WTO reports surge in anti-dumping investigations

The number of new anti-dumping investigations showed a sharp rise of 39 per cent in the first six months of 2008, with 16 WTO members initiating 85 new investigations, up from 61 in the same period last year, the World Trade Organisation said, indicating how crucial it was for the Doha round of free trade talks held in July to succeed.

Under WTO rules, countries may impose anti-dumping measures, such as a duty on imports, if the imported item is being sold for less than the normal cost on its home market.

During January-June 2008, 16 WTO members reported initiating a total of 85 new investigations, compared with 61 initiations reported by 16 members for the corresponding period of 2007. A total of 12 members reported applying 54 new final anti-dumping measures during the first semester of 2008, six per cent higher than the 51 new measures reported by 17 members for the corresponding period of 2007.

Thirty-one of the 85 new investigations were opened by developed members, and 13 of the 54 new final measures were applied by developed members, during the first half of 2008. This compares with 20 new investigations begun and 13 new measures applied by developed members during the first half of 2007.

The member reporting the highest number of new initiations during January-June 2008 was Turkey, reporting 13, followed by the United States, reporting 12, India 11, Argentina and the European Communities 10 each, Brazil 7, Australia and Colombia 4 each, Ukraine 3, China 2, and Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Israel, and South Africa 1 each.

These figures represented increases for Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the European Communities, Israel, Turkey, and the United States, and declines for China, India, Korea, South Africa and Ukraine, compared with the numbers reported for January-June 2007.

Egypt and Japan, which had reported new initiations for the first half of 2007, reported no new initiations for January-June 2008.

China was the most frequent subject of the new investigations, with nearly one half (37) of all of the new initiations reported for January-June 2008 directed at its exports. This was a 76 per cent increase over the 21 new investigations opened in respect of exports from China during January-June 2007.

Thailand was next, with seven new investigations directed at its exports, followed by the European Communities (including individual member states) and Indonesia (5 each), Korea, Malaysia and Chinese Taipei (4 each), and Vietnam (3).

Brazil, Canada, India, and the United States were the subject of 2 new investigations each, and Argentina, Moldova, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Turkey were the subject of 1 new investigation each directed at their exports.

Concerning the products affected by these new investigations, the most frequent subjects during the first half of 2008 were in the base metals sector (21 initiations), the textiles sector (20 initiations) and the chemicals sector (10 initiations).

Of the 21 reported initiations in respect of base metal products, seven were reported by the European Communities, six by the United States, three each by Argentina and Colombia, and one each by Australia and Canada.

Concerning application of new final anti-dumping measures, India reported applying 16 new measures, registering a 78 per cent increase during January-June 2008 over the nine new measures it reported for the first half of 2007.

The European Communities was in second place reporting eight new measures for the first half of 2008, followed by Indonesia (5 new measures), Argentina, China and Ukraine (4 new measures each), Brazil and South Africa (3 each), Egypt, Korea and the United States (2 each), and Canada (1 new measure).

These figures represented declines from the corresponding period of 2007 for Argentina, Canada, China, and the United States, and increases for Brazil, Egypt, the European Communities, India, Indonesia, Korea, South Africa, and Ukraine.

In addition, Australia, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Costa Rica, Pakistan, Peru and Turkey, which had reported new measures during the first half of 2007, reported no new measures during the first half of 2008.

Products exported from China were the most frequently subject to new measures during January-June 2008, accounting for 13 of the 54 new measures during this period. This represented a 40 per cent decline from the 22 new measures applied on Chinese exports during the first half of 2007.

Exports from Chinese Taipei were in second place, with six new measures applied, compared with three new measures during the first half of 2007. Exports from the European Communities (including individual member states) were tied for third place with Korea, Russia, and the United States, each with four new measures directed at its exports.

Products exported from India and Japan were subject to three new measures each during the first half of 2008, and exports from Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey, were subject to fewer than three new measures each during that period.

The sector most frequently affected by the new measures applied during January-June 2008 was the chemicals sector, which accounted for 16 of the 54 new measures reported. The base metals sector was subject to 14 new measures, and the plastics sector was subject to 13 new measures, during this period.

India applied six of the 16 new measures on products in the chemicals sector, China applied four, the European Communities applied two, and Brazil, Korea, Ukraine and the United States each applied one.

This data is compiled from the semi-annual reports of members to the ADP Committee. The statistics are based on information from members who have submitted semi-annual reports for the relevant periods, and are incomplete to the extent that members have not submitted reports or have submitted incomplete reports.

For the purpose of these statistics, each investigation or measure reported covers one product imported from one country or customs territory.