US producers push for inclusion of Indian imports under the safeguards

US producers push for inclusion of Indian imports under the safeguards

The US steel makers are continuing to complain about high levels of steel imports from developing countries. A very recent request in order to implement import restrictions for stainless steel from India, by the US steelmaker US Specialty Steel Industry of North America has been filed to the Bush administration. The US producers claim that stainless steel long product imports from India are seriously injuring the domestic industry. Since the implementation of safeguard measures in March 2002, Indian stainless steel long product imports have surged, given the exclusion from these measures, as a developing country. The US steelmakers have previously filed several other requests to the US Trade Representative that the surging imports from developing countries cannot be further tolerated and now imports of stainless steel long products from India are rising since January 2003, constituting almost all of the imported tonnage into the US. Under the safeguard action of 1974, the US government has the right to implement temporary safeguard measures to secure relief for an injured domestic industry for an initial four year's period, which can also be extended for a maximum period of eight years.