European Union anti-fraud authorities have made a significant discovery, revealing a massive duty-circumvention scheme on steel imports from China. The scheme involved an EU-based importer evading the payment of anti-dumping duties through fraudulent import declarations. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor Office (EPPO) collaborated with customs authorities across EU member states to uncover this fraudulent activity.According to Eurofer, the regional steel industry association, the duty-circumvention scheme was focused on heavy plate imports from China. The importer intentionally misclassified the imported products to avoid paying an average anti-dumping duty rate of 73.3%. The financial damage caused by this fraudulent activity amounts to €6.5 million, with potential additional consequences of a financial and criminal nature.As a result of the investigations, a significant quantity of China-origin heavy plates has been held in Belgian ports. The exact volume has not been disclosed, but the investigations have led to the freezing of "substantial tonnages" of the product. The identity of the importer involved has not been revealed, although it is believed to be a trading company based in Western Europe.The imposition of definitive anti-dumping duties ranging from 65.1% to 73.7% on heavy steel plates from China in 2017 was intended to address unfair trade practices. Prior to the imposition of these duties, China was the dominant supplier of heavy plates to the EU, accounting for 50% (1.3 million tonnes) of all EU imports in 2015, according to Eurofer data.
European Union anti-fraud authorities have made a significant discovery, revealing a massive duty-circumvention scheme on steel imports from China. The scheme involved an EU-based importer evading the payment of anti-dumping duties through fraudulent import declarations. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor Office (EPPO) collaborated with customs authorities across EU member states to uncover this fraudulent activity.According to Eurofer, the regional steel industry association, the duty-circumvention scheme was focused on heavy plate imports from China. The importer intentionally misclassified the imported products to avoid paying an average anti-dumping duty rate of 73.3%. The financial damage caused by this fraudulent activity amounts to €6.5 million, with potential additional consequences of a financial and criminal nature.As a result of the investigations, a significant quantity of China-origin heavy plates has been held in Belgian ports. The exact volume has not been disclosed, but the investigations have led to the freezing of "substantial tonnages" of the product. The identity of the importer involved has not been revealed, although it is believed to be a trading company based in Western Europe.The imposition of definitive anti-dumping duties ranging from 65.1% to 73.7% on heavy steel plates from China in 2017 was intended to address unfair trade practices. Prior to the imposition of these duties, China was the dominant supplier of heavy plates to the EU, accounting for 50% (1.3 million tonnes) of all EU imports in 2015, according to Eurofer data.
