The European Union on Monday revamped its trade defences just as some industries clamour for greater protection from Chinese imports.
The bloc said it had streamlined its rules on anti-dumping penalties, which can involve higher import duties for goods sold too cheaply in the EU and which hurt European firms. "Greater transparency, predictability and workability are the objectives we pursue with the modest changes adopted today," said European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, empowered to look after trade affairs for the bloc.
Under the new system, a Commission proposal to impose an anti-dumping measure would have to be actively opposed by a simply majority of EU member states.
Currently, EU states are asked to vote in favour of a Commission proposal and an abstention counts as a vote against. It also tighter time limits on reviews of existing measures or their termination.
Lamy said the change in the way the EU carried out its trade defences was not aimed at any particular country.
But the EU's textiles sector has recently called for new measures to be imposed on Chinese imports, which it says are flooding the market and threatening EU producers.
Lamy said all members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) should make their trade defence rules disciplined as the EU.