Foreign trade security

EU hits China with new steel anti-dumping probes

European steelmakers are reeling from a global glut and last week Luxembourg-based world leader ArcelorMittal blamed China for a colossal $8-billion (€7.1 billion) loss in 2015 while thousands of jobs are being cut.

“We cannot allow unfair competition from artificially cheap imports to threaten our industry. I am determined to use all means possible to ensure that our trading partners play by the rules,” EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said in a statement.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, had opened an investigation into imports of seamless pipes, heavy plates and hot-rolled flat steel from China, the statement said.

The Commission separately imposed anti-dumping duties on cold-rolled flat steel imports from China and Russia.

It recalled that it recently also imposed anti-dumping measures on Chinese steel bars used in the construction industry.