The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has initiated a mid-term review after a change in the name of an exporter from Korea in the anti-dumping investigation for imports of aluminum and zinc coated flat products used in solar projects from China PR, Vietnam, and Korea RP.

A mid-term review application was filed by KG Dongbu Steel company Limited (formerly known as Dongbu Steel Company Limited) for the final findings issued by DGTR recommending anti-dumping duty on these imports.

In its notification dated June 23, 2020, the government imposed anti-dumping duty on flat products originating from these countries. These aluminum and zinc coated flat products are used in solar projects. Solar modules are placed on mounting structures that are made of aluminum and zinc coated flat products.

The duty will be effective for five years from October 15, 2019, the effective date of the previously implemented provisional anti-dumping duty.

KG Dongbu Steel Company had filed a mid-term review application stating that the company had earlier issued 39.98% equity shares in favor of KG Steel, a member of the KG Group, making it the majority shareholder.

After this, the name of the company was changed to KG Dongbu Steel Company Limited. The company further claimed that given the same, all their exports would be in the name of KG Dongbu Steel Company Limited. Accordingly, the duty applicable to Dongbu Steel Company Limited should apply to KG Dongbu Steel Company Limited as the entity is the same.

The DGTR said that as the name of the company has changed, it considers it appropriate to conduct a mid-term review of the final findings and the anti-dumping duty imposed on the company. The authority further added that the review is limited to the aspect of change in name.

The DGTR added that any information regarding the present investigation should be submitted within 30 days from the day of the receipt of the notice.

The DGTR noted that if any interested party refuses access to and otherwise does not provide necessary information within a reasonable period, the authority may declare such an interested party as non- cooperative and record its findings based on the facts available to it.

JSW Steel Coated Products Limited, the domestic industry, had applied to the DGTR for the imposition of anti-dumping duty on imports of aluminum and zinc-coated flat products originating in or exported from China, Vietnam, and Korea.

The authority issued a public notice on April 2, 2019, initiating for an investigation to determine the existence, degree, and effect of the alleged dumping of the products, and to recommend the amount of anti-dumping duty, which if levied, would be adequate to remove the “alleged” injury to the domestic industry.

In July 2019, the DGTR issued its preliminary findings wherein it recommended the imposition of provisional anti-dumping duty on the imports of such products originating in or exported from China, Vietnam, and Korea.