Safeguard Duty of 20% Imposed on Stainless Steel HR Flats from China on Account of “Market Disruption” – Final Findings

[Customs Notification No. 02 (SG) 29^th August 2013]

Whereas, in the matter of import of Hot Rolled Flat Products of Stainless Steel-304 grade classified within Chapter 72 of the First Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 (51 of 1975) (hereinafter referred to as the Customs Tariff Act), the Director General (Safeguard), in its preliminary findings published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide number G.S.R. 714(E), dated the 24th September, 2012 and subsequent Corrigendum vide G.S.R. 825(E) dated 12th November, 2012 and Corrigendum-2 vide G.S.R. 841 (E) dated 23rd November, 2012 had come to the conclusion that increased imports of Hot Rolled Flat Products of Stainless Steel - 304 grade (upto a maximum width of 1605 mm) and encompassing all austenitic grades having minimum Nickel (Ni) content of six per cent., compulsorily containing Chromium with or without the presence of other alloying elements like Molybdenum, Titanium etc., (hereinafter referred to as the subject goods) falling under sub-headings 72191111, 72191112, 72191190, 72191200, 72191300, 72191400, 72192111, 72192112, 72192121, 72192122, 72192131, 72192132,72192141, 72192142, 72192190, 72192211, 72192212, 72192219, 72192291, 72192292, 72192299, 72192310, 72192320, 72192390, 72192411, 72192412, 72192413, 72192419, 72192421, 72192422, 72192423, 72192429, 72192490, 72201110, 72201121, 72201122, 72201129, 72201190, 72201210, 72201221, 72201222, 72201229, 72201290 of the First Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act (hereinafter referred to as said sub-headings), into India had caused and threatened to cause market disruption to the domestic industry comprising producers of the subject goods thereby necessitating the imposition of provisional safeguard duty on imports of the subject goods from the People’s Republic of China into India;

And whereas, on the basis of the aforesaid findings of the Director General (Safeguard), the Central Government had imposed provisional safeguard duty on imports of the subject goods from People’s Republic of China into India for a period of 200 days from 4^th January, 2013 vide notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), No. 1/2013-Customs (SG), dated the 4^th January, 2013, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide number G.S.R.15 (E), dated the 4th January, 2013;

And whereas, the Director General (Safeguard) in its final findings vide number G.S.R. 338(E), dated the 25th May, 2013 and subsequent Corrigendum vide G.S.R. 346(E) dated 30th May, 2013, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), recommended  final duty at the rate of twenty per cent on Hot Rolled Flat Products of Stainless Steel - 304 grade (upto a width of 1625 mm), falling under said subheadings, for the period of 200 days starting from 4^th January, 2013 to 22^nd July, 2013 (both days inclusive);

Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 8C of the Customs Tariff Act, read with rules 12 and 14 of the Customs Tariff (Transitional Product Specific Safeguard Duty) Rules, 2002, the Central Government after considering the said final findings of the Director General (Safeguard), hereby imposes final safeguard duty at the rate of twenty per cent ad valorem on all imports of Hot Rolled Flat Products of Stainless Steel -304 grade (upto a maximum width of 1605 mm), falling under the said subheadings, from the People’s Republic of China, for the period of 200 days starting from the 4^th January, 2013 to 22^nd July, 2013 (both days inclusive).

[F No. 354/158/2012-TRU-Part I]