MEDT: 17 countries have AD measures in place against Russian products

In its yearly monitoring of the social-economic development of the Russian Federation for 2006, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) has specified that 17 countries have antidumping measures imposed on Russian-origin products. According to MEDT, there are 46 antidumping duties, four price limitations, four quota regimes and eight other protective measures, including six duties and two quota regimes, imposed on Russian exports. Antidumping measures on Russian products are currently imposed by Australia, Argentina, Venezuela, India, Kazakhstan, Canada, China, Mexico, Peru, USA, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and the EU. In addition, the Philippines and Indonesia are currently carrying out antidumping investigations into Russian exports. Among the CIS states, only Ukraine and Kazakhstan currently implement AD measures against Russian products. It is worthwhile remarking that Ukraine initiated the most special investigations into imports from Russia in 2006. According to the various product groups, AD investigations were most frequently initiated into imports of steel products – accounting for 56 percent of all AD measures, chemical products – accounting for 17 percent, and mineral products representing 11 percent. As a result, according to the MEDT information, in 2006 the share of steel exports in overall Russian exports decreased from 14.3 percent to 14.1 percent year on year. The decrease in ferroalloys exports totaled 11.8 percent, flats exports were down 16.3 percent and nickel exports down 0.9 percent. On the other hand, during the given period, exports of pig iron increased by 15 percent, while exports of semi-finished products rose by 4.4 percent. These statistics clearly show that the AD measures are directed mainly against high-value added steel products, while exports of raw materials and semi-finished products of Russian-origin are welcomed by foreign consumers. In addition, MEDT registered 65 different non-tariff AD measures (information is dated December 20, 2006) against Russian exports imposed by both CIS and other countries. Many such measures, 39 to be exact, are imposed by Belarus. According to the MEDT conclusion, all these AD measures stand in the way of the Russia-WTO (World Trade Organization) accession negotiations, since in the current position Russia cannot be an equal member of this organization.