EU steelmakers seek duties on China, others

Mumbai: The European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries (Eurofer) will ask the European Commission to slap punitive duties on imports of stainless steel cold-rolled flat products from China, South Korea and Taiwan, industry source said.

EU steelmakers'' demand to hit steel from China and other Asian exporters with anti-dumping duties will open another front for trade confrontation between China and the West.

A second case will be filed against China on hot dipped metallic coated products.

European steelmakers have been working for months towards filing formal complaints with the European Commission after a surge in Chinese steel exports to the 27-nation bloc.

Chinese steel exports to the EU are set to double in 2007 to 10 million tonnes from record levels in 2006, Eurofer has estimated.