Trade Cases

Brazil to Initiate WTO Complaint on Steel Duties by U.S.

September 13, 2016

Brazil will fight the U.S. imposed dumping duties on steel products through a trade dispute at the World Trade Organization, according to Brazilian Trade Minister Marcos Pereira.

Reuters reported on Tuesday, that Pereira expects the Brazilian foreign trade office to approve the initiation of cases regarding cold-rolled and hot-rolled steel.

“I will defend that position… and I believe the chamber will support it because what the United States is doing is not legal,” Pereira told Reuters in an interview.

In 2015 Brazil imports to the U.S. totaled 240,328 net tons of cold-rolled steel and 465,879 tons of hot rolled steel, according to U.S. census data. Year to date tonnage in 2016 has fallen dramatically compared to the same period in 2015.

From January through July 2016 imports of cold rolled were 3,988 net tons compared to 131269 tons in the same period in 2015. Hot rolled was down to 49,315 net tons from 239,772 tons in the previous year.

Brazil received countervailing duties of 11.09 to 11.31 percent on exports of cold rolled steel and, just yesterday, antidumping duties ranging from 33.14 to 34.28 percent and subsidy rates of 11.09 to 11.30 percent on hot rolled steel flat products.