U.S. steelmakers file anti-dumping case

U.S. steelmakers file anti-dumping case

WASHINGTON (AFP): U.S. steel manufacturers filed an anti- dumping case Friday demanding duties of up to 304 percent against producers in 11 countries and charging five governments with extending illegal subsidies.

Lawyers for the U.S. firms charged in a statement that steel was being dumped here from Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Moldova, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine and Venezuela.

In a petition filed to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and Commerce Department, they demanded duties of up to 304 percent on the imports, which they said were being sold in the United States for less than on the home markets.

They also accused the governments of Brazil, Canada, Germany, Trinidad and Tobago and Turkey of providing substantial illegal subsidies to carbon steel wire rod industries.

The subsidies were given in the form of export and investment incentives, preferential loans, grants, equity infusions and debt forgiveness, the statement said.

U.S. petitioners were Co-Steel Raritan, GS Industries, Keystone Consolidated Industries and North Star Steel.

The unfair trade petition launches a year-long process, starting with a 45-day investigation by the ITC, which must make a preliminary finding as to whether the imports may harm U.S. industry.

The U.S. manufacturers said research showed steel imports from other countries, notably Argentina and India, were also being dumped in the United States.

But the U.S. companies said they decided against filing a complaint because the countries' share of the imports was relatively small.

"We will be monitoring imports throughout the investigation to determine whether countries not covered by the cases attempt to increase their dumped and subsidized imports into the United States," said the attorney for the U.S. steel companies, Paul Rosenthal.