EU to Impose Duties on Some Steel-Related Chinese Imports

The European Union is expected to impose anti-dumping duties today of as much as 66% on imports from China of magnesia bricks used by steelmakers such as London-based Corus Group.

The tariffs target Chinese exporters that accounted last year for about 15% of the European market for the product, used as a lining of the vessels in which steel is melted. The levies, which will last for six months and may be prolonged for five years, were announced Tuesday in the EU Official Journal.

The EU refractory industry “has suffered material injury” as a result of “rapidly increasing” imports of magnesia bricks from China, the European Commission said in its decision. The Chinese goods “undercut substantially” the European industry’s prices, the EU’s Brussels-based trade authority said.

China’s share of the European market for the product more than doubled to 14.9% in the period from April 2003 to March 2004 compared with 2001, according to the commission. Import prices fell 22% during that period, driving down the EU industry’s prices and profitability, it said.