New reforms to improve Australia’s manufacturing competitiveness when faced with dumping

The Australian Government is bolstering Australia’s anti-dumping system with a range of reforms to ensure Australian industry is in the strongest position to compete on a level playing field, while complying with international trade rules.

Minister for Industry, Ian Macfarlane, and Parliamentary Secretary, Bob Baldwin, announced the reforms which will ensure that Australian manufacturers and producers have access to the assistance and information they need about the anti-dumping system. “Australia supports free trade, but free trade should also be fair trade,” Mr Macfarlane said. “The dumping of goods from overseas is harmful to Australian businesses and action can be taken to prevent this behaviour under World Trade Organization rules. Where local companies are being injured by dumping practices they are able to seek trade remedies. The Government’s reform package not only delivers on our election commitments but also introduces additional measures to strengthen the anti-dumping system and respond to industry concerns. “The changes will ensure that while Australia becomes increasingly open to trade, Australian industry is not left vulnerable to dumping by foreign companies.” Mr Baldwin said the new measures would place a significant onus on foreign exporters to cooperate in anti-dumping investigations, provide a range of new support services for Australian companies who access the system and streamline a number of processes. “One of the significant outcomes of these reforms is that overseas exporters who choose not to cooperate with anti-dumping investigations will face higher dumping duties and have interim measures imposed as early as possible,” Mr Baldwin said.

“The Government is implementing a range of new and expanded information and support services for Australian companies. These include using the AusIndustry business hotline to triage enquiries, tripling the number of International Trade Remedy Advisers to better manage the increasing workload and establishing an Anti-Dumping Information Service to provide consumer information and undertake economic analysis of trends and trading behaviours across markets. Changes will also be introduced to improve the way the merits review of anti-dumping is undertaken by the Anti-Dumping Review Panel. They include raising the legal threshold for applications, introducing a conference mechanism for all parties and introducing a scaled fee for applications.” The reforms will be complemented by a range of technical amendments to modernise Australia’s anti-dumping laws. This includes reforms to address practices where products are slightly modified to avoid the payment of dumping duties.

Photo by Charlie McKillop:  “Australian tinned tomatoes have had to compete with dumped imports”