The Russian Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) has disclosed that as of January 1, 2008 Russian exports face a total of 82 restrictive measures (including antidumping duties, quota regimes, etc.) imposed by different countries for the protection of their domestic markets.
According to the MEDT, more than half of these restrictive measures are directed against Russian metallurgical exports. The most noticeable of these measures are against Russia's exports of high value added steel products.
For instance, the EU has in place an antidumping duty of 24-35 percent against imports of Russian pipes, while Mexico has increased its antidumping duty against pipe imports from Russia to 80 percent. Meanwhile, Venezuela imposes a 45 percent antidumping duty on Russian origin hot and cold rolled steel products.