#AntiDumping putting thousands of jobs at risk, Commission told

The European Commission is being urged to investigate alleged “anti-dumping” practices that are putting “thousands of jobs” in Europe at risk, writes Martin Banks.

The harmful trading practices are said to come mostly from China and affect Europe’s wind steel tower industry which manufacture the towers for wind turbines.

It is claimed China and other Asian nations have sought to get round EU anti-dumping measures by shipping whole towers into some European countries, in particular Spain, France, Denmark, Germany, the Czech Republic and Portugal.

Anti-dumping measures, introduced in early 2016, targeted steel plates, one of the materials used in the manufacture of steel towers.

European producers of steel towers say the importation of the products, usually at a price which is substantially less than is charged in Europe, seriously undermines the sector here.

As steel towers can weigh up to 100 tonnes and are 35 metres in length they are often transported in up to six different sections.

The European producers also point out that Asian manufacturers are not subject to the same strict legal environmental and social regulations as their European counterparts.

Speaking at a news briefing in Brussels, Goncalo Lobo Xavier, of EWTA, a Brussels-based association aiming to promote and support European steel towers manufactures, called on the commission to launch an investigation into “these harmful trading practices.”

He said: “China and others are circumnavigating the EU’s anti-dumping measures by shipping in complete steel towers, as opposed to just parts used in their manufacture, as in the past.

“They are seriously undercutting the industry here and, of course, are not subject to the same rules and regulations as European producers. It all amounts to an unfair playing field and this is putting the steel tower industry here at serious risk.

“We are merely asking for everyone to abide by the same rules and regulations.”

The European trade market faces a “troubling future” because of this “unfair competition from Asia” which was partly a side effect of the antidumping case against China.

The EWTA says that the current tariffs on steel and aluminium  by the US also “puts in prejudice this European industry, its growth and jobs”.

Xavier told reporters: “Thousands of European jobs and companies are in danger of disappearing. In fact, it is already happening with the closure of some steel tower producers.

“We are not afraid of competition but we need to defend European jobs and companies and safeguard this sector from these harmful trading practices. Our companies respect  issues environmental and other issues but do others to the same?”

The main affected countries in Europe include Spain, France and Denmark.

He also voiced concern about the possible impact of both the US steel tariffs on the EU, Mexico and Canada and also the current trade spat between the US and China, saying, “A trade war is in no-one’s interest. It will, contrary to what it is designed to do, adversely affect the US market and US steel and aluminium producers. It is difficult to predict exactly what sort  of impact this will have on the market here but this kind of trade war is not good for our companies either.”

Further comment came from Markus Scheithauer, also of the EWTA, who added: “We urge the European Commission and the steel industry to confront this reality and investigate what is going on.

“The reason we are here today is to raise awareness, both at EU level and among the public, about what is happening. We get the  impression that not a lot is known about this. But it needs action and action now because we need to protect our workforce and our industry. This is just a first step but we hope our voice will be heard.”

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