Tariff break extended on Chinese ferroalloy

The European Union delayed for an extra 12 months the introduction of tariffs on a ferroalloy from China and Kazakhstan, prolonging relief for the EU steel industry.

The EU suspended duties as high as 8.2 per cent on silicomanganese, used by steelmakers including ArcelorMittal, until Sept. 6, 2009, because prices of the raw material remain "high." Last December, the EU postponed the levies for nine months because supply shortages reduced the risk that European silicomanganese producers would be hurt by "dumped," imports.

The EU is trying to strike a balance between the interests of European ferroalloy producers such as Spain's Ferroatlantica SL and users including Luxembourg-based ArcelorMittal. Ferroalloy association Euroalliages has demanded duties to punish non-EU exporters for dumping while the Eurofer steel group has said such trade protection raises costs. – Toronto Star