EU Trade Defence — the verified record, live

EU trade defence covers the bloc's classic contingency instruments: anti-dumping measures under Regulation (EU) 2016/1036, anti-subsidy (countervailing) measures under Regulation (EU) 2016/1037, and safeguards. The European Commission investigates complaints from EU industry — or acts ex officio — examining dumping or subsidisation, injury and Union interest, and can impose provisional and definitive duties by implementing regulation, subject to Member State committee procedure and review by the EU courts. Recent practice has been dominated by cases involving China, most prominently the ex officio anti-subsidy investigation into battery electric vehicles that led to countervailing duties, alongside long-running measures on steel, aluminium and chemicals and the steel safeguard. Expiry reviews, interim reviews, anti-circumvention investigations and registration of imports generate a continuous stream of decisions affecting importers' duty exposure. For manufacturers, importers and customs advisers, tracking the Official Journal cycle of initiations, provisional findings and definitive measures is essential to managing landed costs and supply chain risk.

Every document below comes from the body that published it — regulators, courts, parliaments, official registers — with its true publication date and a link to the primary source.

as of 2026-08-31 · refreshed from scheduled releases

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Frequently asked

Who conducts EU trade defence investigations?

The European Commission, through DG Trade, conducts anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard investigations and drafts the resulting measures. Definitive duties are adopted by Commission implementing regulation subject to the comitology procedure involving Member States. Measures can be challenged before the General Court and Court of Justice, and duties are collected by national customs authorities.

How long do EU anti-dumping duties last?

Definitive anti-dumping and countervailing duties are normally imposed for five years. Before expiry, EU industry can request an expiry review; where the Commission finds that removal would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidisation and injury, measures are extended, often repeatedly. Interim reviews, newcomer reviews and anti-circumvention investigations can modify or extend measures in the meantime.

What triggers a trade defence investigation?

Most cases begin with a complaint from EU producers representing a sufficient share of Union production, supported by evidence of dumping or subsidisation and resulting injury. The Commission can also self-initiate, as it did in the electric vehicles anti-subsidy case. Initiation notices are published in the Official Journal and set deadlines for exporters, importers and users to register and participate.

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