(Secretary of State for
International Trade): On 28 November the Government
published a Call for Evidence to identify UK interest in existing
EU trade remedy measures. Currently, there are a number of trade
remedy measures being applied by the EU, some of which are
relevant and significant to UK industry. In preparation for the
UK being an independent trading nation, it is important that we
provide certainty and continuity to UK businesses, and avoid
exposing them to injury from known unfair trade practices.
The Call for Evidence will obtain the necessary information from
UK businesses to enable the Government to assess which measures
matter to the UK and therefore can be maintained when the UK
begins to operate its own independent trade remedies framework.
The Government will take account of the terms of any time-limited
implementation period agreed between the UK and the EU.
We recognise that new EU measures may be put in place after the
call for evidence closes and before the UK begins to operate its
independent trade remedies framework. We will approach those
interested parties ahead of the UK operating its independent
trade remedies framework to understand whether there is an
interest for any future measures to be maintained.
We will assess whether the transition of an existing measure is
important to UK industry, and can be retained based on three
criteria:
- We have received an application from UK companies which
produce products subject to trade remedies measures;
- The application is supported by a sufficient proportion of
the UK companies which produce those products;
- The market share of the UK companies which produce those
products is above a certain level.
The Government is committed to ensuring continuity to UK industry
as the UK prepares to leave the EU. We are also committed to
maintaining a fair and transparent approach to the handling of
these existing remedies and aligning them as far as possible with
our WTO obligations.
