Ottawa announces more measures to prevent steel dumping

Anti-dumping levels to be reviewed more frequently and CBSA to get greater flexibility to calculate duties.

The Government of Canada announced more measures aimed at protecting the domestic steel industry from imports of dumped or subsidized foreign steel.

First, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will update its policy to allow anti-dumping levels to be reviewed more frequently, which will provide effective and up-to-date protection in the face of changing market circumstances. Other policy changes by the CBSA will also result in greater transparency.

The CBSA and Global Affairs Canada are also taking steps to enhance the verification of steel import data. These measures build on the recent action taken by the Government to provide more flexibility to further protect from harmful import surges.

Link: Backgrounder: Re-investigation and Normal Value Review Policy

Link: Anti-dumping and Countervailing – Normal Values: Making Representations to the CBSA

As well, the Government is introducing amendments to Canada’s trade remedy regulations. These new measures will soon be subject to consultations for 15 days following their pre-publication in the Canada Gazette, Part I.

Link: Backgrounder – Proposed Amendments to Canada’s Trade Remedy Regulations

Link: Proposed Regulations Amending the Special Import Measures Regulations – Canada Gazette, Part I

These regulatory amendments would provide greater flexibility to the CBSA to calculate appropriate levels of anti-dumping duties in situations where there are price distortions.

These measures build on steps already taken by the Government to address unfair trade, including legislative and regulatory amendments introduced in April 2018 to enhance the effectiveness of Canada’s trade remedy system, as well as additional funding to strengthen the CBSA’s trade investigations and enforcement capacity.