Steel producers of the European Union (EU) are threatening to file anti-dumping complaints to the European Commission next week against rising imports from China, media reports said on Friday.

 

"It will probably be next week, perhaps as soon as Monday," an industrial official, who declined to be named, was quoted as saying.

 

The official said the complaints would affect more than one type of steel products.

 

In late September, the Brussels-based European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries (Eurofer) said it was preparing a file of complaints about steel imports from China.

 

According to Eurofer, Chinese steel imports into the EU will reach 10 million tons this year, doubling that of last year.

 

Eurofer said the surge was unfairly fuelled by Chinese government subsidies and was "threatening" the health of the European steel industry.

 

But a Chinese industry official dismissed the accusation as "unreasonable" and contrary to the concept of globalization.

 

Zhang Xiaogang, chairman of China Iron and Steel Association, said that some Western countries have been using "double standards" when it comes to trade and competition in the steel industry.

 

The rising steel production in China has been fuelled by the rapid economic development in China as well as global economic recovery in recent years, he added.

 

While European steel producers stepped up their call for anti-dumping measures against China, steel users of the 27-nation bloc were reaping fruits of Chinese steel imports.

 

European engineering association Orgalime, whose members include big steel consumers such as Siemens, ABB and Alcatel-Lucent, said earlier this month China is now vital to the sector.

 

Orgalime said they have to rely on imports to meet their demands due to lack of supply from local steel producers, and the relatively cheap Chinese steel has helped them to maintain competitiveness on the markets.

 

In an effort to ease the rising tensions, China pledged to a visiting EU official recently that it is trying to curb steel production.

 

There was "very clear and determined" message that China has no interest in being a major exporter, said Heinz Zourek, EU director general for enterprise and industry, as he wrapped up a three-day visit to China on Wednesday.

 

"China considers that they have reached a peak of capacity of production of steel and will do whatever they can to avoid that additional capacity will be created," Zourek said.

 

If an anti-dumping complaint is lodged, the European Commission will have 45 days to decide whether to launch an investigation, which normally takes no more than a year, and in any case must be completed within 15 months.

 

The commission could then, within 60 days to nine months, impose provisional duties, which may last for six to nine months. After the investigation is completed, the commission could propose definite duties, which have to be approved by a majority of EU member states and usually last five years.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2007)