The European Commission (EC) has today, 3 March 2023, published the findings of the anti-circumvention investigation R777 against stainless steel from Malaysia. The investigation concludes that circumvention of the definitive anti-dumping duty imposed on imports of certain stainless steel tube or pipe fittings, whether or not finished, originating in the People’s Republic of China has taken place via Malaysia in relation to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/141.

The EU regulation states that:
The definitive anti-dumping duty imposed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/141, as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/659, on imports of certain stainless steel tube and pipe butt-welding fittings, (…) whether or not finished, originating in the People’s Republic of China, is hereby extended to imports of tube and pipe butt-welding fittings, consigned from Malaysia, whether declared as originating in Malaysia or not.

64.9% Anti-dumping duty on stainless steel tube and pipe butt-welding fittings
Two companies cooperating with the EC were granted exemptions regarding the findings of the anti-circumvention case. The extended duty is the anti-dumping duty of 64.9% applicable to ‘all other companies’ in the PRC.

Look ahead to stainless steel hot rolled anti-circumvention case?
Another EU anti-circumvention case against hot-rolled stainless steel originating in Indonesia and shipped via Turkey is also currently in the final decision stage and about to be published.

17.3% anti-dumping duty on SSHR from Turkey
The EC had already determined at the end of January 2023 that circumvention of the anti-dumping measures against hot-rolled stainless steel originating in Indonesia via Turkey had taken place and announced anti-dumping duties of 17.3% on all affected hot-rolled stainless steel products from Turkey in its General Disclosure Document.

Applications for exemptions already rigorously rejected
The opposing comments of the Turkish and Indonesian companies involved, as well as those of a large Italian rolling mill, are unlikely to be heard by the European Commission. Requests for exemptions have been rigorously rejected.

EU anti-dumping expiry review against seamless stainless steel pipes and tubes launched
The expiry review of the anti-dumping measures applicable to imports of certain seamless stainless steel tubes originating in the People’s Republic of China was also announced today by the EC.

The review was already requested by the European Steel Tube Association (ESTA) on 2 December 2022. We had already warned in 2022 that this review was likely to come and that ESTA or EUROFER would not let this measure expire without comment.