The European Commission imposed a definitive antidumping duty on imports of certain pre- and post-stressing wires and wire strands of non-alloy steel (PSC wires and strands) from China following an expiry review, the commission said in a Sept. 2 regulation. The imports will be assessed a 46.2% duty, excluding those from Kiswire Qingdao, which has a zero percent margin, and from Ossen Innovation Materials Co. Joint Stock Co. and Ossen Jiujiang Steel Wire Cable Co., which both have a 31.1% rate. The European Stress Information Service, representing more than a quarter of the EU domestic industry of PSC, requested the review as the duties were set to expire. Specifically, the duties cover “not plated or not coated wire of non-alloy steel, wire of non-alloy steel plated or coated with zinc and stranded wire of non-alloy steel whether or not plated or coated with not more than 18 wires, containing by weight 0,6 % or more of carbon, with a maximum cross-sectional dimension exceeding 3 mm.”

Companies that relocated production to Vietnam following President Donald Trump's imposition of China tariffs now find themselves fighting local restrictions due to recent COVID-19 outbreaks in Southeast Asia, Bloomberg reported Sept. 1. In particular, the southern provinces of Binh Duong and Dong Nai further extended stay-at-home orders and curfews in their localities for another 15 days staring Sept. 1, the report said. In response, an effort has been made by the Vietnamese government to vaccinate workers at factories, including Samsung's in the north and Intel's in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnamese manufacturers are seeking to ramp up the vaccination push ahead of the year-end holiday surge, Bloomberg said. Per data from IHS Markit and JPMorgan included in the report, many of Vietnam's export wins following the start of the pandemic have taken a dip, with the purchasing managers index for the country falling below 50, indicating a contraction in market conditions for manufacturers.

The United Kingdom's International Trade Secretary Liz Truss appointed two new trade commissioners Sept. 1 to attract new investment and explore export opportunities throughout Europe and Central Asia, the Department for International Trade said. Chris Barton, former acting director general of trade negotiations at DIT, was appointed trade commissioner for Europe. Kenan Poleo, the current deputy trade commissioner for Europe, was tapped to be the commissioner for Eastern Europe and Central Asia Network. In their new positions, the pair will “lead on a coordinated government effort overseas to promote UK trade, delivering jobs and prosperity for the UK economy,” DIT said.

The United Kingdom's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation published guidance in an Aug. 31 LinkedIn post to anyone engaging in financial activity in Afghanistan, given that some members of the Taliban in positions of authority are under United Nations sanctions. The agency recommended conducting enhanced due diligence especially with entities controlled by designated individuals, checking the consolidated sanctions list, and considering bringing on independent legal counsel before engaging in any activity. The post also addressed charities operating in the region, referring them to OFSI's charity sector guidance and the Charity Commission's Compliance Toolkit.

The European Commission recently approved seven genetically engineered crops and renewed authorizations for others for import, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported Aug. 30. The EC approved one cotton, one rapeseed, two soybean and three corn crops and renewed one rapeseed crop and two corn crops used for food and animal feed. The authorizations will remain valid for 10 years from the Aug. 26 notice published in the European Union Official Journal, USDA said. The products will be subject to the EU’s “strict labelling and traceability rules,” the report said.

The United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority is reviewing a proposed acquisition of the U.K.-based defense firm Ultra Electronics Holdings by Cobham Ultra Acquisitions, which is owned by U.S.-based Cobham Group Holdings, an aerospace and defense technology firm. The review, announced in August, could have national security implications for the U.K., the CMA said. The agency has until Jan. 18, 2022, to investigate the transaction and submit a report on the deal about its findings.

Ten countries aligned themselves with the European Union's decision to sanction eight individuals under the bloc's Nicaragua sanctions regime, the European Council said. North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia will now also place the restrictive measures on the eight individuals listed for undermining the rule of law in the country (see 2108020027).

The European Union's use of trade defense measures in 2020, including antidumping and countervailing duties, succeeded despite COVID-19-related challenges, the European Commission said in a post highlighting its actions against unfair trade practices of the past year. The EU noted its temporary changes to regular practices, such as on-site verification visits. The commission also released statistics regarding its trade remedies. In all, the EU had 150 trade defense measures at the end of 2020, 10 more than in 2019, that included 128 antidumping measures, 19 antisubsidy duties and three safeguard measures. Ninety-nine of the 150 were imposed on China, nine on Russia, seven on India and six on the U.S. The commission also highlighted its new countervailing duties on cross-border financial support given by China to Chinese-owned companies making glass fiber fabrics and continuous filament glass fiber made in Egypt for export to the EU.

German inflation in imported goods has seen record highs since the 1980s, according to data from Germany's Federal Statistics Office, Bloomberg reported. Facing a worsening supply shortage, businesses are having difficulties securing inputs, driving the inflation surge in goods arriving from abroad, Bloomberg said Aug. 27. German imports were 15% more expensive than in 2020. Basic goods costs surged around 19% and energy prices 90%, the report said. Much of the hike derives from port closures and other COVID-19-related shipping disruptions.

Switzerland's Federal Department of Economic Affairs delisted three people from its sanctions regime in two sanctions modification notices. Sayed Shamsuddin Borborudi of Iran, Bion Na Tchongo of Guinea-Bissau and Paulo Sunsai of Guinea-Bissau were removed in the two separate actions. All three were also delisted by the European Union in the past two months (see 2108100012 and 2107300046).