A Notice concerning the potential combined effects of anti-dumping or anti-subsidy measures with the safeguard measures on certain steel products was published in the Official Journal on 26 April [2019/C 146/06]. The notice states in pertinent part:
On 25 April 2019, the Official Journal published Regulation (EU) 2019/632 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 amending Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 to prolong the transitional use of means other than the electronic data-processing techniques provided for in the Union Customs Code (Regulation 2019/632). Article 278 of the Union Customs Code (UCC) set a single deadline of 31 December 2020 for the deployment of all the systems referred to in that Article, and despite the efforts made by the Union and some of the Member States at budgetary and operational levels to complete the work within the time limit given, it has become evident that some systems can only be partially deployed by that date.
On 17 April 2019, the European Commission posted information on a public consultation under Article 9 of the EU Enforcement Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 654/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014) in which the Commission seeks information and views regarding the EU’s economic interests. The Commission expects to receive input from private stakeholders potentially affected by planned EU commercial policy measures further to the adjudication of a trade dispute with the United States on Measures Affecting Trade in Large Civil Aircraft under the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (“DSU”).
On 15 April 2019, the Council of the EU approved mandates for the Commission to open negotiations with the United States on two agreements:
[Update to April 8 article below] On April 12, 2019, the Office of the US Trade Representative published in the Federal Register a notice of initiation of investigation, hearing, and request for comments [Docket No. USTR–2019–0003] regarding enforcement of US rights in the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute against the European Union (EU) and certain EU member States addressed to EU subsidies on large civil aircraft.
After a special meeting on 10 April 2019, European Council President Donald Tusk announced during a press conference that the European Council had approved a “flexible” six month extension (until 31 October 2019) for the UK to withdraw from the EU.
On 8 April 2019, the European Commission announced that its Market Access Database now includes detailed information on the rules that the UK would apply on its imports from the EU in the event of a hard Brexit. It is based on information made publicly available by the United Kingdom authorities.
On April 8, 2019, the US Trade Representative (USTR) stoked the fires of simmering trade dispute between the United States and the European Union. Specifically, the USTR posted a preliminary list of EU products that will be subject to additional duties upon importation into the United States as a result of a dispute over aircraft subsidies (the underlying dispute has been the subject of WTO litigation for many years).
On 5 April 2019, the European Commission reported that the seventh round of negotiations with Indonesia, that took place in Brussels from 11 to 15 March, brought about good progress across the board, particularly on the chapters on sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures, rules of origin and investment. The chapters on trade remedies and customs are now close to completion at technical level. The next round will be held before the summer in Indonesia.
On 29 March 2019, the UK Parliament rejected the negotiated Brexit agreement for a third time (344 votes to 286), leaving the UK two weeks to find a way to prevent it leaving the EU without a transition period or negotiated deal.