Dubai: The United Arab Emirates could refer the United States to the World Trade Organisation over anti-dumping charges levied on steel pipes, a senior official said yesterday.
The US International Trade Commission announced on Friday it was taking measures against UAE, Oman and Pakistan in relation to circular welded carbon-quality steel pipes, after a Department of Commerce investigation found them to be sold in the United States for less than fair value.
The pipes are used in sprinklers, fences and plumbing systems.
“We are trying to solve it in consultation, bilaterally, with the US administration and we’ll try to solve it in consultation,” Abdulla Al Saleh, undersecretary for foreign trade and industry at the UAE ministry of economy, said.
“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 US market or harming the US market.”
Saleh said the industry doesn’t receive any subsidies from the government, which supported its claim that it didn’t pursue any unfair international trade practices.
There are already similar tensions between US airlines and Gulf carriers including Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways.
The US investigation began in October 2015 and follows a complaint from four American firms - two in Missouri, and one each in Illinois and California.
