No need to file hard copy of application for seeking anti-dumping or safeguard probe: DGTR

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the Commerce Ministry, has said that there is no need for an applicant seeking a probe for anti-dumping or safeguard or countervailing duties to file a hard copy of the application.

In a trade notice, the directorate said that in the wake of lockdown due to COVID-19 outbreak, it has become essential to make "temporary" changes in the investigation process to facilitate interested parties to apply for and participate in probes as well as enable officers to conduct investigations.

As a temporary measure, it said for filing of applications, "there shall be no necessity of filing of a hard copy (or paper copy) of the application or any supporting document".

It said that the applications may be signed, scanned and emailed with supporting documents to '[e-mail]'.

For filing of submissions for the ongoing investigations, the DGTR said interested parties should file questionnaire responses, submissions and any other communication by email.

Oral hearings/consultations would be held through video conferencing, it added.

Since it would not be possible for the investigation teams to undertake on-site visits to verify the information provided by interested parties, all parties should ensure provision of all supporting data/information in respect of the submissions made, it said.

"This trade notice shall be valid till June 30," it added.

The DGTR had earlier launched an online system -- ARTIS -- for filing anti-dumping applications by domestic industry with an aim to facilitate speedy resolution of dumping issues.

The directorate, investigation arm of the ministry, deals with anti-dumping duty, safeguard duty, and countervailing duty.

These duties are trade remedy measures, provided under an agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to its member countries.

They are used to provide a level playing field to domestic industry in case of dumping of goods, significant increase in imports and subsidised imports.

In 2018-19, DGTR had initiated 24 anti-dumping (both fresh and review) investigations and issued final findings in 50 such cases.

During the same fiscal, it started five countervailing duty probes, while one safeguard measure investigation was also finalised during the period.