The European Union will impose tariffs on imports of hot-rolled stainless steel coils and sheets from China, Indonesia, and Taiwan. The European Commission (EC) found in the investigation that they are sold at artificially low prices, according to its communication today. Anti-dumping duties enter into force on Thursday.
After finding the EC, it determined that imports from China will bear a duty of 19 percent. It will impose 17.3 percent duty on products from Indonesia and 7.5 percent on products from Taiwan.
Tariffs are intended to repair the damage caused by imports of cheap products to European producers, mainly in Belgium, Italy, and Finland.
Czech companies will probably not be affected by the EC decision. The spokespersons of Liberty Ostrava and Třinecké železárny said that their companies do not have the affected products in their portfolios.
In early October, steelworkers demonstrated across Europe to defend the European steel industry with the familiar slogan “Europe needs steel, steel needs Europe.” Several hundred employees of Czech metallurgical companies also met in Ostrava. According to trade unionists, European steel mills are threatened by cheap steel imports from outside the EU.
If the European Union does not extend the protection measures, which are due to expire next June, it will mean losing many companies and hundreds of thousands of jobs.