Turkish steel producers are willing to avoid export problems with the EU

Turkish steel producers are willing to avoid export problems with the EU

Turkish steel producers are approaching the case of their exports into the European Union fairly serious. Recently, European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries (Eurofer) started considering to initiate an anti-dumping investigation against imports of rebar from certain countries including Turkey. In consequence of such developments, Turkish iron and steel producers have agreed on effecting more controlled exports of certain steel products into this region. As a result of the assesment of Turkish exports of deformed reinfocing bars, the producers have underlined the fact that their total exports performed during the entire year of 2002 is accounting for only a 4.3% increase which is well below the 10% limit allowed under the safeguard restrictions and thus resolved the problem with Eurofer. Furthermore, the cutback in Turkish exports into countries such as Spain and Portugal has been emphasized. In addition to the issues stated above, necessary measures are to be taken to keep wire rod exports into the EU that has shown an increasing trend within the first quarter of 2003. Under these circumstances, it is not foreseen that Turkey would be included in any probable anti-dumping investigation to take place, for the time being.