The European Union has started an investigation on whether iron and steel fittings for industrial tubes and pipes from Russia and Turkey are being sold at illegally low prices and whether this is damaging EU producers. The case, prompted by a complaint by EU producers, could eventually lead to punitive import duties if the EU finds evidence of illegal price dumping.
The bloc has until next August to launch provisional tariffs, and could up to February 2013 follow these with five-year duties. "Having determined that there is sufficient evidence to justify the initiation of a proceeding, the Commission hereby initiates an investigation," the EU's official register said in a notice published on Tuesday.
At issue are imports worth about 10 million euros of Russian and Turkish fittings that connect sections of tubing used in construction and for piping energy and gas. "This is about small European companies for whom every euro counts," said a person familiar with the case. Complaints of unfair international competition by EU producers has resulted in punitive tariffs against China, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan.
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