Expiry Review of Hot-rolled Steel Order

Summary#

• The Canadian International Trade Tribunal has opened an expiry review of an anti‑dumping order on certain hot‑rolled carbon steel plates from the People’s Republic of China (Expiry Review RR-2023-002).
• The Tribunal has also decided to hold an inquiry into a procurement complaint from Malvern Panalytical, a Division of Spectris Canada Inc. (Malvern) about a National Research Council purchase of a particle size analyzer.

What it does#

• Expiry review of steel order
  • Starts an expiry review under the Special Import Measures Act to decide whether ending the 2018 order would likely let dumping continue or resume.
  • Covers hot‑rolled carbon steel plate in widths from 24 in. (+/- 610 mm) to 152 in. (+/- 3,860 mm) and thicknesses from 0.187 in. (+/- 4.75 mm) to 4.0 in. (+/- 101.6 mm), with several specific exclusions noted in the notice.
  • The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will first decide whether dumping is likely to continue or resume; it must provide its determination within 150 days after notice was received (stated as no later than December 7, 2023).
  • If the CBSA finds dumping likely, the Tribunal will then decide whether that dumping would likely cause injury to the Canadian industry and will issue its order and reasons by May 15, 2024.
  • Procedural dates mentioned in the notice include distribution of the record on January 29, 2024 and a public hearing beginning March 4, 2024. The notice also states that parties had to file notices of participation and representation on or before July 25, 2023 (as listed in the original notice).
• Procurement inquiry
  • The Tribunal accepted a complaint (File PR-2023-041) from Malvern Panalytical about Solicitation 23-58122 by the National Research Council of Canada.
  • Malvern alleges the successful bidder did not meet the solicitation’s mandatory requirements. The Tribunal decided on December 5, 2023 to conduct an inquiry into that complaint.

Who's affected#

• For the expiry review:
  • Canadian steel producers and domestic manufacturers that use hot‑rolled carbon steel plate.
  • Importers, exporters, and sellers of the specified hot‑rolled plate from the People’s Republic of China.
  • Customs and border officials (the CBSA) and legal representatives who participate in trade remedy reviews.
• For the procurement inquiry:
  • Malvern Panalytical and the successful bidder for Solicitation 23-58122.
  • The National Research Council of Canada as the contracting authority.
  • Suppliers and bidders who compete for similar government laboratory equipment contracts.
• If anything above is unclear in the original notice (for example the mix of dates spanning 2023 and 2024), the Tribunal’s published documents are the authoritative source.

Why it matters#

• The expiry review could affect prices, availability, or import duties on the specified hot‑rolled steel plate. If anti‑dumping measures stay in place, some imports may continue to face duties; if the order is allowed to expire, imports could become cheaper or more plentiful.
• The procurement inquiry matters to companies that bid on government contracts. A finding that the winning bidder failed to meet requirements can lead to remedies, change how future bids are evaluated, and affect public confidence in fair procurement.
• Both items show how trade and government purchasing disputes are handled publicly in Canada, and they create timelines for businesses and stakeholders who want to participate or follow the outcomes.