China Removes AD/CVD Duties on Australian Barley

China will rescind its antidumping and countervailing duties on imports of Australian barley, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced Aug. 4, according to an unofficial translation. The duties had “effectively blocked” Australian shipments of barley since the measures were first announced in 2020, Australia’s Trade Minister Don Farrell said in a statement welcoming the news. “The removal of duties is the result of work by government and industry to resolve this matter,” Farrell said. China said the duties were officially removed Aug. 5.

Australia had launched a World Trade Organization dispute against the Chinese tariffs but paused the case in April after Beijing agreed to review the measures (see 2304110023). “The removal of these duties means that Australia will now discontinue legal proceedings at the WTO,” Farrell said.

He said Australia expects “a similar process to be followed to remove the duties on Australian wine,” which China also made subject to AD and CVD in 2020 (see 2012100016 and 2011300022). “We will continue to press for all trade impediments affecting Australian exports to be removed,” Farrell said, “which is in the interests of both Australia and China.”