EU exempts Serbia from anti-dumping probe on HRC imports
The European Commission (EC) has excluded Serbia from its anti-dumping investigation into hot rolled coil (HRC) imported from five countries, according to a preliminary document seen by Metal Bulletin.
The other four countries involved in the case – Russia, Ukraine, Iran and Brazil – will be subject to definitive duties on their shipments of HRC.
Although the EC determined during its investigation that all five countries have been trading HRC material at dumped prices, it decided to terminate the investigation into imports from Serbia because the volumes were found to be negligible.
The HRC import volumes from Serbia decreased during the investigation period and now comprise a share of the market of about 1%.
In addition, the EC found that the export prices from Serbia’s sole steelmaker, Železara Smederevo, owned by China’s Hesteel, were different from those of the other four countries involved. The prices for material from Serbia were significantly higher than the average sales prices for the four other countries concerned.
The EC initiated the anti-dumping probe into these HRC imports on July 7 last year.
The investigation was started after the European steel association, Eurofer, lodged a complaint on behalf of European producers on May 23, 2016, alleging that imports of HRC from the five countries were being dumped and were causing material injury to the European steel industry.
As the case started, it was met with resistance from independent European distributors. A consortium of steel companies from Italy and elsewhere across Europe was established in mid-July of 2016 to maintain competition in the EU steel market. This consortium was established by Italian steel trade association Assofermet and is represented by Brussels-based law firm Van Bael & Bellis.
As a result of this opposition, the EC decided in April this year that it would not impose preliminary duties on the imports under investigation.
However, the EC is scheduled to announce its definitive decision on the anti-dumping case by October 6 this year.
The products under investigation currently fall within CN 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.