Japan adjusted the scope of its antidumping duty investigation on hot-dipped galvanized steel wire from China and South Korea and extended the period of the investigation to receive comments on the expanded scope, the Ministry of Finance announced April 28. Since June, the Finance and the Economy, Trade and Industry ministries have been conducting the AD investigation but recently determined the scope needs to be expanded to cover hot-dip galvanized iron wire containing a small amount of boron, according to an unofficial translation. With the expanded scope, the extension until Dec. 13 provides opportunities for interested parties to submit additional evidence with regard to that scope adjustment.

The U.S. and other World Trade Organization members called out China yet again for failing to fully submit its subsidies to the WTO during the April 26-27 meeting of the Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, a person with knowledge of the meetings told reporters in an email. The U.S. pointed out that after examining certain financial statements of certain fossil fuel companies in China, it found that the Chinese government granted financial grants totaling over $1.9 billion in 2020 that were not reported to the WTO. Apart from asking China to clarify why these grants were not reported, the U.S. also asked China to clarify whether distant water fishing enterprises are completely tax exempt. In response, China asked the U.S. to look at its relevant enterprise income tax law provisions, which the U.S. found uninstructive. Also during the meeting, other WTO members -- namely, Brazil, Morocco, China and Russia -- brought up complaints about U.S. countervailing duty action. In particular, China blasted the U.S.'s "abusive use" of "adverse facts available" in CVD cases, while Russia said the U.S. continued to use flawed practices resulting in the finding of subsidies where none exist.

The EU laid out a plan to suspend all import duties on Ukrainian exports for one year to aid the Ukrainian economy through its war with Russia, the European Commission announced. In all, the proposal would have the EU lift all import duties, including antidumping and safeguard measures currently in place on Ukrainian steel shipments. The U.K. announced an identical move April 25, offering to cast off all tariffs on goods from Ukraine (see 2204260018). Along with broadcasting its intention to do the same, the commission said that the EU is also taking steps to "facilitate overland goods transport to help get Ukrainian products out into the world."

Canada, Mexico and Argentina recently announced antidumping duty and countervailing duty actions and decisions on certain products from mainland China, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported April 26. Canada recently announced the impending expiration of its AD and CVD orders on certain Chinese fabricated industrial steel components, HKTDC said. Canada didn’t receive any submissions in support of the expiry review or the continuation of the measures, the report, and they are expected to expire May 24.

The EU issued a correction April 25 to its implementing regulation that in effect exempted three Taiwanese companies from antidumping duties imposed on imports of certain tube and pipe fittings, of iron or steel, originating in China and extended to the same products originating in Taiwan, because they were found not to be circumventing AD measures. But a second regulation had repealed the exemption for two of the companies -- Chup Hsin Enterprise and Niang Hong Pipe Fittings. This meant that the implementing regulation, as worded, incorrectly still exempted imports made by Chup Hsin and Niang Hong. The correction removes those two companies from the list of exempted companies, leaving only the third, Rigid Industries Co. Ltd., with effect from Jan. 26, 2022, from which date there will be retroactive collection of AD on imports of the fittings produced by Chup Hsin and Niang Hong. The extension also covers similar goods from Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, whether declared as originating from these countries or not.

The World Trade Organization published the agenda for the April 27 meeting of the Dispute Settlement Body. It includes U.S. status reports on the implementation of recommendations adopted by the DSB on: antidumping measures on certain hot-rolled steel products from Japan; antidumping and countervailing measures on large residential washers from South Korea; certain methodologies and their application to antidumping proceedings involving China; and Section 110(5) of the U.S. Copyright Act. A status report is also expected from Indonesia on measures relating to the import of horticultural products, animals and animal products; and from the EU on measures affecting the approval and marketing of biotech products. Further, numerous countries, excluding the U.S., will propose nominations for a list of governmental and nongovernmental panelists to serve on the DSB.

The EU launched a partial review of the antidumping duty order on open mesh fabrics of glass fibers from China extended to imports from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand, whether declared as originating from these countries or not, for the purposes of granting an exemption to one Indian exporter, the European Commission said April 21. Urja Products Private Ltd. requested an exemption from the duties, alleging it didn't export the product during the review period, April 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013, used in the investigation that led to the extended measures.

The EU initiated an expiry review of the antidumping measures into continuous filament glass fiber products from China, the European Commission announced April 21. The European Glass Fibre Producers Association requested the review, which covers "chopped glass fibre strands, of a length of not more than 50 mm; glass fibre rovings, excluding glass fibre rovings which are impregnated and coated and have a loss on ignition of more than 3 % (as determined by the ISO Standard 1887); and mats made of glass fibre filaments excluding mats of glass wool." The review will cover entries from Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2021.

The EU terminated the partial interim review of the antidumping duties on hot-rolled flat products of iron, non-alloy or other alloy steel from Russia, it said in an April 13 notice. In a notice to the European Commission, Eurofer, the party that moved to apply for the partial review, withdrew its request for review of exporter Severstal. The commission said the review was limited in scope to examining dumping for Severstal. The duties covered "imports of certain flat-rolled products of iron, non-alloy steel or other alloy steel, whether or not in coils (including ‘cut-to-length’ and ‘narrow strip’ products), not further worked than hot-rolled, not clad, plated or coated."

Mexico, Canada and Brazil recently announced antidumping duty and countervailing duty actions and decisions on certain products from mainland China, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported April 11. Mexico recently renewed its AD order on Chinese children’s bicycles for five years, HKTDC said, which will face an AD duty of $13.12 per unit.