WTO Secretariat reports significant decline in new anti-dumping investigations

India initiated the most investigations during the second semester of 2003, 33, a significant decline from the 56 investigations it had initiated during the second semester of 2002. The United States had the second highest number of initiations (21) during the second semester of 2003, up from 13 during the corresponding period of 2002. China reported 11 initiations, up from 6 during the corresponding period of 2002. Canada, Mexico, and Australia reported, respectively, 9, 8, and 7 initiations each. The eight other Members who reported initiations reported 5 or fewer initiations each.

China remains at the top of the list of countries subject to anti-dumping investigations, with 30 investigations initiated on its exports during the second semester of 2003, the same number as during the corresponding period of 2002. The United States, the European Communities, and Japan were next, with, respectively, 12, 8, and 8 investigations initiated on their exports in the second semester of 2003. India and Korea followed with 7 each, while Chinese Taipei had 6 investigations initiated on its exports. 23 other countries or customs territories each had 4 or fewer investigations initiated on their exports during the second semester of 2003.

The largest number (31) of investigations initiated during the second semester of 2003 involved products classified in the chemicals sector of the Harmonized System of Tariff Classification. India initiated 13 of its 33 investigations on products in that sector, followed by the United States with 10, and China with 4. The second most affected sector was base metals, which includes iron, steel and aluminium products, with 29 investigations initiated. Canada initiated 7 of its nine investigations in that sector, followed by Mexico and the United States, with 5 each, and Australia and New Zealand with 4 each. The plastics sector accounted for 16 initiations, with India initiating 9, followed by China with 3.

Sixteen WTO Members imposed a total of 107 final anti-dumping measures against exports from 31 countries or customs territories during the second semester of 2003. This is a slight decline from the 113 measures imposed during the corresponding period of 2002. Developed countries imposed 23 of the 107 final anti-dumping measures in the second semester of 2003, a decline from 33 measures imposed during the corresponding period of 2002.

India imposed the largest number of final measures (32) during the second semester of 2003, a decline from the 43 measures imposed during the corresponding period of 2002. China was second, with 21 final measures imposed, a sharp increase from the second semester of 2002, for which China reported no final measures imposed. The United States was a distant third, reporting 9 final measures, down from 10 during the second semester of 2002. Australia and Turkey followed, with 8 and 7 measures each, up from 4 and 3 respectively during the corresponding period of 2002. The eleven other Members who reported imposing measures each imposed 5 or fewer measures during the second semester of 2003.

Exports from China were once more the subject of the largest number of final measures (22) imposed during the second semester of 2003. This represents an increase from the 19 measures imposed against Chinese exports during the second semester of 2002. Korea was second, with 15 measures, followed by Japan and Indonesia, with 8 and 7 measures on their exports during the second semester of 2003, respectively. 27 other countries or customs territories were each the subject of 5 or fewer measures imposed on their exports during this period.

The sector most affected by final measures was chemicals, with 40 final measures imposed on products in that sector. The base metals sector was second most affected, with 20 measures imposed, and the plastics sector was third, with 17 measures. India accounted for the majority of measures imposed on chemical products, 22 of its 32 measures being in that sector. China applied 7 of its 21 measures on chemical products, followed by the United States with 3, the European Communities and Pakistan with 2, and Brazil, Egypt, Korea, and Turkey with one each. Canada and China each accounted for 4 of the measures in the base metals sector, with India and Mexico accounting for three each, Peru and Turkey accounting for 2 each, and Australia and Brazil accounting for one each. China applied 8 measures on products in the plastics sector, followed by Australia with 6, with the United States accounting for the other 3 measures in that sector.

The data are taken from the semi-annual reports of Members to the Committee on Anti-Dumping Practices. The statistics are based on information from Members having submitted semi-annual reports for the relevant periods, and are incomplete to the extent 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.

The anti-dumping semi-annual reports by Members for the period 1 July — 31 December 2003 can be found under document series G/ADP/N/112.