The European Commission has decided to impose definitive anti-dumping measures on two steel products originating in China and Taiwan. The EC’s investigation confirmed that Chinese and Taiwanese stainless steel tube and pipe butt-welding fittings had been sold in Europe at dumped prices.
Chinese exports will now be taxed with anti-dumping duties ranging from 30.7% to 64.9%. Taiwanese exports will face anti-dumping duties ranging from 5.1% to 12.1%. These products are used to join pipes and tubes of stainless steel, and are commonly used in various industries such as petro-chemical, food processing, and shipbuilding as well as energy generation and construction.
The European Union adds that it currently has an unprecedented number of trade defense measures in place targeting unfair imports of steel products, with a total of 39 anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures, 17 of which are on products originating from China.
The investigation on the charges began on 29 October 2015, when the European Commission announced by a notice published in the Official Journal of the European Union the initiation of an anti-dumping proceeding regarding imports into the European Union of certain stainless steel tube and pipe butt-welding fittings, whether finished, originating in China and Taiwan.
In announcing the duties imposed, the EC says it has been using the available toolbox of trade defense instruments to the full extent possible, while seeking the approval of member states and the European Parliament for its proposals to make the toolbox better suited to the current reality of international trade.
In addition, the EU is tackling the root causes of overcapacity in the global steel industry through active involvement in the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity, which was launched last December.
Steel imports from China that are being investigated over possible dumping charges include heavy plate, hot-rolled and iron or steel seamless pipes.