Morocco sets safeguard duty on cold rolled and coated sheet imports

Morocco's Ministry of Industry, Trade and New Technologies has announced a definitive safeguard duty on most imports of cold rolled sheets and plated or coated sheet for four years (imports of these products from some developing countries have been excluded).
 
Accordingly, the safeguard duty will be valid until January 2019, with duty rates standing at 22 percent by December 31, 2015, 20 percent for 2016, 18 percent for 2017 and 16 percent for 2018.
 
During 2010-2013, cold rolled sheet and coated sheet imports into the country increased by 65 percent, while in January-April period of 2014, cold rolled sheet imports decreased by five percent and coated sheet imports increased by 97 percent, both year on year.
 
The safeguard investigation was launched in June 2014 following the complaint by the domestic steel producer Maghreb Steel.