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Ross L. Denton

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In its March 2019 paper “EU-China – A strategic outlook” (Strasbourg, 12.3.2019 JOIN(2019) 5 final), the EU examined the impact of Chinese state subsidies, and protection of the domestic market on investment by Chinese companies in the EU, and the limitations EU law has in dealing with any such impact. The paper stated: “EU policy tools do not fully address the effects within the EU internal market of subsidies granted by foreign governments. EU…

On 6 April 2020, the European Commission adopted Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/502 (the “Implementing Regulation”) introducing additional tariffs on certain products originating from the US. This was adopted in retaliation to the further safeguard measures in the form of tariff increases, adopted by the United States on 24 January 2020, in relation to imports of certain derivative aluminium and steel products which took effect with unlimited duration on 8 February 2020. Effective May 2020, the…

On 3 April 2020, the European Commission issued its Decision granting relief from customs duty and import VAT exemptions for equipment necessary for combating the COVID-19 outbreak, following its announcement of its intention to do so on 20 March 2020 (please see our previous blog post here). Goods will only be exempt from customs duty and import VAT if they: are imported by or on behalf of State organisations, or by or on behalf of…

On 31 March 2020, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (“FCO”) announced that the Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges (INSTEX) had successfully concluded its first transaction. This transaction involved the successful export of medical goods from Europe to Iran, and paves the way for future transactions. In its announcement, the FCO stated: “Now the first transaction is complete, INSTEX and its Iranian counterpart STFI [(Special Trade and Finance Instrument)] will work on more transactions…