The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) has recommended final safeguard duties for only two steel products, i.e., heavy plate and stainless steel wire, from among the seven steel products that have already been subject to provisional safeguard duties since October 2018. For the remaining five products, the CITT has either found no increase in imports or found that imports have not harmed the Canadian steel industry.
The CITT also determined that heavy plate and stainless steel wire imports from South Korea should be exempted from the tariff-rate quota, as they are not the principal cause of threat of serious injury.
The Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA) stated that it is disappointed with the CITT’s recommendation to impose safeguard measures on only two products and has urged the finance minister to exercise his statutory authority and impose final safeguard measures on all seven steel products as recommended by the industry, as the CITT’s recommendations are not binding.
In October 2018, Canada had announced provisional safeguard measures on seven steel products, namely heavy plate, concrete reinforcing bar, energy tubular products, hot rolled sheet, pre-painted steel, stainless steel wire and wire rod. Imports of these seven steel products were subject to a 25 percent duty, in cases where the level of imports from trading partners exceeded historical norms. The provisional measures entered into force for a period of 200 days.
Details of the tariff quotas for each product can been seen here.