On 24 July the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) announced the initiation of an investigation into the extension of safeguard measures on imports of certain flat-rolled products of iron, non-alloy steel or other alloy steel, not further worked than hot-rolled, classifiable in tariff subheadings 7208.10, 7208.25, 7208.26, 7208.27, 7208.36, 7208.37, 7208.38, 7208.39, 7208.40, 7208.51, 7208.52, 7208.53, 7208.54, 7208.90, 7211.14, 7211.19, 7225.30 ,7225.40, 7225.99, 7226.91 and 7226.99, on which comment is due by 14 August.
The application was lodged by South African Iron & Steel Institute (SAISI), an industry body, on behalf of ArcelorMittal South Africa Limited (AMSA) the only producer of the product in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).
According to the Notice AMSA alleged and submitted prima facie information indicating that it had experienced serious injury in the form of a decline in sales volumes, output, profits, market share, utilisation of capacity, productivity and employment for the period 01 September 2017 to 31 May 2020. The applicant further provided estimates for the period 1 June 2020 to 31 August 2021 to show that should the duties expire, it was likely to lead to the recurrence of serious injury in the form of a decline in sales volumes, productivity, profits, output, market share, employment and utilisation of capacity.
On this basis Itac found that prima facie information had been submitted to indicate that the SACU industry was suffering serious injury and the expiry of the current safeguard measures would likely lead to the recurrence of serious injury.
The Notice is accessible at:
https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202007/43542gen392.pdf
Story by: Riaan de Lange