LAHORE: Pakistan will continue to impose anti-dumping duties on Chinese steel products, the National Tariff Commission said in a notification on Friday, in a move aimed at protecting the local industry.
As per notice issued by NTC regarding conclusion of sunset review of anti-dumping duty imposed on dumped imports of deformed concrete reinforcing steel bars into Pakistan originating in and/ or exported from the People's Republic of China, has decided to continue anti-dumping duty on imports of steel bars from China, which were first imposed in October, 2017.
The Commission has determined that, in case the anti-dumping duty imposed on dumped imports of Rebars from China is terminated, the domestic industry would be likely to suffer on account of decline in production, capacity utilization, sales, market share, profits and productivity etc, reads notification.
Regarding continuation of Definitive Anti-dumping Duty, Commission concludes that in view of the analysis with regard to likely continuation of dumping of rebars from China and likely material injury to the domestic industry, there is a need to continue imposition of definitive anti-dumping duty on dumped imports of rebars from China.
Thus, the Commission has decided to continue definitive anti-dumping duty on Rebars from China at the rate of 19.15 percent ad valorem for another period of five years with effect from October 17, 2022.
National Tariff Commission took the decision under Section 58 of the Anti-Dumping Duties Act, 2015. This Sunset Review was initiated on October 17, 2022 upon receipt of an application under Section 58(3) of the Act from M/s Amreli Steels Limited, Karachi, M/s Agha Steel Industries Limited, Karachi and M/s Mughal Iron &Steels Industries Limited, Lahore who are domestic producers of Rebars.
The Commission had imposed anti-dumping duty at the rate of 19.15 percent with effect from October 23, 2017 for a period of five years on Rebars imported from China. In accordance with provisions of the Act and the Anti-Dumping Duties Rules, 2022, the Commission has conducted and concluded the Sunset Review:
The product under Review includes Deformed Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bars. Such Rebars are in various diameters up to and including 40 mm, in various finishes including indentation, ribs, groves or other deformations excluding plain round bars, imported from China. It is classified under Pakistan Customs Tariff No. 7214.2010, 7214.2090, 7214.3010, 7214.3090, 7214.9910, 7214.9990, 7215.1010, 7215.1090, 7215.5010, 7215.5090, 7215.9010, 7215.9090, 7228.2090, 7228.3090, 7228.1000, 7228.4000, 7228.5000, 7228.6000.
The sunset review has been conducted on the basis of data/information for the last three years i.e. from July 01, 2019 to June 30, 2022.
In terms of Section 50 of the Act read with Rule 40 of the Rules, the Commission has determined that there is likelihood of continuation and recurrence of dumping of Rebars from China, in case antidumping duty imposed on dumped imports of Rebars from China is terminated. Likely Increase in Volume of Dumped Imports: After imposition of antidumping duty, the volume of dumped imports of Rebars has significantly decreased, which impacted positively on production, sales and prices of Rebars.It may be noted that before imposition of antidumping duty, imports from China was reportedly around 125,000 tonnes per year.