§ Sir Thomas ArnoldTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what is his policy towards imports into the EC of aluminium from Russia;
(2) if it is his policy to (a) extend and/or (b) increase EC quotas for aluminium from Russia;
(3) what assessment he has made of whether Russia is dumping aluminium in the EC.
§ Mr. NeedhamImports of aluminium from the former Soviet Union, and quota measures affecting them, fall 11W within the European Community's common commercial policy. Since August 1993 there have been Community-wide quotas on FSU aluminium, which were extended for three months at the end of November 1993. It is not yet known whether there will be a further extension. The problems facing aluminium producers in the European Community and in other countries have complex origins going well beyond imports from the FSU. The United Kingdom and other EC member states have therefore agreed that the Commission should, on behalf of the Community and together with other countries, seek appropriate multilateral solutions for the longer term.
The responsibility for making a dumping complaint would lie with the Community's domestic industry. The Government are not aware of any such complaint, which would be for the Commission to investigate.