HL Deb 19 March 1997 vol 579 cc68-9WA
Lord Pearson of Rannoch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

With regard to the European Community's anti-dumping duties imposed by Commission Decisions 67/94/ECSC and 1751/94/ECSC on imports of pig iron from Brazil, Poland, Russia and the Ukraine, (a) whether they have carried out any studies as to the cost of these measures to United Kingdom iron foundries and manufacturing industry, and, if not, whether they will do so; (b) whether they support the measures, and, if so, why; and (c) if not, what measures, if any, they propose to take to have these decisions withdrawn.

Lord Fraser of Carmyllie

On 10 April 1996, the European Commission initiated a review of the anti-dumping duties imposed by Commission Decisions 67/94/ECSC and 1751/94/ECSC (and also 55/96/ECSC covering the Czech Republic). The review will assess the state of the EU pig iron market and the impact on it of the duties, as the basis for a decision on whether or not they should be prolonged. When consulted about the original imposition of the duties, a majority of member states—including the UK—opposed them because the Commission had failed to take account of user interests. However, under the ECSC treaty, the Commission has sole competence to impose or prolong anti-dumping measures on ECSC products.