Canada Launches Second Exclusions Inquiry For Steel Products

On January 15, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal began a second inquiry for exclusion requests concerning imports of certain heavy steel plate and stainless steel wire products that are currently subject to Canada’s steel safeguard measures.

Interested parties must complete and submit exclusion request forms no later than January 31, 2020. Click here for more information on how to complete the forms. Responses from parties who oppose exclusion requests must be filed no later than February 11, 2020, and then the parties requesting exclusions have an opportunity to file reply submissions by February 18, 2020.

As the law firm Tereposky & DeRose reminds readers, the Notice of Commencement for the exclusions inquiry provides that the Tribunal must determine whether or not there is at least one domestic source of supply for goods that are the subject of an exclusion request, or whether there is a Canadian manufacturer with a commercially viable plan to produce such goods in Canada. Where specific products are not made in Canada and must therefore be sourced from other countries, imports of such goods cannot be said to be causing or threatening to cause injury to Canadian steel producers.

The Tribunal is expected to report its findings and decisions to the Department of Finance no later than March 13, 2020.