WTO: 2005 PRESS RELEASES

Press/418
24 October 2005
ANTI-DUMPING

WTO Secretariat reports continuing declines in both new anti-dumping investigations and new final anti-dumping measures

The WTO Secretariat, on 24 October 2005, reported that in the period 1 January-30 June 2005, the number of initiations of new anti-dumping investigations and the number of new measures applied continued their previously-reported declining trends. During January-June 2005, 15 Members reported initiating a total of 96 new investigations, down from 106 initiations in the corresponding period of 2004. A total of 12 Members applied 53 new final anti-dumping measures during the January-June 2005 period, compared with 58 new measures applied during January-June 2004. Twenty-one of the 96 new initiations were opened by developed Members, and 24 of the 53 new final measures were applied by developed Members, during the first half of 2005. This compares with 40 new initiations opened and 23 new measures applied by developed Members during the first half of 2004.


Among Members reporting new initiations during January-June 2005, South Africa, with 17 initiations, was the Member reporting the highest number, more than triple the 5 initiations it reported during the same period of 2004. The European Communities (15), India (13), and China (11) reported the second, third and fourth-highest numbers of new initiations during the 2005 period. These figures compare with 13 for the European Communities, 4 for India, and 11 for China during the corresponding period of 2004. Thus, the number of initiations reported by India more than tripled, those reported by the European Communities increased slightly, and those reported by China showed no change. Following China in terms of reported new initiations were Turkey (8), Egypt (7), and Malaysia, Mexico and the United States (4 each), then Brazil, Israel, Peru, Australia, Argentina, and Colombia, each reporting fewer than four initiations. Of the Members reporting a smaller number of initiations in first-half 2005 than in first-half 2004, the United States reported the largest change, falling from first place (with 21 initiations) to a tie for seventh place (with 4 initiations).

China remains the most frequent subject of the new investigations, with 22 initiations directed at its exports during January-June 2005 compared with 25 during the corresponding period of 2004. Chinese Taipei was the second most frequent subject, with 9 initiations of new investigations directed at its exports, a decline from 14 during the first half of 2004. India was third, with 8 initiations in respect of its exports compared with 5 during January-June 2004. The United States was fourth, with 7 initiations directed at its exports, compared with 8 during the corresponding period of 2004. Indonesia and Thailand were subject to 6 new initiations each during the 2005 period, and Korea and Malaysia were subject to 5 initiations each, while Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, the European Communities, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Pakistan, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, South Africa, and Sweden, each were subject to 4 or fewer new initiations during the first half of 2005.

The products that were the most frequent subject of the reported new investigations during January-June 2005 were in the plastics sector (25 initiations), followed by chemicals and base metals (16 initiations each). Of the 25 reported initiations in respect of plastics products, China reported 7, South Africa accounted for 6, India and Malaysia for 4 each, the European Communities for 3, and Israel for 1.

Concerning application of new final anti-dumping measures, the United States reported the largest number (13) for the first half of 2005, more than double the number (6) reported for the corresponding period of 2004. China, reporting 10 new measures for the first half of 2005 (compared with 4 for the first half of 2004), was in second place. India reported 7 new measures during the first half of 2005, unchanged from the corresponding period of 2004. Canada, New Zealand and Turkey, reporting 4 new measures each, were tied for fourth place during the first half of 2005. For Canada, this reflected a decrease from the 5 measures reported during the corresponding period of 2004, for New Zealand an increase (from 2 measures) and for Turkey no change. Malaysia, Mexico, the European Communities, Australia, Korea and Peru each reported applying fewer than 4 new measures during the first half of 2005.

Products exported from China remained the most frequent subject of new measures, accounting for 18 of the new measures reported for the first half of 2005, unchanged from the first half of 2004. The United States, in second place, was the subject of 6 new measures, up from 1 during the first half of 2004. Korea, in third place, was the subject of 4 new measures, the same number as during January-June 2004. Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, France, Thailand, Viet Nam, Brazil, Ecuador, the European Communities, India, Iran, Malaysia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates each were the subject of 3 or fewer new measures during the first half of 2005.

Concerning the affected sectors, products in the chemicals sector were the most frequent subject of new measures during January-June 2005, accounting for 14 of the 53 total new measures reported. Tied for second place were products in the base metals and machinery sectors, which were subject to 7 new measures each. Products in the live animals and textile sectors were next, each accounting for 6 of the reported new measures. Of the 14 reported new measures on products in the chemicals sector, China applied 4, followed by Malaysia (3), Mexico and the United States (2 each), and Australia, India and Korea (1 each).

The data reported above are taken from the semi-annual reports of Members to the ADP Committee. The statistics are based on information from Members having submitted semi-annual reports for the relevant periods, and are incomplete to the extent that Members have not submitted reports or have submitted incomplete reports. For the purpose of these statistics, each investigation or measure reported covers one product imported from one country or customs territory.

The anti-dumping semi-annual reports by Members for the period 1 January-30 June 2005 can be found under document series (G/ADP/N/132).