (the so-called US Section 232 measures). It showed that imports of steel products into the EU increased significantly in recent years and that these imports are likely to increase further. More

Page of 5