Department of Foreign and Trade (PDF - 43 Kb) - Productivity ...
Department of Foreign and Trade (PDF - 43 Kb) - Productivity ...
Department of Foreign and Trade (PDF - 43 Kb) - Productivity ...
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(v) Proposals to enhance transparency<br />
5.9 At this stage <strong>of</strong> the negotiations, there appears to be broad support for<br />
proposals to improve transparency in the investigation <strong>of</strong> dumping <strong>and</strong> countervail<br />
cases <strong>and</strong> the application <strong>of</strong> related measures. If adopted, enhanced transparency<br />
requirements under the two agreements would likely necessitate extension <strong>of</strong> the<br />
period <strong>of</strong> time available for investigations <strong>and</strong>/or findings to be finalised. For<br />
example, our anti-dumping investigations must be completed within 155 days,<br />
amongst the swiftest in the world. Increased requirements for transparency <strong>and</strong> due<br />
process could put pressure on these timeframes<br />
6. <strong>Trade</strong> Remedies in Practice<br />
6.1 Australia is perceived as a traditionally active user <strong>of</strong> trade remedies,<br />
alongside other developed countries including the United States, the European<br />
Community <strong>and</strong> Canada. However, developing countries, particularly India <strong>and</strong><br />
China, are increasingly imposing anti-dumping duties on imported products.<br />
Whereas in the period 1996 to 1998 only four <strong>of</strong> the top ten users <strong>of</strong> anti-dumping<br />
measures were developing countries (see table 1), in the period 2006-2008 eight <strong>of</strong><br />
the top ten, including the top two users <strong>of</strong> anti-dumping measures, were developing<br />
countries (see table 2).<br />
6.2 Australian products are rarely subject to anti-dumping duties. Most antidumping<br />
duties are applied on products from developing countries, with more than<br />
one-third <strong>of</strong> all anti-dumping duties imposed by WTO Members (including 85 per<br />
cent <strong>of</strong> AD duties imposed by the United States) imposed on products from China<br />
(see table 3).<br />
6.3 Since the birth <strong>of</strong> the WTO, countervailing duties have been imposed<br />
primarily on products from developing countries (see table 4). Only one product from<br />
Australia has been subjected to countervail measures by a WTO Member: the<br />
European Communities imposed countervailing duties on ‘synthetic polyester fibres’<br />
from Australia in 2000. In the period 2006 to 2008, products from China accounted<br />
for 69 per cent <strong>of</strong> countervail measures imposed by WTO Members. Only one<br />
countervail measure was imposed on a product from a developing country in the same<br />
period (see table 5).<br />
6.4 The United States was the most active user <strong>of</strong> countervailing measures in the<br />
period 2006-2008, applying more than half <strong>of</strong> all countervailing measures applied<br />
globally, all against products from developing countries – China (7), India (1) <strong>and</strong><br />
Indonesia (1). Brazil was the only developing country to apply countervailing<br />
measures in the same period (see table 6).