The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has decided to revoke the duties imposed on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Germany and Italy. The US were the second biggest market for EU steel exports in 2010, a sector whose exports are estimated at 32 billion euro. Lifting the duty against European exports would resolve one of the EU’s long standing trade irritants with the US.

Stainless steel sheet and strip products are used in consumer and industrial applications where the corrosion resistance, heat resistance, or design characteristics of stainless steel are required. Since 1999, the US has imposed anti-dumping duties on Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Germany and Italy as well as other countries at 13.48% and 11.23% of the US import price.

Further to some preliminary conclusions of the US Department of Commerce (US DOC) which pointed out to an eventual continuation of dumping, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) decided that injury was not likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time. This decision has been published by the Federal Register ordering that the anti-dumping duties against Italy and Germany will be revoked from 25 July 2010.

This revocation could also resolve a World Trade Organization dispute between the EU and the US concerning the refusal of the US to correct a calculation error made in the original investigation. The European Union requested for a dispute settlements on April 2011 based on the US' failure to correct the calculation error with regard to Italy in the results of the preliminary review. If the order to revoke the duty in place remains final, the EU would not need to pursue further the issue in the WTO.