WTO secretariat reports further declines in both new anti-dumping investigations and new final anti-dumping measures

During July-December 2005, 16 Members reported initiating a total of 82 new investigations, compared with 106 initiations in the corresponding period of 2004. A total of 15 Members applied 76 new final anti-dumping measures during the July-December 2005 period, compared with 93 new measures applied during July-December 2004. Twenty-seven of the 82 new initiations were opened by developed Members, and 27 of the 76 new final measures were applied by developed Members, during the second half of 2005. This compares with 42 new initiations opened and 24 new measures applied by developed Members during the first half of 2004.

Among Members reporting new initiations during July-December 2005, the Member reporting the highest number was China, with 13 initiations. The second-highest number of measures was reported by Argentina and India (11 each). These were followed by the European Communities (9), the United States (8), and Australia and South Africa (5 each). During the corresponding period of 2004, the five highest numbers of new initiations were reported by the European Communities and India (17 each), China (16), Turkey (12), Australia and Canada (7 each), and Argentina, New Zealand and the United States (5 each). Thus, the number of initiations reported by China, India and the European Communities declined, while those reported by Argentina and the United States increased, during July-December 2005 compared with the corresponding period of 2004. During the second half of 2005, Korea, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Peru each reported opening fewer than five new investigations.

China remains the most frequent subject of the new investigations, with 33 initiations directed at its exports during July-December 2005, up from 24 during the corresponding period of 2004. Malaysia was the second most frequent subject, with seven initiations of new investigations directed at its exports, a increase from four during the second half of 2004. Indonesia and Korea were tied for third place, with five initiations each in respect of their exports, compared with four and 12, respectively, during July-December 2004. Chinese Taipei, Thailand and the United States were fourth, with four initiations each directed at their exports, compared with seven, four and six, respectively, during the corresponding period of 2004. The European Communities, India, Japan, Hong Kong China, Viet Nam, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Turkey, were the subject of fewer than initiations each during the second half of 2005.

The products that were the most frequent subject of the reported new investigations during July-December 2005 were in the chemicals sector (17 initiations), followed by base metals (15 initiations) and plastics (12 initiations). Of the 17 reported initiations in respect of chemicals products, China reported 13 and Argentina, Costa Rica, India and the United States accounted for one each.

Concerning application of new final anti-dumping measures, the European Communities reported the largest number (19) for the second half of 2005, a near-quintupling of the four new measures it reported for the corresponding period of 2004. India reported 10 new measures for the second half of 2005, registering more than a 50 per cent decline from the 22 new measures it reported for the second half of 2004. Following India were Argentina (7), China (6), Mexico, Turkey and the United States (5 each). These figures represented declines from the corresponding period of 2004 for China, Turkey and the United States, and increases for Argentina and Mexico. Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Australia, Peru, Thailand, Korea and Pakistan each reported applying fewer than five new measures during the second half of 2005.

Products exported from China remained the most frequent subject of new measures, accounting for 22 of the new measures reported for the second half of 2005, down slightly from the 25 reported for the corresponding period of 2004. The United States was in second place, with its exports subject to seven new measures, compared with nine during the second half of 2004. Chinese Taipei and Russia ranked third, with five new measures each directed at their exports. The European Communities and Member States, Indonesia, Korea and Thailand each were subject to four new measures, and Brazil and Japan to three new measures, during the second half of 2005. Argentina, Croatia, Malaysia, Mexico, Viet Nam, India, Netherlands, Romania, Ukraine and Uruguay each were the subject of fewer then three new measures during the second half of 2005.

Concerning the affected sectors, products in the plastics sector were the most frequent subject of new measures during July-December 2005, accounting for 18 of the 76 total new measures reported. Products in the chemicals and base metals sectors were tied for second place, with 16 new measures each. Products in the textiles sector were next, with seven new measures, followed by the pulp and paper and machinery sectors, each of which accounted for five of the reported new measures. Of the 18 new measures reported on products in the plastics sector, India, Malaysia and the United States each applied four, followed by Brazil and the European Communities (two each), and Pakistan and Turkey (one each).

The data reported above are taken from the semi-annual reports of Members to the ADP Committee. The statistics are based on information from Members having 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.

The anti-dumping semi-annual reports by Members for the period 1 July-31 December 2005 can be found under document series (G/ADP/N/139).