WTO reports continuing decline in new AD investigations, new AD measures

WTO reports continuing decline in new AD investigations, new AD measures

According to a statement released by the World Trade Organization (WTO) Secretariat, the numbers of initiated antidumping investigations and of new final antidumping measures continued their previously-reported declining trends during the period January 1, 2005-June 30, 2005. During the January 1, 2005-June 30, 2005 period, 15 members initiated a total of 96 new antidumping investigations, down from 106 initiations in the corresponding period of 2004. In addition, 12 members applied a total of 53 new antidumping measures during the first half of 2005, a decline from the 58 measures applied during the first half of 2004. South Africa, with 17 initiations, led other members in new investigations during the first half of 2005. Following South Africa were the European Union (15 initiations), India (13), China (11), Turkey (8), Egypt (7), and Malaysia, Mexico and the US (4 each). China remains the most frequent subject of new investigations, with 22 initiations directed at its exports during January-June 2005 compared with 25 during the corresponding period of 2004. Other targets included Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) (targeted 9 times), India (8), the US (7), Indonesia (6), and Thailand (6). Products that were the subject of new investigations during the first half of 2005 included plastics (25 initiations), chemicals (16), and base metals (16). Regarding new final anti-dumping measures, the US led the list during the first half of 2005, applying 13 of the 53 total new measures reported. This marked an increase against the 6 new measures reported by the US in the first half of 2004. The US is followed by China (10 new measures), India (7), and Canada, New Zealand and Turkey (4 each). Products in the chemicals sector were the most frequent subject of new measures during the first half of 2005, accounting for 14 of the 53 total new measures. The base metals and machinery sectors were each subject to 7 new measures, while products in the live animals and textile sectors each saw 6 new measures enacted against them.