Reasons for the review

The reasons for the review are that:

• South Africa’s steel value chains are facing serious sustainability challenges due to worldwide steel production overcapacity, increased trade protectionist measures and associated trade diversions in the global space;
• Various contributory socio-economic factors which are exacerbating the problem being faced; and
• South Africa’s internal challenges in respect of an influx of low priced and quality imports which have a detrimental impact the country’s socio-economic goals.

In practical terms this means:

• Necessitating emergency action as envisaged in Article XIX of the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs.
• Favouring raw material input support measures, which are measures that reduce input prices on scrap, iron-ore, coking coal and any other feedstock material used in the production of steel.
• The potential discontinuation of various rebate items due to their unintended negative consequences in the domestic manufacturing industry.
• The possible creation of rebate provisions for the importation of targeted input products used in manufacturing activities.
• Consideration of ‘alternative’ measures to ad valorem customs duties.
• The possible introduction of import controls of certain products.
• The possible introduction of an import surveillance system to help address, amongst other things, circumvention of import duties, customs fraud, misdeclaration, under-invoicing and other unlawful activities.
• Proposals on the identification of additional high-risk steel products to be prioritised in the development of compulsory specifications and standards, in collaboration with the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications.

Deadline for submissions

Representations to the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) must be made by 16 April 2025 via the following channels:

ITAC Ref: 20/2024

Contact people:           Diphetogo Rathete; Pfarelo Phaswana;
                                    Nonqubeko Sikhakhana and Princess Matsepane.

Telephone:                  012 394 3683; 012 394 3628; 012 394 3835;
                                    012 394 3699

Email:                          drathete@itac.org.za; pphaswana@itac.org.za;
                                    nsikhakhana@itac.org.za; pmatsepane@itac.org.za