Senators Express Concern in Letter to EU Parliament President on Treatment of China's Trade Practices

Ohio Sens. Rob Portman, R, and Sherrod Brown, D, sent a letter (here) to EU Parliament President Martin Schulz, expressing concerns about possible changes to how the EU treats China in antidumping duty cases. Under a recent proposal issued by the European Commission, "it appears unlikely China would actually be treated as a non-market economy in EU antidumping investigations," the letter said. "In light of China’s request this week to begin consultations with the U.S. and EU at the World Trade Organization, it is imperative that we coordinate our policies on non-market economy designations, particularly for China. We ask you to ensure the Parliament’s position on this proposal is established only after Congress and the Parliament have had the opportunity to collaborate," it said. China filed a WTO complaint on Dec. 12, arguing the U.S. and EU can no longer use special calculations for AD duty on its products. In an emailed statement, the Committee to Support U.S. Trade Laws voiced its support for Portman's and Brown's requests for European Parliament to consult with U.S. Congress and to work collaboratively to devise the most effective response to China’s non-market-based trade practices.