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EU Trade Defence and Customs Compliance
Alejandro Ruiz defends exporters before the European Commission in anti-dumping proceedings and advises on EU customs compliance from his Madrid practice at Ruiz EU Trade Law.
The European Union maintains one of the world's most active trade defence regimes, imposing anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imported goods sold below normal value when such sales cause injury to EU industry. For exporters to the European market, understanding the investigation process, the calculation of dumping margins, and the available defence strategies is essential to protecting market access. Alejandro Ruiz brings extensive experience in EU trade defence proceedings, assisting exporters from China and other third countries through the full cycle of investigations, reviews, and expiry proceedings.
His practice covers anti-dumping investigations conducted by the European Commission under the Basic Anti-Dumping Regulation, anti-subsidy investigations, and safeguard measures. He advises respondents on the preparation of questionnaire responses, the selection of analogue country methodology in non-market economy cases, the response to verification visits, and the development of price undertaking proposals. Alejandro also represents clients in review proceedings, including interim reviews, absorption reviews, circumvention investigations, and expiry reviews that determine whether duties remain in force.
The EU trade defence framework has evolved significantly with the amended Basic Regulation introducing higher duty calculation methodologies, strengthened provisions on social and environmental standards, and expanded rules on the traceability of raw materials. Alejandro Ruiz monitors these developments and advises clients on how changes in EU trade defence law affect their existing duty exposure and future market access strategies.
EU Customs Classification and Valuation
Alejandro Ruiz advises importers on tariff classification under the Combined Nomenclature, customs valuation methodologies including the transaction value method and its adjustments for royalties, assists, and proceeds of resale, and the rules of origin that determine whether goods qualify for preferential treatment under EU free trade agreements. He assists clients in preparing Binding Tariff Information applications, defending classification and valuation positions during customs audits, and managing voluntary disclosure proceedings when errors are discovered in prior declarations.
His customs practice extends to Union Customs Code compliance, including the use of customs procedures with economic impact such as inward processing, outward processing, and customs warehousing. He advises on the duty relief and deferral mechanisms available through these procedures and helps clients structure their supply chains to minimise customs duty exposure while maintaining full regulatory compliance.
Sanctions and Export Controls
The EU sanctions regime has expanded significantly, with multiple sanctions packages affecting trade with Russia and Belarus, sectoral sanctions, and country-specific measures. Alejandro Ruiz advises exporters on sanctions screening obligations, export authorisation requirements under the EU Dual-Use Regulation, and the compliance procedures needed to avoid inadvertent violations. He also assists clients with licence applications for controlled goods and technology transfers.
- ⚖️ Anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation defence
- 📜 EU customs classification and valuation advisory
- 🛡️ Trade sanctions compliance and dual-use export controls
- 💼 Supply chain structuring for duty optimisation
Madrid Practice Context
Based in Madrid, Alejandro Ruiz serves exporters throughout the EU and third countries who face EU trade defence measures. Spain's position as a major EU trading nation means that Madrid provides access to the Spanish commercial courts and the European Commission services that administer trade defence proceedings. Alejandro maintains relationships with law firms in Beijing and other Chinese cities to coordinate responses to EU trade investigations that involve Chinese exporters.
Professional Standards
Alejandro Ruiz is a member of the Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid. All trade defence engagements are structured around clear scopes of work that specify the proceeding type, timeline, and deliverables. Cost estimates are provided before engagement, and clients receive regular updates on investigation milestones and strategic options.
Trade Defence Investigation Defence
Alejandro Ruiz provides comprehensive defence representation in EU anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations. He assists respondents in the preparation of sampling questionnaires, providing detailed information on export volumes, pricing structures, and home market sales to ensure that the Commission selects the most favourable comparison basis. For companies selected in the sample, he coordinates the preparation of the full market economy treatment claims, the transaction-by-transaction dumping margin calculations, and the response to the Commission's verification visit.
His defence practice extends to the preparation of price undertaking proposals that may offer an alternative to the imposition of definitive duties. Alejandro advises on the commercial viability of undertaking offers, the monitoring obligations that undertakings impose, and the consequences of breach. He also represents clients in review proceedings, including interim reviews that may reduce duty rates based on changed circumstances, absorption reviews that address the pass-through of duties to import prices, and expiry reviews that determine whether duties remain necessary to prevent recurrence of injury.
Client Engagement Approach
Alejandro Ruiz provides initial case assessments that evaluate the likelihood of investigation, the potential duty exposure, and the available defence strategies. Engagements are structured with fixed fees for defined phases of the investigation, including questionnaire preparation, verification support, and hearing representation. Clients receive weekly updates during active investigations and are consulted on key strategic decisions throughout the proceeding.
