Today – 22 February – Lilianne Ploumen, the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, is responding to parliamentary questions asked by VVD members Helma Lodders and Han ten Broeke in response to the Brazilian anti-dumping measures on French fries. According to Ploumen, the Dutch government and Europe have done everything they can to turn the tide. Without success.
The Dutch embassy in Brazil argued against the case several times in 2015 and 2016. Both in writing and in personal conversations. The European Commission also made its lobby work, but without success. According to the EC, the measures are insufficiently substantiated. Ploumen shares that view, but it is not against WTO rules to use alternative figures.
The Dutch and European governments do not have to give up yet. The EC can challenge measures in the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. The minister does not say whether that will happen. 'Individual member states have relatively much room to interpret and apply the rules for taking anti-dumping measures,' says Ploumen. Brazil has pushed the figures that the European French fries producers have offered to the side.
The minister is not of the opinion that the measure also has a cost-increasing effect on the import of Brazilian products to the Netherlands. The Belgian, French and German ambassadors in Brazil have now been informed in writing. The EC calls on people to argue against the measures.
Also read:
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