UAE may refer US to WTO over steel pipe dumping charges

The United Arab Emirates may refer the U.S. to the World Trade Organization (WTO) over anti-dumping charges on steel pipes, said Abdulla al-Saleh, undersecretary for foreign trade and industry at the UAE ministry of economy, cited by Reuters.

The U.S. International Trade Commission announced on Friday that it would issue antidumping duty orders on imports of circular welded carbon-quality steel pipes from the UAE, Oman, and Pakistan. The pipes are used in sprinklers, fences and plumbing systems.

Imports of the product from these three countries are sold in the U.S. “at less than fair value,” the Commission said in a statement.

In response to the announcement, Al-Saleh told reporters in Dubai that the UAE is trying to solve the issue bilaterally with the U.S. government.

“If that doesn't work, we may – and we haven’t decided yet – have another option to go through the WTO channel. It depends on the case and the evidence that we have. But we believe we don’t practice any measure that (results in) dumping in the U.S. market or harming the U.S. market.”

The steel industry in the UAE is not subsidized by the government, the official added.