ISLAMABAD, March 30: The National Tariff Commission (NTC) on Friday imposed definitive anti-dumping duty for five years on imports of tiles into Pakistan originating in and or exported from China to provide protection to local industry.

The commission has levied a definitive anti-dumping duty in cases of such exports ranging from 14.85 per cent to 23.65 per cent of the CIF value for five years to be effective retrospectively from Nov 30, 2006. Exporter of tiles other than from China would not be subject to these definitive antidumping duties.

The tiles, which were subjected to anti-dumping duty include ceramic, porcelain, vitrified, granite wall and floor tiles in glazed, unglazed, polished, unpolished finish classified under Pakistan Customs Tariff Code 6907.1000, 6907.9000, 6908.1000 and 6908.9000. These tiles are used in residential constructions, industrial, commercial and public buildings.

An official announcement said that the NTC initiated an investigation on March 27, 2006 on dumping of tiles. This investigation was initiated in response to an application filed with the NTC by M/s Master Tiles and Ceramic Industries Limited on behalf of domestic industry manufacturing tiles under the Pakistan Anti-Dumping Duties Ordinance, 2000.

In the application filed by Pakistan’s domestic industry, the applicant identified 219 exporters from China involved in dumping of tiles. The NTC directly sent questionnaires to all the exporters whose addresses were either known to the NTC or who identified themselves as exporters or producers in response to the notice of initiation of investigation. Nine exporters and 10 producers responded to the NTC’s questionnaire.

As required under the law, the NTC after the initiation of investigation, sent questionnaires to the exporters and importers of the investigated product, asking them to provide information within the statutory time period of 37 days. The officers of the commission carried out on the spot investigation at the premises of the domestic industry, exporters and producers of the investigated product.

The NTC examined and analyzed the information received from all interested parties in the investigation and made a preliminary determination on Nov 30, 2006. Upon reaching preliminary determination of dumping, injury and causal link, the NTC imposed provisional antidumping duties (equal to the amount of dumping margin established for each exporter) on dumped imports for period of four months with effect from Nov 30, 2006.

After preliminary determination, the NTC held a hearing on Feb 3, where the interested parties presented their views before the NTC. Interested parties submitted post-hearing briefs of their views on particular issues to the commission, which have been considered by the NTC in the final determination.

This is the 21st investigation conducted under the Pakistan’s Antidumping Duties Ordinance, 2000, where the NTC has imposed definitive antidumping duty. The previous cases involved exporters of various products from South Africa, Indonesia, France, Taiwan, South Korea, Iran, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Thailand and China.