The European Union is considering whether to abolish its non-market economy list. China and 14 other countries are on the list.

The plan to be considered is to set up a new "country-neutral" method to reform anti-dumping and anti-subsidy legislation.

The old system compares import prices from countries with non-market economy status with that of a market economy country, rather than with the exporters' domestic prices. According to World Trade Organisation rules, this 15-year-old method will expire in December.

The decision was made after the European Commission held a second debate on the treatment of China in anti-dumping investigations. The EU says that people shouldn't focus on "market economy status" because it does not exist anymore.