WTO Reports Decline In Anti-Dumping Probes

By Agence France-Presse The World Trade Organization (WTO) says that the number of anti-dumping probes fell significantly in the second half of last year compared with the same period a year earlier. One hundred and forty-nine investigations were launched by 17 World Trade Organization members between July and December 2002, the WTO's secretariat said. The figures compare with 210 anti-dumping probes by 23 members in the same six-month period a year earlier. India heads the list with 54 investigations into exports from another country, followed by Thailand, Australia and the United States. China tops the list of countries subject to anti-dumping investigations, the Geneva-based WTO said. Most of the investigations involved the base metals sector, such as iron, steel and aluminum products, followed by chemicals and plastics. After investigations, 16 WTO members imposed 106 final anti-dumping measures against exports from other countries. WTO agreements allow governments to act against dumping when there is material injury to the competing domestic industry. Anti-dumping action normally involves charging extra import duty on a product from a particular exporting country to bring its price closer to the normal value, or remove the injury to the domestic industry. Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2003