WTO secretariat reports significant decline in new anti-dumping investigations

The United States initiated the most investigations during the first semester of 2003, 16, a decline from the 22 investigations it had initiated during the first semester of 2002. India had the second highest number of initiations (12) during the first semester of 2003, down from 25 investigations initiated during the corresponding period in 2002. China reported 11 initiations, while other Members reported 6 or fewer initiations each.

China, with 12 investigations on its exports, remains at the top of the list of countries subject to anti-dumping investigations, although this number is a decrease from the 21 investigations initiated on Chinese exports during the first semester of 2002. Korea and India were next, with, respectively, 8 and 6 investigations initiated on their exports in the first semester of 2003. Chinese Taipei, Japan, and the United States each had 5 investigations initiated on their exports, while other Members had 3 or fewer investigations initiated on their exports during the first semester of 2003.

The largest number (26) of investigations initiated during the first semester of 2003 involved products classified in the chemicals sector of the Harmonized System of Tariff Classification. The second most affected sector was base metals, which includes iron, steel and aluminium products, with 15 investigations initiated, followed by plastics (10 initiations). The United States initiated 7 of its 16 investigations on products in the chemicals sector, followed by 5 initiations on products in the base metals sector. India initiated half of its investigations on products in the chemicals sector (6 of 12 initiations), while China initiated all 11 of its investigations on products in that sector.

Sixteen WTO Members imposed a total of 112 final anti-dumping measures against exports from 41 countries or customs territories during the first semester of 2003. This is slightly more than the number of measures imposed during the corresponding period of 2002 (99), but the number of measures imposed by developed countries shows a significant decline, from 31 during the first semester of 2002 to 7 during the first semester of 2003.

India and Turkey imposed the most final measures (21 each) during the first semester of 2003 This is the same number as imposed by India during the corresponding period of 2002, but represents a significant increase from the 8 measures imposed by Turkey during the first semester of 2002. Thailand was a close second in the number of final measures imposed during the period, with 20, followed by Argentina with 18, and China with 11. Other Members imposed 4 or fewer measures each during this period.

Exports from China were once more the subject of the largest number of final measures (16) imposed during the first semester of 2003. This represents a decrease from the 18 measures imposed against Chinese exports during the first semester of 2002. Korea and Russia were distant seconds, with 7 measures each on their exports, followed by Chinese Taipei, South Africa, and Thailand, with 6 measures each, Indonesia and Kazakstan (5 measures each), and the European Communities, India, Romania and Singapore (4 measures each). Other Members were the subject of 3 or fewer measures each during this period.

The sector most affected by final measures was base metals, with 43 final measures imposed on products in that sector. The plastics sector was second most affected, with 31 measures imposed, and the chemicals sector was third, with 22 measures. Of the measures on products in the base metals sector, the largest number was imposed by Thailand, which imposed all 20 of its measures on products in that sector, followed by Argentina, which imposed 10 of its 18 measures on products in that sector, and Peru, which imposed all 4 of its measures on products in that sector. Other Members accounted for 2 or fewer measure each in this sector. In the plastics sector, Turkey accounted for the most measures, imposing 20 of its total 21 measures on products in that sector, followed by China, (5 measures), Argentina (4), and Poland (2). In the chemicals sector, India imposed the largest number of measures (12), followed by China (5), Australia (2), and Canada, Mexico, and the United States (1 each).

The data 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 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 January — 30 June 2003 can be found under document series G/ADP/N/105.