Trade Cases

China Objects to EU Antidumping Duties

Written by Sandy Williams

October 9, 2016

China’s Commerce Ministry criticized the European Union for antidumping duties imposed Friday on imports of hot rolled steel and plate. The Ministry called the investigation methods unfair.

A spokesperson for the Ministry said Chinese steel imports cannot be affecting EUs steel prices because they only account for 5 percent of the European market.

“Reckless trade protectionism and mistaken methods that limit fair market competition are not the proper ways to develop the European Union steel industry,” the Ministry posted on its website.

In its statement, the Ministry claimed the EU investigation used methods reserved for non-market economies which were “unfair and unreasonable” and “seriously damage the interests of Chinese enterprises.”

In a press conference in September, the Ministry took issue with the number of trade cases that have been filed against China during the first eight months of 2016. According to the ministry, 20 countries initiated as many as 85 trade remedy cases on Chinese steel exports during the period. Among those are 35 initiated by the US and 15 by India, said the Ministry.

The European Commission has 15 antidumping and subsidy measures currently in place on steel products originating in China. Twelve more investigations are still ongoing.

Sandy Williams

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