The European Commission (EC) has announced that it has decided to impose definitive countervailing duty (CVD) on the imports of certain hot rolled flat products of iron, non-alloy or other alloy steel, from China.
Accordingly, the commission has calculated definitive countervailing duty rates ranging between 4.6 percent and 35.9 percent for Chinese companies.
The investigation was launched in May last year upon a complaint received from the European Steel Association (EUROFER) alleging that imports of the mentioned products are being subsidized and are thereby causing material injury to the European Union industry.
The products in question currently fall under Customs Tariff Statistics Position Numbers 7208 10 00, 7208 25 00, 7208 26 00, 7208 27 00, 7208 36 00, 7208 37 00, 7208 38 00, 7208 39 00, 7208 40 00, 7208 52 99, 7208 53 90, 7208 54 00, 7211 14 00, 7211 19 00, 7225 19 10, 7225 30 10, 7225 30 30, 7225 30 90, 7225 40 12, 7225 40 15, ex 7225 40 60, 7225 40 90, 7226 19 10, ex 7226 20 00, 7226 91 20, 7226 91 91 and 7226 91 99.
| Country | Exporter/Producer | Definitive countervailing duty rate |
| Bengang Steel Plates Co., Ltd. | 28.1% | |
|
| Handan Iron & Steel Group Han-Bao Co., Ltd. | 7.8% |
|
| Hesteel Co., Ltd. Tangshan Branch | 7.8% |
|
| Hesteel Co., Ltd. Chengde Branch | 7.8% |
|
| Zhangjiagang Hongchang Plate Co., Ltd | 4.6% |
|
| Zhangjiagang GTA Plate Co., Ltd. | 4.6% |
|
| Shougang Jingtang United Iron and Steel Co. Ltd. | 31.5% |
|
| Beijing Shougang Co. Ltd., Qian'an Iron & Steel branch | 31.5% |
|
| Other cooperating companies | 17.1% |
|
| All other companies | 35.9% |
Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) has criticized the EC decision, while adding that dialogue and cooperation should be strengthened to resolve difficulties in the global steel industry in the context of slack demand and slow economic growth worldwide.