Rs400m fine imposes in 19 investigations under Anti-Dumping Duties Ordinance
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—National Tariff Commission (NTC), under the Anti-Dumping Duties Ordinance 2000 has imposed a fine of Rs 400 million in 19 investigations.
"Since 2001, the Commission has carried out 24 anti-dumping investigations, out of which 19 affirmative final determinations of dumping and injury were made, and appropriate anti-dumping duties have been imposed in 19 investigations after due process, for a period of five years," Acting Chairman NTC, Muhammad Ikram Arif disclosed here on Tuesday during a presentation on Trade Defence Laws in NTC. He said five investigations were terminated without imposing anti-dumping duty, on the basis of Commission's finding that the domestic industry had not suffered material injury during the period of investigation.
He said the investigations were conducted by the Commission to counter unfair trade according to procedure laid down in the respective laws adding that a distinguished feature of these investigations was transparency and its rule based system. "The Commission's determinations in this regard are challengeable, domestically, in the Appellate Tribunal prescribed in Pakistan's anti-dumping law as well as, internationally, in the WTO Dispute Settlement Body, Geneva," he added.
However, so far no case has been challenged in Dispute Settlement Body, while under the writ jurisdiction, many importers in an anti-dumping investigation went to superior courts where due process observed by the Commission was upheld. Pakistan has promulgated Anti-Dumping Duties Ordinance 2000, Countervailing Duties Ordinance 2001 and Safeguard Measures Ordinance 2002. National Tariff Commission, established under National Tariff Commission Act 1990, has been empowered to implement and administer these laws which involve investigations and determinations followed by levying of duties on imports where warranted to counter the unfair trade practices.
Dumping occurs if a company sells a product at a lower price in an export market than its domestic market. Similarly, subsidy refers to a financial contribution given by a government to its industry which confers additional benefit to the recipient. The Commission also renders advice to the Government on various trade-related issues, including providing protection and improving thecompetitiveness of the indigenous industry, promoting exports from Pakistan and on pre-budget and post-budget exercises to rationalize tariff structure.
Ikram Arif said that in order to create awareness of these laws in the business community, the Commission in last three years had conducted more than fifty seminars at different forums including chambers of commerce and industry, academic institutions and professional bodies. "Pakistan's domestic industry is being encouraged to make use of the remedies available under these laws if they are facing undue competition due to unfair trade or surge in imports from any country," he added.
He said that for this purpose the Commission had established a pre-application counselling Section for providing assistance to the domestic industry in collecting required evidences and information and filling up of questionnaire for initiating action under the relevant laws.
The Commission also helps domestic industry in handling cases initiated against them by investigating authorities of foreign government under the trade defence laws.
Due to high quality and professional standards maintained by the Commission, former Chairman of the Commission was selected for resolution of disputes at the WTO Dispute Settlement Body as a panelist.
Industries facing problems of unfair trade practices of dumping and subsidization are always welcome at the Commission for assistance for redressal of unfair trade practices.