CSPA welcomes investigation into dumping of steel rebars

By Carolina Curiel (ScrapMonster Author)

August 22, 2016 08:01:26 AM

TORONTO (Scrap Monster): The Canadian Steel producers Association (CSPA) has welcomed the decision by the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) to initiate anti-dumping investigation on imported steel rebars. A final decision on the investigation will be announced later by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT).

The CBSA had initiated the investigation on August 19th under the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA) on certain categories of concrete reinforcing bars imported from the Republic of Belarus, Chinese Taipei, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, Japan, the Portuguese Republic and the Kingdom of Spain. The goods under the Harmonized System classification numbers 7213.10.00.00, 7214.20.00.00, 7215.90.00.90 and 7227.90.00.90 will fall under the purview of the investigation. The investigation is being ordered based on complaint filed by three Canadian steel producers-ArcelorMittal Long Products Canada, g.p. (Contrecoeur, QC), AltaSteel Ltd. (Edmonton, AB) and Gerdau Ameristeel Corporation (Whitby, Ontario). The complaint alleges that price undercutting of rebars imported from these countries lead to lost revenue and market share by local producers in Canada.

In a press release, CSPA President Joseph Galimberti appreciated CBSA’s commitment to ensure fair trade in rebar imports into the country. The action would help to preserve market-based competition, which in turn will benefit domestic steel producers and thousands of employees working in the country’s steel sector. As per estimates, the steel industry employs nearly 22,000 people directly and over 100,000 indirectly. The volume of unfairly traded goods entering the Canadian market has increased significantly over the past several years. Investigations like this are essential to create a level playing field to Canadian domestic producers, Galimberti noted.

The CSPA further noted that it would fight for initiation of other trade cases involving hot-rolled, cold rolled, coated flat and other steel products. It also urged the government to implement necessary legislative enhancements to more effectively address unfair trade in Canada. It called upon the Federal Government to bring forth additional modernization of the country’s trade framework to protect domestic industry from unfair competition.

This is the second investigation on dumping of rebars to the Canadian market. The CBSA investigation had led to imposition of preliminary duties and inquiry by the CITT. The tribunal inquiry found that Chinese goods were subsidized at home. It also found that cheaper rebar dumped from China, South Korea and Turkey caused significant harm to Canadian rebar industry. Consequently, CITT had confirmed duty of up to 41% of the export price on the dumped material.

Earlier, the CSPA had welcomed the decision by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) to extend its antidumping and countervailing duty finding on imports of hot-rolled steel sheet and strip from China, Brazil, India and Ukraine into Canada.

About CSPA

The Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) is the national voice of Canada's $14 billion steel industry. Its member companies annually produce approximately 13 million tonnes of primary steel as well as over 1 million tonnes of steel pipe and tube products in facilities located across Canada.