DUTY CALLS

Wire Ropes Sunset
Review
On 31 January 2014
the International Trade
Administration Commission
of South Africa (Itac)
published a notice of the
initiation of a sunset review
of the anti-dumping duties
on wire ropes and cables of a
diameter exceeding
32 mm, classifiable under
tariff subheadings 7312.10.25
and 7312.10.40, originating
in or imported from the
United Kingdom (UK) and
Germany on stranded wire of
a diameter exceeding or equal
to 12.7 mm, classifiable in
tariff subheading 7312.10.20,
originating in or imported
from the People’s Republic
of China. (GG Notice 44 of
2014.)
The application was
lodged by Scaw South Africa
(Pty) Ltd representing 100%
by production volume of the
Southern African Customs
Union (Sacu) producers.
The investigation period for
dumping is from 01 June
2012 to 31 May 2013, and the
material injury investigation
period from 01 January 2010
to 31 May 2013.
Comment is due by 10
March 2014 but should
Itac grant an extension to
comment, it will be due by 24
March 2014. The granting
of an extension at this time
of the year would be quite
surprising.
Wire Ropes Interim
Review
Itac announced its final
determination, the
termination of the interim
review of the anti-dumping
duties on wire ropes and
cables classifiable under
tariff subheadings 7312.10.25
and 7312.10.40, originating
in or imported from
Germany and manufactured
by Casar Drahtseilwerk Saar
GMBH, on 31 January 2014.
(GG Notice 45 of 2014, Itac
Report No.455.)
The application was
initiated on 19 April 2013,
the Sacu manufacturer,
Scaw South Africa (Pty) Ltd,
responded on 13 June 2013,
and on 14 October 2013 Itac
informed of their opinion in
an essential facts letter.
Casar Drahtseilwerk
Saar GMBH alleged that
there had been a significant
change in circumstances
to warrant the review of
the anti-dumping duties
imposed on its exports of
wire ropes and cables. Itac
was of the opinion that there
was no convincing argument
that Casar’s pricing policy
could not be changed again
and that the low volumes
exported by it during the
period of investigation made
it difficult to determine
whether or not Casar would
resume dumping in future,
once the anti-dumping duties
had been withdrawn.
Agriculture Measures
The National Agricultural
Marketing Council (NAMC)
has extended an invitation
to directly affected groups
to register and update
their details on “Register of
Directly Affected Groups”.
Duty Calls’ Watch List
The countervailing measures
on wire ropes and cables
imported from or originating
in India are set to expire on
12 February 2014, unless
sunset review investigations
are initiated.
TWiT
“This Week in Trade”
considers the period 01
to 07 February 2014. In
February 1923 the draft Bill
reconstituting the Board
of Trade and Industries
(BTI, Itac’s predecessor)
as a statutory body was
published. On 26 February
1985 the World Customs
Organisation (WCO)
published “The Brussels
Definition of Value and The
GATT Valuation Agreement:
A Companion”.