On Tuesday, Alacero, the Latin American Steel Association, announced that on July 23, 2013, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia issued Resolution No.167, which imposes provisional anti-dumping duties on imports of galvanized steel sheets originated in China, while the administrative investigation continues.
Preliminary results of the research carried out by agencies of the Ministry concluded that imports of galvanized sheet during the investigation period (March 19, 2012 through March 19, 2013) were conducted under unfair trade conditions, and have a causal relationship with the economic and financial damage registered in the corresponding national productive sector.
The investigation began in early 2013 after a requirement of the national producers ACESCO de Colombia-ACESCO S.A.S. and Corpacero S.A., which represent 100 percent of the national production. The national producers alleged dumping in Colombian imports of galvanized sheets (tariff subheading 7210.49.00.00) originated in the People's Republic of China. These imports sharply increased over the past 3 years.
According to the Resolution, "Semiannual behavior indicates that, on average, during the second half of 2012 and the first of 2013, when compared to the average of the semesters between the first half of 2010 and the first half of 2012, domestic demand of galvanized sheet grew 15.04 percent. This growth was driven by the 8,965 tons rise of the investigated imports, and by increased consumption of the petitioners and larger volume of imports from other countries of 2,902 tons. Meanwhile, sales of domestic producers dropped."