According to a statement released by the World Trade Organization (WTO), South Africa terminated safeguard measure investigation on the imports of U, I, H, L and T sections of iron or non-alloy steel on September 17, with no safeguard measures imposed.
According to the statement, the authorities found that a reversal in the trend of import volumes has taken place, with the volume of imports decreasing significantly in recent years and that the requirements set out by the WTO and the Safeguard Regulations with regard to a surge in imports, are not met. The authorities also found that the injury experienced can be attributed to factors other than an increase in imports and these factors sufficiently detract from the causal link between the imports and the injury experienced by the industry.
South Africa had initiated the investigation on June 19, 2020.
The products in question currently fall under the Customs Tariff Statistics Position Numbers 7216.31, 7216.32, 7216.33, 7216.40, 7216.50 and 7228.70.