On 28 August the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) announced the final determination of the Sunset Review of the anti-dumping duties on boards, sheets, panels, tiles and similar articles of plaster or of compositions based on plaster, not ornamented, faced or reinforced with paper or paperboard only, not ornamented (gypsum plasterboards), classifiable in tariff subheading 6809.11, originating in or imported from Thailand and Indonesia.
On 08 June 2018, ITAC notified interested parties through a Government Gazette notice that unless a substantiated request was made indicating that the expiry of the anti-dumping duties on gypsum plasterboard originating in or imported from Thailand and Indonesia would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and injury, the anti-dumping duties would expire on 31 July 2019.
The Sunset Review investigation was initiated in a Government Gazette on 26 July 2019, and initiation letters to interested parties were sent on 29 July 2019 on which the due date for responses was 04 September 2019.
Responses to ITAC’s exporter’s questionnaire were received from two exporters/manufacturers in Indonesia, namely PT. Siam-indo Gypsum Industry and PT Aplus Pacific. The questionnaire response by Siam-Indo Gypsum Industry was accepted as properly documented by ITAC for purposes of its final determination.
However, the questionnaire response by PT Aplus Pacific was regarded as deficient, as the deficient response was received 10 days after the Commission’s deadline.
After considering all information submitted, ITAC issued “essential facts” letters indicating that it was considering making a final determination that the expiry of the anti-dumping duties would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and the recurrence of injury.
Comments to the “essential facts” letters were received from PT. Siam-Indo Gypsum Industry and the Government of Indonesia.
After considering all the comments received from interested parties to ITAC’s “essential facts” letters, ITAC made a final determination that the expiry of the anti-dumping duties on gypsum plasterboard originating in or imported from Thailand and Indonesia (excluding that manufactured by PT. Siam-Indo Gypsum Industry) would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and the recurrence of material injury.
ITAC, therefore, recommended to the Trade and Industry Minister that the current anti-dumping duties be maintained.
The Minister approved ITAC’s recommendation; the detailed reasons for ITACs decision are set out in its Report No. 624.
On 14 August the South African Revenue Service (SARS) published the amendment of Part 2 of Schedule No.2 to the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Anti-dumping, Countervailing and Safeguard Duties on Imported Goods) through a notice in a Government Gazette.
The Notice is accessible at:
https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/202008/43660gen459.pdf
Story by: Riaan de Lange