Eurofer calls for stricter measures on stainless imports

European steelmakers’ association Eurofer has called for the European Commission (EC) to go beyond the latest anti-dumping measures confirmed for stainless hot rolled coil from China, Indonesia and Taiwan.

In a note seen by Kallanish, the association welcomes the definitive duties imposed, but stressed the levels of duties are far too low compared with the calculated dumping margin.

“Although the Commission’s investigation clearly established that significant raw material distortions exist in China and Indonesia, the Commission has failed to lift the Lesser Duty Rule, and imposed final anti-dumping duties at the lower level of the injury margins,” says Eurofer director general Axel Eggert. “However, the dumping margins range from 17.7% to 106.5% for Chinese and Indonesian producers, so the effect of massive distortions has been ignored.”

Earlier this week Europe confirmed AD duties of 4.1-19% for stainless HRC imports from China, Indonesia and Taiwan. “Indonesia, China and Taiwan have a structural overcapacity problem. Their dumping has seriously harmed European stainless steel producers and these measures are necessary,” Eggert observes.

It is now important for the EC to be vigilant in regard to possible circumvention of the new measures in place, Eurofer adds.

Further duties could be imposed in relation to the ongoing investigation on stainless cold rolled coil imports from Indonesia and India.

“The recently opened investigation into imports of stainless steel cold rolled flat products originating in Indonesia and India will be another opportunity to enforce trade rules properly and send the right signal to third-country producers and their governments that deliberately ignore WTO rules and continue to build up excess capacity,” Eurofer concludes.