WTO: 2006 PRESS RELEASES

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WTO Secretariat reports new anti-dumping investigations continue to decline, while new final measures show increase

The WTO Secretariat reported on 27 November 2006, based on the latest available figures, that in the period 1 January — 30 June 2006, the number of initiations of new anti-dumping investigations continued its recently-reported declining trend, while the number of new final measures increased relative to the corresponding period of 2005.

  
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The WTO Secretariat reported, based on the latest available figures, that in the period 1 January — 30 June 2006, the number of initiations of new anti-dumping investigations continued its recently-reported declining trend, while the number of new final measures increased relative to the corresponding period of 2005. During January-June 2006, 20 Members reported initiating a total of 87 new investigations, down from 105 initiations in the corresponding period of 2005. A total of 15 Members reported applying 71 new final anti-dumping measures during January-June 2006, compared with 55 new measures applied during January-June 2005 (a 29 per cent increase). Thirty-one of the 87 new initiations were opened by developed Members, and nine of the 71 new final measures were applied by developed Members, during the first half of 2006. This compares with 22 new initiations opened and 20 new measures applied by developed Members during the first half of 2005.

The Members reporting the most new initiations during January-June 2006 were, in descending order: India, with 20 new initiations, up from 14 during the corresponding period of 2005; the European Communities (17); Australia (9); and Argentina, Indonesia and Turkey (5 each). These figures compare with 16 initiations by the European Communities, 2 by Australia, 1 by Argentina, zero by Indonesia, and 8 by Turkey, during the corresponding period of 2005. Thus, the numbers of initiations reported by India, the EC, Australia, Indonesia, and Argentina increased, while the number reported by Turkey declined. Other Members reporting new initiations in January-June 2006 were Canada (4); Brazil, China and Mexico (3 each); Egypt, Peru and South Africa (2 each); and Chinese Taipei, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jordan, Korea, New Zealand, and Pakistan (1 each). Israel and the United States, which had reported new initiations in the first half of 2005, reported initiating no new investigations during the first half of 2006.

China remains the most frequent subject of anti-dumping inquiries, accounting for 32 of the 87 new initiations during January-June 2006 compared with 23 out of 105 during the corresponding period of 2005. The United States and Chinese Taipei were distant seconds, with six new investigations each directed at their exports, followed by Thailand (5), and the European Communities and Member states, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia, each of which was the subject of four new investigations. During the corresponding period of 2005, the comparable figures were: United States (7), Chinese Taipei (9), Thailand (7), European Communities and Member states (3), Japan (4), Korea (6), and Malaysia (6). The countries affected by fewer than four new investigations each during January-June 2006 were: Brazil, Canada, Chile, Egypt, Hong Kong China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and Viet Nam.

The products that were most frequently subject to the reported new investigations during January-June 2006 were in the base metals sector (19 initiations), followed by machinery (16 initiations), plastics (13 initiations), and chemicals (11 initiations). Of the 19 initiations reported in respect of base metals, five each were reported by Australia and Indonesia, three by Canada, two each by the European Communities and India, and one each by Colombia and Mexico.

Concerning new final anti-dumping measures, China reported applying the largest number (15) during the first half of 2006, up from 10 reported for January-June 2005. Following China was Turkey, reporting 11 new measures, compared with four for the first half of 2005. India reported applying eight new measures and Egypt reported applying seven, during the first half of 2006, compared with seven and zero, respectively, during the corresponding period of 2005. The European Communities, Mexico and Pakistan each reported applying five new measures during January-June 2006, while, Argentina, Australia, Colombia, Indonesia, Korea, Peru, South Africa and the United States each reported applying three or fewer new measures.

Products exported from China continued as the most frequent subject of new measures, accounting for 15 of the new measures reported for the first half of 2006, down from 18 one year earlier. India and Korea were in second place, with six measures each in respect of their exports during January-June 2006, compared with one and four measures, respectively, during the first half of 2005. Next were Brazil, the European Communities and Member states, Japan, and the United States, each of which was subject to five new measures during January-June 2006, compared with two, four, four, and six new measures during the corresponding period of 2005. Argentina, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Romania, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, and United Arab Emirates each was subject to four or fewer new measures during the first half of 2006.

Concerning the sectors affected by the new anti-dumping measures, products in the chemicals sector were the most frequent subject of new measures during January-June 2006, accounting for 23 of the 71 total new measures reported. The plastics sector was next, with 14 new measures affecting products in this sector. Third was the textiles sector, with nine measures, followed by base metals with seven measures. Of the 23 reported new measures on products in the chemicals sector, China applied 15, followed by India (3), Argentina (2), and Egypt, the European Communities, and Pakistan (1 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 January — 30 June 2006 can be found under document series (G/ADP/N/145)...

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