Wed, Jul 9 09:29 PM
GENEVA, (Reuters) - The number of new anti-dumping investigations continued to fall in the second half of 2007, as did the number of final measures against unfairly priced imports, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said on Wednesday.
A WTO statement showed that Asian countries, led by China, were again the most frequent targets of investigations and new measures on dumping -- exporting goods for sale at prices lower than the cost of producing them.
The trend, continuing a decline in the first half, suggests that trade tensions are easing globally and contradicts widespread fears of growing protectionism.
But the pace of decline slowed, with the number of new investigations down seven percent in the second half of 2007, compared with a year earlier, against a fall of nearly a half in the first six months.
In the second half of 2007 a total of 14 countries initiated 101 new investigations, against 109 a year earlier.
A total of 13 members applied 58 new anti-dumping measures, against 66 a year earlier, a 12 percent decline.
Developed countries initiated 45 of the 101 new investigations and applied 13 of the 58 new measures.
China was the most frequent target of the new investigations, with 40 directed at its exports, followed by South Korea and Thailand with 8 each.
China was also the most common target of new anti-dumping measures, with 26, followed by Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan with 4 each.
India reported the biggest number of new investigations, with 31, followed by the United States with 24 and South Korea with 10.
India imposed the most new measures with 16, followed by Brazil with 8 and China and the European Union with 7 each.
Machinery and equipment were the most common sector targeted, with 23 new investigations, followed by chemicals with 18 and textiles with 11.
Chemicals were the sector most affected by new measures, with 23, followed by machinery and equipment with 12 and textiles with 4.
