EU opens 2nd expiry review on CR stainless steel from China

The European Commission has opened a second expiry review of the anti-dumping duties in force on cold-rolled stainless steel sheets and coils originating in the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, according to a notice issued Tuesday.

The review follows a request lodged on June 15 by the European Steel Association (Eurofer) on behalf of the European Union industry. The Commission will examine whether allowing the duties to lapse would likely result in the continuation of dumping and of injury to the EU industry.

The product under review is flat-rolled products of stainless steel, not further worked than cold-rolled (cold reduced), currently classified under 19 CN codes 7219 31 00, 7219 32 10, 7219 32 90, 7219 33 10, 7219 33 90, 7219 34 10, 7219 34 90, 7219 35 10, 7219 35 90, 7219 90 20, 7219 90 80, 7220 20 21, 7220 20 29, 7220 20 41, 7220 20 49, 7220 20 81, 7220 20 89, 7220 90 20 and 7220 90 80.

The investigation period for dumping runs from July 1 2025 to June 30 2026, while injury trends are assessed from January 1 2023 to the end of that period.

The duties stem from an investigation initiated in 2014, which led to definitive duties being imposed in August 2015. A first expiry review, concluded in September 2021, left the penalties in place. They now stand at 24.4% to 25.3% for exporters from the Chinese mainland and 6.8% for Taiwanese exporters, with one Taiwanese producer carrying a zero rate. These are to expire on September 17 2026.

Meanwhile, a separate notice published the same day opened the first expiry review of AD measures on imports of the same product from India and Indonesia, which would otherwise expire on November 19 2026. In that case, the test is whether dumping and injury would recur rather than continue, since neither country currently exports significant volumes to the EU. Both also face countervailing duties imposed in 2022, which run until March 17 2027.

The measures remain in force while both reviews are pending, and the outcome can only be their repeal or maintenance. The Commission normally concludes such reviews within 12 months, and in any event within 15 months of initiation.

Written by Tiffany Hou, houtianhui@mysteel.com

Edited by Russ McCulloch, russ.mcculloch@mysteel.com