The Dominican Republic will participate in consultations, at the request of Costa Rica, regarding the adoption of anti-dumping duties on imports of steel bars or rods originating in the Dominican Republic.
Consultations are a mechanism of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that give countries the opportunity to discuss a certain measure and find a satisfactory solution.
The information was provided by the Trade Defense Commission (CDC), a regulatory authority attached to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes, which applied a 15% ad-valorem at ex-factory level on the tariff contemplated for imports of the Costa Rican product.
The CDC, after 17 months of investigation, determined the referred measure by virtue of the fact that such imports represented a threat of injury to the national industry. The measure began on January 6, 2020, for a period of five years, until January 6, 2025.
During the investigation process, the CDC notified the interested parties of which it was aware, including the company ArcelorMittal, which operates in Costa Rica, the Ministries of Foreign Trade and of Economy, Industry and Commerce of that country, as well as the national importers Fraga Importadora, Comercializadora de Metales and Don Metal.
The CDC issued several technical reports and conducted verification visits to the Costa Rican company, the Dominican producer Gerdau Metaldom and Fraga Importadora. It also held a public hearing, giving interested parties the opportunity to present their arguments. Throughout the process, the institution allowed the defense of the parties, with reasonable and timely deadlines to respond.
Currently, the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) is hearing a contentious administrative appeal filed by ArcelorMittal regarding the anti-dumping measure in question.
The institution informed that on July 23 of this year it received, on behalf of Costa Rica, a request for consultations on the anti-dumping measure on imports of rebar before the WTO Dispute Settlement Body. This request will be accepted by the Dominican Republic.
