The European Commission announced Aug. 8 an anti-dumping investigation for certain non-ferrous products originating from countries such as Egypt, India, Japan and Vietnam. The announcement, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, said that European Steel federation Eurofer lodged a complaint alleging that the imports of certain hot-rolled flat products originating from these four nations were being dumped into the market and, therefore, causing economic damage to the bloc.
Turkey determines margins on imported HRC
Turkey has determined dumping margins on imports of hot-rolled coil (HRC) from China, India, Japan and Russia ranging between 11.65%-57.75%, according to the final declaration report of the Turkish Trade Ministry late Aug. 7 for the antidumping investigation that the country started on Oct. 31, 2023. According to the report, the preliminary dumping margins on imports of HRC from China was determined at 20.55%-57.75%, from India 11.65%-18.26%, from Japan 39.20% and from Russia 16.11%-23.58%, depending on producers.
UK suggests refining HRC import category
The UK Trade Remedies Authority has proposed that a category for hot-rolled flat products, known as Category 1, be split into two segments, Categories 1A and 1B. The quota for Category 1A, which would be accessible by parties looking to import the products for commercial applications will be retained at current levels, or just over 1 million metric tons/year. The quota for Category 1B, which would be accessible solely for downstream processing, however, will be set 89% higher than that of Category 1A, to around 1.9 million mt annually. This means the total Category 1 category for hot-rolled flat products will be increased to 2.9 million mt.
Kazakhstan mulls export tariffs on metal ores
Kazakhstan is considering introducing export duties on commodities, including metals, to cover its budget deficit, while stimulating more downstream processing to be done domestically, local media reports said. The country could introduce certain fixed duties on the export of sulfur, coal, ferroalloys, copper and iron ores and concentrates, among some other export items, according to the media reports. The Ministry of Finance was unavailable for comment on the matter.
India probes Vietnamese HRC imports
India initiated an antidumping investigation on imports of hot-rolled flat products from Vietnam, according to a gazette notification published Aug. 14. The application for the probe was filed by the Indian Steel Association (ISA) on behalf of domestic producers JSW Steel and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India, alleging imports from Vietnam caused material injury to the domestic industry as there were no significant differences in the product being imported and the ones produced by the domestic industry.
Vietnam investigates HRC from China, India
Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has launched an anti-dumping investigation into steel hot-rolled coils from China and India, following a petition filed by local producers Hoa Phat Group and Formosa Ha Tinh Steel in March. In an official memo seen by S&P Global Commodity Insights, the ministry said that an anti-dumping duty for HRC imports has been preliminarily set at 22.27% from India and 27.83% from China. Currently, HRC imports into Vietnam from China and India do not attract a duty.
Thailand mulls 5-year extension on Chinese steel inflows
Thailand plans to extend antidumping duties on flat hot-rolled boron-added steel in both coil and not in coil imported from China for another five years, the Department of Foreign Trade said. The current duties, ranging from 14.28% to 19.47% on a CIF basis, are due to expire on Dec. 12, and had already been extended by a year from December 2023. The duties were first imposed in December 2012 for five years and extended for another five years in December 2018.
Thailand extends HRC tariff to address circumvention
Thailand has expanded an antidumping duty of 30.91% CIF on alloyed hot-rolled coil imported from China to address alleged circumvention by 17 Chinese steelmakers, data from the Department of Foreign Trade showed. The expansion results from a DFT investigation that began on Sept. 16, 2023, over concerns that HRC from 17 Chinese steel companies was circumventing existing antidumping duties by adding alloys, thus allowing them to be defined under different HS codes.
Malaysia eyes carbon tax regime in 2025: official
Malaysia is likely to announce a carbon tax in emission-intensive sectors in 2025 to push domestic decarbonization and address trade policies like the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, Ching Thoo A/L Kim, secretary general of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability said during the Malaysia Carbon Market Forum in Kuala Lumpur. In 2023, Malaysia initiated a study about whether and how to implement carbon pricing instruments, such as carbon tax and emission trading scheme or ETS, in the country. The study is led by the country’s Ministry of Finance, with support from the World Bank under its Partnership for Market Implementation (PMI) initiative.
Malaysia reviews PC strand tariffs
Malaysia has started a review of antidumping duties imposed on stranded steel wires for prestressing concrete (PC strand) originating or exported from China, a note from Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry showed, paving the way for a possible revision of the existing duties. Southern PC Steel Sdn Bhd based on the grounds that there was a substantial change in the dumping margin for the imports of the steel item from China, the ministry said Aug. 8. The current five-year tariffs of 2.09%, 9.47% and 21.72% took effect on Dec. 25, 2021, and are due to expire on Dec. 24, 2026.
Malaysia opens probe on coated steel
Malaysia has initiated an antidumping duty investigation into coated iron or non-alloy steel flat-rolled products from China, India, Japan and South Korea, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry said, following a petition from the domestic industry. The Malaysian government received the petition from Perusahaan Sadur Timah Malaysia (Perstima), which is representing domestic coated steel producers, alleging that imports of the product “are being dumped in Malaysia causing material injury to the domestic industry …,” according to MITI.
Malaysia reviews current tariffs on Hoa Phat HRC
Malaysia has begun to review current antidumping duties on imports of coated/plated flat steel from Vietnam’s Hoa Phat Steel Sheet, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry said. The review resulted from a request made by the Vietnamese steelmaker on the grounds “that there is a substantial change in the dumping margin for the imports of subject merchandise by Hoa Phat Steel Sheet…” the ministry said.
Clement Choo
