Dominican Republic sets 22% anti-dumping duty on Spanish rebar

Paragraph entered by Atlantic migration, in order for SteelFirst articles to display correctly on Metal Bulletin.

Duties were set at 22% ad valorem on rebar exported by Spanish companies Metalúrgica Galaica and its partner firm Megasa Siderúrgica, the country’s trade defence commission (CDC) said late on Friday July 25.

However, the total tariff will increase to 42% when combined with loss of the most-favoured nation rate (MFN) of 20% applied by the Dominican Republic.

The MFN is a “normal non-discriminatory tariff charged on imports (excludes preferential tariffs under free trade agreements and other schemes or tariffs charged inside quotas)”, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The anti-dumping duty will be valid for five years, starting on July 30, 2014, according to the CDC.

The commission will decide in July 2016 whether to maintain or adjust the duty, it added.

The products affected are classified under tariff codes 72141000, 72142000, 72143000 and 72149900.

In March, the Dominican Republic set a provisional anti-dumping duty on Spanish rebar imports, following a request by domestic producers Complejo Metalúrgico Dominicano (Metaldom) and Indústrias Nacionales (Inca).

Megasa immediately denied allegations of dumping, saying that it had no interest in selling rebar below its production costs.