The Hindu Business Line : India initiates most anti-dumping probes

INDIA continues to hold the dubious distinction of being the single largest initiator of anti-dumping investigation and imposer of the largest number of final anti-dumping measure during the second half of 2003, though overall there has been a distinct decline in initiation and imposition of anti-dumping duty the world over.

According to the data gleaned from the semi-annual reports of Members to the Committee on Anti-Dumping Practices of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) released in Geneva today, India initiated the most anti-dumping probes during the second semester (July 1 to December 31, 2003) last year numbering 33. This is, however, a significant decline from the 56 probes it had initiated during the second semester of 2002.

The US had the second highest number of initiations at 21, up from 13 during the corresponding period of 2002, while China reported 11 initiations, up from 6 during the corresponding period of 2002. Canada, Mexico and Australia reported 9,8 and 7 initiations respectively, while eight other WTO members reported five or fewer initiations.

Overall, 14 members of the WTO initiated 115 anti-dumping investigations against exports from a total of 30 different countries or customs territories, representing a `significant' decline from the corresponding period of 2002 during which 18 WTO members had initiated 161 anti-dumping investigations. It is also interesting to note that developed countries reported 46 out of the 115 initiations during the second semester of 2003.

Stating that China remains by far the at the top of the list of countries subject to anti-dumping probes, it said China faced 30 investigations on its exports during the latter half of 2003, the same number as during the corresponding half of 2002. The US, the European Communities and Japan were next, with, 12, 8 and 8 investigations respectively on their exports, while India and Korea followed with 7 each. Chinese Taipei had 6 investigations initiated on its exports.

It said the largest number (31) of probes initiated during the latter half of 2002 entailed products classified in the chemicals sector of the Harmonised System of Tariff Classification. India initiated 13 of its 33 investigations on products in that sector, followed by the US with 10 and China with 4. The second most affected sector was base metals, which includes iron, steel and aluminium products, with 29 probes initiated. Canada set off 7of its nine probes in that sector, followed by Mexico and the US with 5 each and Australia and New Zealand with 4 each. Plastic sector accounted for 16 probes, with India initiating 9, followed by China with 3.

WTO said 16 of its members slapped a total of 107 final anti-dumping measures against exports from 31 counties or customs territories in the second-half of 2003. This is a slight decline from the 113 measures imposed in the corresponding half of 2002. Developed countries imposed 23 of the 107 final anti-dumping measures in the latter half of 2003, a decline from 33 measures during the corresponding period of 2002. China was second, with 21 final measures, a sharp increase from the second half of 2002 for which China reported no final measures. The United States was a distant third with 9 measures, down from 10 during the latter half of 2002.

Exports from China were once again the subject of the largest number of final measures (22) in the second half of 2003, representing an increase from the 19 measures in the corresponding period of 2002.

The sector most affected by final measures was chemicals with 40 on products in that sector. The base metals sector was second most hit with 20 measures and the plastic sector was third with 17.

India accounted for the majority of measures imposed on chemical products, 22 of its 32 measures being in that sector.

Canada and China each accounted for 4 of the measures in the base metals sector, with India and Mexico accounting for three each. China applied 8 measures on products in the plastic sector.