Turkish steelmakers demand acceleration of EU dumping investigation

Drawing attention to the European Commission’s recent anti-dumping duty decision against Turkish HRC, Turkish Steel Producers’ Association (TCUD) has demanded the acceleration of the AD investigation opened by Turkey against HRC imports from the EU.

“Considering EU’S efforts to restrict Turkish HRC exports to the region by protection measures, it is important to conclude the ongoing anti-dumping investigation against HRC imports from EU, to protect the Turkish steel sector’s competitive power,” TCUD said at a statement sent to S&P Global Platts May 5.

Turkey officially started the dumping investigation of HRC imports from the EU and South Korea with a presidential decree published in the country’s official gazette Jan. 9, just two days after the EU imposed provisional AD duties on imports of HRC from Turkey. The EC on April 23 said it decided to impose definitive AD duties of 4.7%-7.3% effective July 1.

“Even if it is decided not to extend the EU protection measures [quotas] which will expire at the end of June, EU will continue to protect its steel sector with the latest anti-dumping duty decision,” TCUD said, noting that Turkey should take counter measures under these circumstances.

According to the latest TCUD data on May 5, steel imports into Turkey rose by 15.7% on year to 3.9 million mt in the first quarter, while Turkish mills’ steel exports rose 2.8% in that period to 4.2 million mt, amid ongoing trade barriers in their main export markets, the EU and the US.

Steel consumption in the country increased by 15.8% on year to 8.9 million mt in Q1, while Turkish mills’ crude steel output totaled 9.8 million mt in that period, up 9.5% on year.

— Cenk Can