UKIP calls for emergency anti-dumping measures on Chinese steel.
Following steel plant closures in the North East and
elsewhere in the country UKIP is calling for the introduction of emergency
anti-dumping measures on Chinese steel.
The call also follows a ruling by the World Trade
Organisation’s appeal body against China, largely upholding a WTO panel decision
in February that found anti-dumping duties imposed by China on imports of
European and Japanese high-performance stainless steel tubes were in breach of
international trade rules.
The European Commission said the verdict was of “systemic
importance” as it highlighted “again the shortcomings of Chinese trade defence
investigations.”
UKIP’’s North East Euro-MP Jonathan Arnott said that the
introduction of emergency anti-dumping measures on Chinese steel is urgently
needed.
“If the UK re-activated its full membership of the WTO with
full voting and speaking rights, we could make our voices heard right away.
Sadly, because we are EU members we must go cap in hand to the European
Commissioner on Trade, in a lengthy process necessitating the agreement of the
27 other EU states.
“In the last week thousands of jobs have been lost at steel
plants throughout the UK because of two main factors; the dumping of Chinese
steel and a British steel industry rendered uncompetitive because of exorbitant
energy prices, a consequence of the EU’s obsession with carbon
emissions.
“Antonio Tajani, who was EU Industry Commissioner until
last year, said that high energy prices ‘are creating an industrial massacre in
Europe.’ This is refreshing honesty from the European Commission.’
Mr Arnott continued, “Our membership of the EU has helped
cripple our steel industry by pushing up energy prices and preventing us acting
immediately at WTO level. Yet another reason to leave the
EU’.”
