Kaubandusdefensemeetmed

Kaubandusdefensemeetmed, also known as trade defense instruments, are measures that countries can implement to protect their domestic industries from unfair or harmful trade practices by foreign competitors. These measures are generally permissible under international trade rules, primarily those established by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The most common types of kaubandusdefensemeetmed include anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties, and safeguard measures.

Anti-dumping duties are imposed when a foreign company sells its products in an export market at a price lower than its normal value, which is typically the price in its home market or the cost of production plus a reasonable profit. This practice, known as dumping, can injure the domestic industry of the importing country. Countervailing duties are applied to offset subsidies provided by a foreign government to its domestic producers. These subsidies can give foreign goods an unfair price advantage in the importing country's market. Safeguard measures, on the other hand, are temporary measures taken to protect a domestic industry that is being seriously injured or threatened with serious injury by a sudden and substantial increase in imports of a particular product, regardless of whether the imports are dumped or subsidized.

The implementation of kaubandusdefensemeetmed involves a thorough investigation process to determine if unfair trade practices are occurring and if they are causing or threatening to cause injury to the domestic industry. This process typically requires evidence from both domestic producers and foreign exporters. While these measures are intended to level the playing field, they can also lead to higher prices for consumers and may provoke retaliatory actions from trading partners. Therefore, their application is subject to strict procedural requirements and international scrutiny.