Vietnam wins anti-dumping steel lawsuit in Australia
The Australian Anti-Dumping Commission (ADC) has ended its year-long investigation into alleged dumping of steel rod in coils exported to Australia from Vietnam in favour of the country after finding no evidence of foul play.
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In its Terminal Report No. 416 issued on March 26, the commission concluded that “the dumping margin for Hoa Phat, and for all other exporters from Vietnam, is negative.”
ADC’s conclusion also defined the dumping margin for exports from the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Indonesia at 20.9% and 16%, respectively.
According to regulations of the World Trade Organisation and Australian Trade Law, dumping of imported goods into the country with a margin of less than 2% would not be considered dumping. The Vietnamese steel exported to Australia was dumped at a margin of less than 2%.
ADC’s decision is good news for Vietnamese steel producers as Australia is a potential steel market.
A representative of Hoa Phat Group said they had cooperated with relevant agencies and ADC in answering questions and providing adequate information and documents for direct examination in August 2018.
In addition to this, the group also submitted the plaintiff’s arguments against an application lodged by OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd.
ADC concluded that there was no support from the Vietnamese Government relating to power tariffs and input material for steel producers, including Hoa Phat Group, as well as no special market situation for coiled steel rod in Vietnam.
ADC used the normal price comparison method in the local market and export prices to define the dumping margin. It decided to terminate the investigation as Vietnamese steel exports had not harmed the Australian steel industry.
Following an application by OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd, on June 7, 2017, ADC initiated an investigation into the alleged dumping of coiled steel rod exported to Australia from Indonesia, the RoK and Vietnam.
OneSteel claimed that goods were being exported to Australia at prices lower than their normal value and that dumping had damaged the Australian steel industry through loss of sales, market share and profits.
Last year, Hoa Phat Group shipped 36,000 tonnes of coiled steel rod and steel bars to Australia. The group exported some 42,000 tonnes of steel to Australia in the first three months of the year.
