Anti-dumping: A Growing Problem in International Trade

Abstract

This paper discusses the issue of anti‐dumping (AD) proliferation. AD is used more frequently, by more countries, and against more products than ever in its history. I review AD filing patterns with an emphasis on the scope of countries and industries seeking protection. Recent trends suggest that the widespread embrace of AD protection makes the prospect for AD reform increasingly unlikely. AD is no longer being used solely by high‐income developed countries. It is increasingly being used by middle‐income and even lower‐income countries. New users have chosen to use AD very intensively. Per dollar of imports the new users have filed AD cases up to 15–20 times more frequently than the traditional AD users such as the US and EU. The evolving set of AD users complicates AD negotiations. In the near term, strong opposition by the US and EU makes reform a highly unlikely outcome. In the longer run, rising use of AD against the US and EU could conceivably weaken their support for AD; yet, the same trends that might finally cause the US and EU to realise AD is a failed policy will likely make reform impossible.

The Openness of National Economies: The World and Russia

“…Anti-dumping has long been the contingency measure of choice and its prominence has increased over the past two decades. The number of countries using anti-dumping has increased fivefold and the annual number of anti-dumping initiations has more than doubled (Prusa, 2005). Figure E.2 shows a discernible difference in the pattern of anti-dumping activity of countries before and after entering into a PTA.…”

China's Anti‐dumping Problems and Mitigation through Regional Trade Agreements

“…Many scholars believe that it is the current structure of multilateral rules on AD under the WTO that allows widespread use of AD protection. Prusa (2005) proposed that the Doha Round may be the last chance to significantly reform AD rules. However, since the current principle of Consensus in WTO makes it almost difficult to gain unanimity among the member states that have divergent interests, it seems that the effective way to improve AD disciplines may lie at regional level.…”

Biases in Calculating Dumping Margins: The Case of Cyclical Products

“…At the same time as dumping investigations increase, the anti-dumping trade remedy rules are increasingly and extensively criticized in the literature (see for example Staiger, 2005, Irwin, 2005and Prusa, 2005. Anti-dumping duties are retaliatory tariffs placed on imported goods that are deemed to have been "dumped" on the domestic market by foreign firms.…”