Auto grade excluded from EU galv investigation: EC

The European Commission has clarified that automotive grades are not included in the anti-dumping investigation into imports of Chinese hot-dip galvanized coils.

“Products intended for the automotive industry are excluded from the investigation in light of the exact chemical composition and metallurgical properties of the product concerned as described in the notice of initiation,” an EC source told S&P Global Platts.

The official notice of October 8 caused mass confusion with market players scrambling to clarify what is and is not included.

Jeff Kabel, chairman of the International Traders Steel Association confirmed the group met with EU officials in Brussels last Wednesday but said the talks did not make the matter clear. “From my standpoint we are not clear if auto is included or not,” he said.

Chinese mills do not supply large quantities of automotive galv to the European car industry, although the two mills that supply the most are not named in the investigation, according to Kabel.

The separation of automotive from other industrial grades is particularly interesting as it is widely understood that an attempt in 2007 to dump Chinese HDG failed after objections from the automotive sector.

Peter Brennan, PLATTS