EC initiates AD investigation on stainless steel from China and Taiwan

Author: Paul Ploumis01 Jul 2014 Last updated at 03:00:46 GMT

CANTERBURY (Scrap Monster): The European Commission (EC) has initiated anti-dumping investigation on stainless steel imports from China and Taiwan. This follows the complaint filed by the European Steel Association (EUROFER) during May alleging that Chinese and Taiwanese producers dumped stainless steel cold rolled flat products at cheap prices, causing considerable damage to the EU stainless steel industry.

According to EUROFER, there has been an alarming rise in the flow of stainless steel cold rolled (SSCR) flat products from China and Taiwan into European countries during 2013. EU imports of cold-rolled stainless steel sheet from China and Taiwan had totaled 605.38 billion pounds in 2013. The combined market share of these two countries has surged nearly 65% during the period from 2010 to 2013. The Association notes that the EU consumption has remained flat during this period. Also, the market share of China and Taiwan has continued to increase during the initial quarter of 2014.

The Association in its complaint highlights the fact that European producers have undertaken several restructuring and cost-cutting measures to remain competitive in the world market. However, the domestic markets are being flooded with products from China and Taiwan, which has undercut the prices of local EU producers and consequently reduced their domestic market share.

Meanwhile, Gordon Moffat, Director General, EUROFER has welcomed the EC’s decision to launch AD investigation on alleged dumping of SSCR flat products from China and Taiwan into the EU market.