EU imposes anti-dumping duty on Indian steel pipes

NEW DELHI: The European Union has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty of up to 31.2 per cent on imports of water and sewage pipes from India for six months to protect its industry.

Indian exporters of these pipes to the EU market will be impacted by the move.

The European Commission in its anti-dumping probe has "concluded at this stage that the material injury to the Union industry was caused by the dumped imports from India".

On the basis of this conclusion "provisional measures should be imposed to prevent further injury being caused to the Union industry by the dumped imports," the Commission has said in its Official Journal.

While 15.3 per cent provisional anti-duping duty has been imposed on exports by Electrosteel Casting Ltd, there would be 31.2 per cent levy on shipments from Jindal Saw Ltd and other companies.

The Commission had initiated an anti-dumping investigation with regard to imports into the EU of "tubes and pipes of ductile cast iron", used for drinking water supply, sewage disposal and irrigation of agricultural land, originating from India on December 20, 2014.

The Indian import volumes increased significantly by over 22 per cent during October 2013 and September 2014, it said.

The probe was initiated following complaints by Saint-Gobain PAM group on behalf of producers.

Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to check if domestic industry has been hurt because of a surge in below- cost imports. As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multilateral WTO regime.