Author: Foreign Trade Association 
 
Like an unwelcome constant, the trend toward intensive use of protective antidumping measures in the European Union was confirmed in 2002.
 
As already underlined in our previous reports, the European Commission has not ceased to bring into play Antidumping proceedings against imports of consumer products; on the contrary, 2002 was characterized by several new proceedings against finished goods, such as CDs or lighters, not to say about the neverending story concerning imports of bedlinen.
 
All these activities have seriously disturbed trade, harming the natural competitive advantages held by the exporting developing countries, and, as a  logical consequence, contributed to augment EU consumer prices.
 
2002 was the year of the opening of the WTO negotiations in Doha. International business representatives were consequently expecting a solemn engagement by Member State Governments to fight against any abuse of the antidumping instrument and to promote a more free-trade oriented interpretation.
 
Reality shows that these opportunities were not taken.