The Tariff Commission of the Philippines has announced the commencement of an investigation into the potential expansion of anti-dumping duties on cement imports from Vietnam. The probe, which began on 27 November, was initiated following requests from domestic manufacturers to extend the measure to include additional types of cement and manufacturers. A preliminary conference is scheduled for 6 December.
The investigation focusses on the anti-dumping duties currently applied to imports of ordinary Portland Cement Type 1 and Blended Cement Type 1P from Vietnam. Republic Cement & Building Materials, Inc, Holcim Philippines, Inc, and CEMEX Holdings Philippines, Inc have jointly requested an interim review of the scope of these duties. Specifically, the industry has asked to include Blended Cement Type 1T under the anti-dumping measure.
In addition, NCL Trading Joint Stock Co, a foreign exporter, has requested a review of the anti-dumping duty imposed on ordinary Portland Cement Type 1 from Vietnam.
The Tariff Commission noted in its official notice that the requests for review raised overlapping legal and factual questions. As a result, the commission will consolidate the requests into a single interim review, with the domestic industry designated as the petitioner.
Anti-dumping duties on ordinary Portland Cement Type 1 and Blended Cement Type 1P imports from Vietnam were first imposed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in December 2022 and later updated in February 2023. The measures are set to remain in effect for five years.
In March 2023, the Bureau of Customs issued Customs Memorandum Order 05-2023, enforcing definitive anti-dumping duties on Vietnamese cement imports. The duties range from 2.33 per cent to 23.33 per cent, depending on the exporting company.
The outcome of the current review will determine whether the anti-dumping duties will be expanded to additional cement types and manufacturers, as sought by the domestic industry.
