Europe: EC starts registering HRC imports from 4 countries for AD probe

• Import registration to last 9 months from 26 Oct'24
  
  
• Retrospective collection of AD duties may be allowed
  
  

Mysteel: The European Commission (EC) has begun registering the import volumes of certain hot-rolled flat steel products from Egypt, India, Japan and Vietnam, which are under its ongoing anti-dumping (AD) investigations, Mysteel Global learnt from the EU's Official Journal published on 25 October.

This import registration, which will last nine months, allows for retroactive collection of AD duties if deemed necessary. The registration procedure took effect on 26 October.

According to the EC document, "the conditions for retroactive duties will be evaluated in the regulatory act that imposes any final duties."

The products subject to registration are specific flat-rolled iron, non-alloy, or alloy steel products, whether in coils or not (including "cut-to-length" and "narrow strip" products), hot-rolled but not further worked, clad, plated, or coated.

These items fall under customs codes: 7208 10 00, 7208 25 00, 7208 26 00, 7208 27 00, 7208 36 00, 7208 37 00, 7208 38 00, 7208 39 00, 7208 40 00, 7208 52 10, 7208 52 99, 7208 53 10, 7208 53 90, 7208 54 00, 7211 13 00, 7211 14 00, 7211 19 00, ex 7225 19 10, 7225 30 90, ex 7225 40 60, 7225 40 90, ex 7226 19 10, 7226 91 91, and 7226 91 99.

The investigation was launched in August following a complaint filed by the European Steel Association on behalf of its member mills on 24 June. The complaint requested approximate dumping margins of 30-40% for EU's imports of the targeted products in 2023 from Egypt, 10-20% for those from Japan, around 10% from India, and 5-15% from Vietnam, and average injury elimination levels of 26%, 29.3%, 27.3%, and 34.7%, respectively.

The final duty rate will generally align with the lower of these two levels. However, if the investigation reveals evidence of raw material distortion, the future duty may be set at the level of the dumping margin if a lower rate will not adequately remedy harm to the EU industry.

The EU imported a total of 9.2 million tonnes (mnt) of hot-rolled coils last year, of which 45% were from these four countries, Mysteel Global learnt.

Note: This article has been written in accordance with a content exchange agreement between Mysteel Global and BigMint.