Now Open: Sunset review of antidumping duties applicable to Brazilian imports of seamless carbon steel pipes and new antidumping investigation on Brazilian imports of flat-rolled steels from China

In brief

SECEX (the Brazilian Secretariat of International Trade) initiated two antidumping investigations into the imports of steel products from China.

On 29 August, the sunset review of antidumping duties in force of seamless carbon steel tubes (pipelines), classified under the NCM code 7304.19.00, from China, was initiated. The original text of the Official Notice of Initiation of the sunset review (in Portuguese) is available at this link.

In addition, on 2 September, SECEX initiated a new investigation, concerning imports of coated flat-rolled steel, classified under the NCM codes 7210.30.10, 7210.30.90, 7210.49.10, 7210.49.90, 7210.61.00, 7210.69.11, 7210.69.19, 7210.69.90, 7212.20.10, 7212.20.90, 7212.30.00, 7225.91.00, 7225.92.00, 7225.99.90, and 7226.99.00, also from China. The original text of the Official Notice of Initiation of the antidumping investigation (in Portuguese) is available at this link.

Relevance of stakeholder participation

Active participation of importers, exporters, and any other interested parties in the investigation may be decisive in securing a more favorable outcome. Interested parties can request to be admitted as parties in both proceedings, provided that they demonstrate the extent to which they could be affected by the imposition of the antidumping duty. Concerning the carbon steel tubes sunset review, the deadline for admission request is on 18 September 2024[1], and the deadline for the flat-rolled steel investigation is on the 20 September 2024[2].

• Deadline for replying to the Importer’s Questionnaire: 30 days as of acknowledgement of receipt (presumed 3 days after the date of electronic transmission by the authority);
• Deadline for replying to the Exporter’s Questionnaire: 30 days as of acknowledgement of receipt (presumed 7 days after the date of electronic transmission by the authority).

Usually, a public interest assessment may be requested only after the conclusion of the trade remedies investigation, as established by SECEX Ordinance No. 282/2023 (additional information is available in our Legal Alert on the subject).

More details

1. Antidumping Sunset Review on Seamless Carbon Steel Tubes (pipelines) from China

• Petitioner: Vallourec Soluções Tubulares do Brasil S.A.
• Investigated product: Seamless carbon steel pipes (pipelines) used for oil and gas pipelines, with an external diameter of more than five (5) nominal inches (141.3 mm) but not more than fourteen (14) nominal inches (355.6 mm).
• Uses: Seamless carbon steel pipes (pipelines) are mainly used in the construction of oil and gas pipelines for conveying and storing fluids, used in refineries, chemical/petrochemical plants, FLNG (Floating liquefied natural gas) / FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading), the shipbuilding industry, gas treatment and distribution plants, flowlines and risers. They are also used for transporting petroleum products over short distances, such as petrol, naphtha, aviation paraffin (QAV), diesel, fuel oil, lubricants, etc. Seamless carbon steel pipes are also used in various industrial processes such as the steel industry, for transporting gases, fuels, and lubricants, airports and harbours for fuelling aircraft and ships, and in various industries that require oil derivatives for their operations.
• Antidumping duty in force (which can be renewed at the end of the investigation):
  
  • Producers/exporters with individualized dumping marging: : US$ 778.99/ton
  • Other exporters: US$ 835.47/ton

2. Antidumping investigation on Coated Flat-Rolled Steel from China

• Petitioners: ArcelorMittal S.A., Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), and Usinas Siderúrgicas de Minas Gerais S.A. (Usiminas).
• Investigated product: Flat-rolled steel, alloyed or unalloyed, electrolytically galvanized or otherwise (except corrugated), or coated with aluminium, whether pure, alloyed (aluminium-zinc) or alloyed with other metals, in roll form or not, of all widths, thicknesses, and types of application.
• Uses: Flat-rolled steel is used in the construction industry (roof tiles, guttering, and siding, among others), the automotive industry (exposed panels and parts, for example), the manufacture of household appliances, agricultural products (including silos and storage sheds), and other segments such as air ducts, electrical panels, and computer cabinets.
• Absolute and relative dumping margin: US$ 815.30/ton / 36%

[1] 20-day deadline, pursuant to Article 45, paragraph third and article 94 of Decree No. 8,058/2013.

[2] 20-day deadline, pursuant to Article 45, paragraph third of Decree No. 8,058/2013, conservatively counted.