Trade Remedies | Fieldfisher
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Trade Remedies

Having left the EU, the UK is now operating its own trade remedies system, which has seen the creation of an entirely new domestic legal framework and the establishment of the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). UK producers can now ask the TRA to investigate allegations of dumping, countervailable subsidies, or unforeseen surges in imports into the UK.

If the TRA finds that injury is being caused as a result of these practices, it can impose measures on foreign imports to 'level the playing field', usually in the form of additional duties.

The TRA is also conducting numerous transition reviews of trade remedies measures that were adopted from the EU to assess whether they are appropriate for the domestic market.  Following the reviews, the TRA will recommend to the Secretary of State for International Trade that the measures are either varied or revoked.

The UK legal framework, the operational practices of the TRA, and the transition review system are all entirely new and unfamiliar for both UK manufacturers and foreign producers and exporters.

Notable deals and highlights include:

·       We advised many EU sectors on the implementation of the new EU methodology used to calculate dumping for imports from non-market economies and the modernisation of the EU's trade defence instruments.

·       We assisted EU industries in re-establishing and maintaining a level playing field on the EU market through EU trade defence measures, including bicycles and e-bikes, electronics, steel and ferrous metals; aluminium, glass fibres, paper, and solar panels, and various products of the chemicals and plastics industries. 

·       We supported EU industries to obtain fair market access in third countries in the face of unfair border or behind-the-border measures, including Australia, China, India and Turkey.

·       We assisted companies in addressing market access and other trade issues related to intellectual property rights, product safety and other product or environmental regulations.