Oman hopes to resolve anti-dumping issues.

Oman's Ministry of Commerce and Industry is hopeful of resolving anti-dumping duty issues with the US, Canada, India and Pakistan.

Speaking to Muscat Daily on the sidelines of a seminar on 'Investment Opportunities in the Automotive Sector' at the Crowne Plaza Muscat on Monday, H E Eng Ahmed bin Hassan al Dheeb, undersecretary at the ministry, said he is confident that Omani companies are not dumping their products into countries and that anti-dumping cases will be dropped after final investigations.

He said, “Anti-dumping duties have not been initiated and countries are actually carrying out investigations. We have taken initiatives and are coordinating with the concerned parties.

“The affected companies have also appointed lawyers. I believe Omani companies have trumped in earlier such legal action, and we are confident that we will win the latest cases as well, because we are sure that there has been no dumping of products from our side.

“We know very well what are the products and how these products are being exported.”

H E Eng Dheeb said that there has been

some misunderstanding about some of the policies and incentives that the government provides to local industries.

“And once we clarify this to countries which have initiated action we hope the cases will be dropped,” he added.

In May, the US government announced a preliminary anti-dumping duty on import of circular welded carbon quality steel pipes from Oman. The US Department of Commerce is to announce a final verdict on its investigation in October.

In December of 2010, India imposed anti-dumping duties on polypropylene manufacturers in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Singapore.

However, late last year the Indian government lifted the duty on Saudi Arabia, but Oman continues to be subject to Indian anti-dumping duties.

Regarding India's anti-dumping duty on polypropylene, H E Dheeb said, “We are still negotiating with India and defending our case. We will try to eliminate this duty on polypropylene exports.

“We are hoping for some positive outcome to emerge.”

In August, the Canadian government made a preliminary determination of dumping for certain carbon steel welded pipes or standard pipes exported from Oman.

Pakistan also imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty in August on biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film imported from Oman.


Source : muscatdaily.com