EU presses for new powers to combat threat of Chinese import surge

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

57% : "The EU tends to follow the rule book quite closely, which constrains what it can do.
53% : "Ignacio Garcia Berrero, a former senior Commission trade official, told the FT that the EU could use existing so-called "safeguard measures", which enable Brussels to quickly introduce tariffs or quotas when there are sudden spikes in imports.
52% : A flood of discounted Chinese goods would leave domestic manufacturers struggling to compete, raising the prospect of retaliatory trade action from the EU.
49% : Trump, who is able to impose tariffs using executive powers once he returns to office on January 20, vowed in late November to charge an additional 10 per cent on Chinese products, alongside new 25 per cent levies on Canada and Mexico.
45% : Many emerging market economies are already imposing restrictions on Chinese goods imports -- potentially squeezing more of them to Europe.
43% : The EU can also launch investigations if it feels particular sectors are being harmed by underpriced products.
42% : Brussels fears divisions between member states will hamper its ability to combat a potential flood of cheap goods from China -- dumped by Beijing in response to the prospect of higher US tariffs -- with sanctions of their own.President-elect Donald Trump's threat to tax Chinese imports by up to 60 per cent during his second term has raised concerns that Beijing will seek to regain the market share lost in the US by dumping more goods in other markets -- including the EU.
39% : "With China we have seen how easily the EU fragments when others exert pressure," said one EU lawmaker, who declined to be named.
39% : A renminbi devaluation could intensify the effects of China dumping cheap products on EU markets.

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