The European Commission (EC) is planning to take measures against cheap steel imports from
Romania,
Croatia,
Ukraine and
Russia.
The move follows an investigation conducted by the EC upon the complaints filed by EU producers, which claimed that the companies in the abovementioned countries are selling seamless steel pipes and tubes in the EU market at levels below EU market level, causing dumping.
Upon this complaint, now the EU is planning to impose antidumping duties up to 35 percent on subject merchandise imported from
Croatia,
Ukraine and
Russia.
On the other hand, the EU's planned measure on Romanian imports is in the form of warning, since the EU had already imposed duties on seamless steel pipes and tubes from this country; however, the duties will expire once
Romania joins the EU which could be January 1, 2008 at the latest should there be a one year accession delay.
European sources report that the EU industry is not afraid of Romanian membership, despite the protective measures becoming void, since the duties were imposed on imports from
Romania at a time when Romanian steel industry was more dependent on state aid.