WTO: 2009 PRESS RELEASES

PRESS/556

  

The WTO Secretariat reported that during the period 1 July — 31 December 2008, the number of initiations of new anti-dumping investigations showed a 17 per cent increase compared with the corresponding period of 2007. The number of new measures applied also increased between these periods. In particular, during July — December 2008, 15 WTO Members reported initiating a total of 120 new investigations, compared with 103 initiations reported by 14 Members for the corresponding period of 2007.

On a yearly basis, there were 208 initiations of new anti-dumping investigations in 2008, as compared to 163 in 2007 and 202 in 2006 (see chart 1).

Chart 1
ANTI-DUMPING
NUMBER OF INVESTIGATIONS INITIATED
1995 — 2008

The Members reporting the highest number of new initiations during July-December 2008 were India, reporting 42, followed by Brazil, reporting 16, China (11), Turkey (10), Argentina and the European Communities (9 each), Indonesia (6), Ukraine (4), Pakistan and the United States (3), Australia and Colombia (2 each), and Canada, Korea and Mexico (1 each). These figures represented increases for Argentina, Australia, Brazil, India and Turkey, and declines for Korea and the United States, while the numbers of initiations by Canada, the European Communities and Mexico remained unchanged, compared with the numbers reported for July — December 2007. China, Colombia, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ukraine, which did not report new initiations for July — December 2007, reported new initiations for the second semester of 2008.

China was the most frequent subject of the new investigations, with 34 new initiations directed at its exports. This was a 17 per cent decrease from 40 new investigations opened in respect of exports from China during July — December 2007. The European Communities (including individual member states) was next with 14 new investigations directed at its exports, followed by Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and the United States (6 each), Indonesia, Korea and Malaysia (5 each), India and Saudi Arabia (4 each) and Iran and Turkey (3 each). These were followed by Australia; Belarus; Hong Kong, China; Japan; Russia; South Africa and Ukraine (2 each), and Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Peru, Philippines and Sri Lanka (one each).

Concerning the products affected by these new investigations, the most frequent subjects during the second half of 2008 were in the base metals sector (43 initiations), the chemicals sector (22 initiations), textiles sector (19 initiations) and plastic and rubber sector (14 initiations). Of the 43 reported initiations relating to the base metals sector, 24 were reported by India, 8 by the European Communities, 3 by Indonesia, two each by Australia and Colombia, and one each by Argentina, Canada, China and Mexico.

A total of 11 Members reported applying 81 new final anti-dumping measures during the second semester of 2008, 45 per cent higher than the 56 new measures reported by 14 members for the corresponding period of 2007. These new final measures are the result of investigations initiated mainly in 2007 (initiation of investigation to final anti-dumping measure could take a year and a half).

On a yearly basis, there were 138 final anti-dumping measures in 2008 as compared to 107 in 2007 and 137 in 2006 (see chart 2).

Chart 2
ANTI-DUMPING
NUMBER OF FINAL MEASURES
1995 — 2008

Fifteen new investigations were opened by developed Members and 36 out of 81 new final measures were applied by developed Members during the second half of 2008. This compares with 35 new investigations begun and 11 new measures applied by developed Members during the second half of 2007.

Concerning application of new final anti-dumping measures, the United States reported 21 new measures during July — December 2008, a significant increase over the two new measures it reported for the second half of 2007, and reflecting investigations it initiated principally in 2007, i.e., well before the latest reporting period. India was in second place, reporting 13 new measures for the second half of 2008, followed by Turkey (11 new measures), Brazil (8), the European Communities (6), Argentina (3) and Egypt (1 measure). Korea, which had not reported new measures in the second half of 2007, reported 10 new measures in the second half of 2008. Japan, Australia and Canada reported 4, 3 and 2 new measures for the second half of 2008, but reported no measures in the corresponding period of 2007. China, Colombia, Israel and Thailand, which had reported new measures during the second half of 2007, reported no new measures during the corresponding period of 2008.

Products exported from China were the most frequent subject of new measures during July — December 2008, accounting for 37 out of 81 new measures during this period. This represented a 42 per cent increase over the 26 new measures applied on Chinese exports during the second half of 2007. The European Communities (including individual member states) was tied for second place with Indonesia, each with 5 new measures directed at its exports. Exports from Korea were subject to 4 new measures, while exports from India and the United States followed with three new measures each. Exports from Canada, Russia, South Africa, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, and Vietnam were subject to 2 new measures each during the same period, while Bangladesh, Belarus, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Uruguay were subject to one measure each.

The sector most frequently affected by the new measures applied during July — December 2008 was the chemicals sector, which accounted for 26 of 81 new measures reported. The base metals sector was subject to 13 new measures, the plastics and rubber sector and the pulp and paper sector were tied for third place, subject to 11 new measures each. They were followed by the textiles sector which was subject to 10 new measures and the machinery and electrical equipment sector, subject to 5 measures. India applied 13 of the 26 new measures on products in the chemicals sector, Japan and the United States applied 4 measures each, Korea applied three measures and the European Communities applied two measures, in respect of this sector.

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 2008 can be found under document series document series (G/ADP/N/180).

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