The European Commission has published Regulation EU 502/2012 initiating an investigation of possible circumvention of anti dumping measures on imports of stainless steel fasteners originating in China via Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. 

The investigation, which has been initiated on the European Commission’s own initiative, commenced 14 June 2012. The Commission says it has prima facie evidence that anti dumping tariffs on stainless steel fasteners are being circumvented by means of transhipment via Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. This evidence includes changes in the pattern of trade involving exports of the products following the imposition of anti dumping tariffs under EU regulation 2/2012. 

The regulation instructs national customs authorities to register imports of the cited stainless steel products from the countries under investigation from the date it commenced. Under EU anti dumping law the Commission has the power to apply anti dumping tariffs retrospectively to imports received from the date the investigation commenced except where an exporter succeeds in obtaining an exemption.