HCMC - Domestic steel producers have requested an investigation into imports of color-coated steel sheets, including zinc- and black-coated products, as well as safeguard duties to protect local production, according to the Vietnam Competition Authority.

The authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade said it has asked local galvanized steel sheet producers to provide information on their production and clarify the reason for a safeguard probe into the imported products.

The authority has not detailed the case in line with Vietnamese laws and the World Trade Center’s requirements. Information about the plaintiffs and their evidence will only be announced after the ministry decides to open an investigation.

This is the fourth time steel firms in the country have urged safeguard measures against imports of steel products, including cold-rolled stainless steel, steel ingots and long steel, coated steel sheets and color-coated steel sheets.

In March, the ministry launched an anti-dumping probe into zinc-coated steel sheets imported from China (including Hong Kong) and South Korea. Preliminary conclusions of the case were expected to be announced on June 1 but delayed for 60 days.

Vietnam has slapped respective safeguard tariffs of 23.3% and 14.2% on steel ingots and long steel imports from a number of countries and territories from March 22 to October 7.

In 2014, the ministry decided to impose anti-dumping tariffs on cold-rolled stainless steel imported from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Taiwan. At the end of April, the ministry lifted duties on cold-rolled stainless steel imports from China and Indonesia while lowering taxes on imports from Malaysia.

Source: SaigonTimes