The National Tariff Commission (NTC) has imposed a 40.47% anti-dumping duty on Galvalume steel imports, marking a significant move to safeguard Pakistan’s domestic steel industry.
The decision, aimed at curbing market distortions, comes after exporters were found circumventing previous anti-dumping measures on galvanized steel by slightly altering the product.
The NTC’s action follows its first-ever anti-circumvention investigation, which found that Galvalume steel, coated with a mixture of zinc and aluminum, was essentially the same as galvanized steel but not initially covered under anti-dumping duties.
This modification allowed foreign exporters to bypass the tariffs imposed on galvanized steel, which had been set between 6.09% and 40.47% in 2017.
The decision is hailed as a milestone in Pakistan’s trade remedy efforts, with industry leaders praising it as a victory for fair competition and rule-based trade. The imposition of the new duty aims to close the loophole that allowed the circumvention, ensuring that the local steel industry no longer suffers from reduced market share and suppressed prices.
The NTC’s investigation, which covered steel products with a thickness between 0.15 mm to 2.75 mm, found that Galvalume products had the same physical and chemical characteristics and production methods as the previously targeted galvanized steel.
The commission’s findings confirmed that these products were undermining the effectiveness of trade remedies, leading to further injury to the domestic market.
Industry officials expressed satisfaction with the NTC’s ruling, emphasizing that it will provide relief to key local steel manufacturers. They said that the imposition of this duty is expected to protect local sales volumes, counteract unfair imports, and reinforce Pakistan’s commitment to enforcing international trade laws.
