The Brazilian ministry of industry, foreign trade and services, MDIC, said on Monday it will extend ongoing investigations into Chinese HRC imports for up to six months.
A notice at the country’s official gazette on Monday said MDIC has initially found the existence of subsidies in the Chinese exports of HRC to Brazil, which are subject to AD duties.
The notice was published following a request by local producers Gerdau, ArcelorMittal Brazil and Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN).
Despite finding evidences of damages to Brazil’s HRC output, MDIC did not immediately recommend provisional duties. In August this year, Usiminas’ CEO, Sergio Leite, said the local steel industry expected Brazil to apply duties over the Chinese exports of HRC to Brazil.
MDIC said the interested parties have until November 21 this year to send their comments. By November 30, 2017, it should issue a technical report. A recommendation for Brazil to apply duties or decline should be issued by January 15, 2018.
The products subject to the probe fall under the HTS codes 7208.10.00, 7208.25.00, 7208.26.10, 7208.26.90, 7208.27.10, 7208.27.90, 7208.36.10, 7208.36.90, 7208.37.00, 7208.38.10, 7208.38.90, 7208.39.10, 7208.39.90, 7208.40.00, 7208.53.00, 7208.54.00, 7208.90.00, 7225.30.00 and 7225.40.90.