EU delays decision on trade defence

EU trade ministers postponed an agreement on Friday (11 November) on how to upgrade the bloc's trade defences.

Seventeen countries, led by France and Germany, agreed to suspend the lesser duty rule - which keeps tariffs at the lowest possible level - in “some justified cases” to combat dumping, especially in the steel sector.

But seven others, led by Sweden and the UK, argued that increasing the level of duties has not proven efficient against dumping and that Europe should not pu...