Ministry of Finance: Initiates anti-dumping investigation into cold-rolled stainless steel flat-rolled products from Vietnam

(Reporter Zheng Qi-fang / Taipei Report) The Ministry of Finance stated that Yieh United Steel Corp. and Tang Eng Iron Works Co., Ltd. have applied for the imposition of anti-dumping duties, provisional anti-dumping duties, and retroactive anti-dumping duties on certain cold-rolled stainless steel flat-rolled products imported from Vietnam. Based on the information provided in the application, there is a reasonable suspicion that the imported goods in question have been dumped and have caused injury to domestic industry. To determine whether domestic like products are suffering from unfair competition from imported products, the case was submitted to the Tariff Rate Review Committee for deliberation, and an investigation was announced on August 14 to maintain a fair and reasonable trade environment for the domestic industry.

The Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance explained that, in accordance with the Regulations Governing the Imposition of Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties, it has referred the case to the Ministry of Economic Affairs to investigate whether there is injury to the domestic industry. The Ministry of Economic Affairs is required by regulation to notify the Ministry of Finance of its preliminary investigation findings within 40 days from the day following the receipt of the notice. If it is determined that the domestic industry has been injured, the Ministry of Finance shall make a preliminary determination on whether dumping exists within 70 days from the day following the receipt of the notice from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and subsequently decide whether to impose provisional anti-dumping duties.

In addition, to prevent importers from importing large quantities of the goods in question during the investigation period, which would undermine the remedial effect of anti-dumping measures, the applicants have also requested the retroactive imposition of anti-dumping duties on goods imported within 90 days prior to the date of the commencement of provisional anti-dumping duties. The Ministry of Finance will announce the determination regarding the retroactive imposition of anti-dumping duties at the time of the final dumping determination.

The Customs Administration pointed out that the specific cold-rolled stainless steel flat-rolled products in this case are in coil or non-coil form, cold-rolled, regardless of whether they have undergone any surface treatment or further processing, with a thickness of 0.05 mm to 6.10 mm, excluding steel products with surface coating or metal plating. They are mainly used for processing into various items, applied in kitchenware, food, home appliances, architectural decoration, aerospace, petrochemical, machinery, and transportation industries. Interested parties who wish to express opinions or provide information regarding the scope of the goods in question or the content of the announcement should submit written materials to the Customs Administration within 20 days from the date of the announcement.

The Customs Administration stated that if the involved manufacturers and exporters fully cooperate with the anti-dumping investigation, they may be granted individual anti-dumping duty rates. When domestic firms import the goods in question that are subject to anti-dumping duties, they must submit proof that the goods were produced by the involved manufacturers and exported directly to our country. Only after verification by Customs can the individual duty rate for that manufacturer be applied. Therefore, if importers wish to apply to the Ministry of Finance to be investigated in this case, it is recommended that they notify the relevant foreign exporters or manufacturers to submit applications within the deadline to protect their rights and interests.