Tuesday 09/December/2025 – 11:37 AM
Contract of the Ministry of Trade Processors Sector Investment And Foreign Trade – the Egyptian Investigative Authority – held a public hearing on December 9, 2025 with the participation of all concerned parties, within the framework of achieving preventive measures on imports of semi-finished products of iron or non-alloy steel (billet).
Temporary protective fees were imposed on these imports from all countries of the world at a rate of 16.2% for a period of 200 days, and the application of these fees began on September 14, 2025.
With the participation of Ezz Steel…a hearing to investigate dumping duties on iron and billet imports
This decision comes within the framework of the Egyptian government’s keenness to improve and protect the investment climate and provide all means to ensure fair competition in local markets, as is the case with all member states of the World Trade Organization, in light of adherence to the rules and provisions of international agreements related to trade treatments under the umbrella of the organization and in line with Egyptian Law No. 161 of 1998 and its executive regulations and amendments in this regard.
This decision also came against the backdrop of the large and unexpected increase in the volume of imports and its negative effects on the performance of the local industry, in light of what global events and unexpected developments impose.
Investigation procedures are conducted in accordance with the international agreements of the World Trade Organization, Egyptian Law No. 161 of 1998 and its executive regulations and its amendments, ensuring full compliance with international trade rules, achieving fair competition and protecting the local industry, taking into account the public interest of the Egyptian state and the needs of the rest of the industrial sectors.
Temporary preventive fees are collected through letters of guarantee provided by importers, provided that they are returned if the investigation ends without the conditions for imposing final measures in this regard being met. Fees are also refunded on raw materials used in products exported abroad in accordance with the applicable temporary permit and drawdown systems.
The investigating authority confirms that the start of preventive investigation procedures and the imposition of temporary precautionary fees does not necessarily mean the end of the investigation with the imposition of final fees, as the investigation procedures take 6 months from the date of its start, during which all measures are taken to ensure that all parties concerned are given a full opportunity to defend their interests, by responding to lists of questions and analyzing those responses and comments submitted, and conducting field verification visits to the local industry, users and importers, and holding public hearings to present opinions and provide defenses on the extent to which the application of the preventive measure is compatible with the public interest. Before making the final decision.
The investigating authority also confirms that imposing duties does not aim to close the market to imports, but rather to ensure their entry in a manner that protects both the local industry and the consumer. Items that are not produced locally and are included in the same customs terms as the local product and are necessary for other industries are excluded from the scope of investigation and applicable fees, in order not to harm national production chains. Importing some production requirements from the countries under investigation does not negate the right of the local industry to request protection for the final products that it manufactures.
The investigating authority also confirms its commitment to impartiality, objectivity and transparency in studying all comments received from concerned parties. Representatives of the governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman, Ukraine, India, Russia, and Indonesia participated in the public hearing, in addition to the Office of the Technical Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, as well as representatives of exporters from those countries.
The Federation of Chambers of Commerce and representatives of billet rolling companies for the production of rebar, including Al-Ashry Steel Company, Medina Steel Company, Al-Jarhi Steel Group of Companies, and Ayad Steel, also participated, in the presence of the complaining industry, represented by the Suez Steel Company, the Egyptian Steel Group, and the Ezz Steel Group, along with other producers, including Al-Marakby Steel.
