The European Commission announced on December 14 that it would launch an anti-dumping investigation against certain steel imports from China. The move has incurred criticism from steel users in the region.

Anti-dumping measures against steel imports from China will certainly impair the interests of European steel users, said Adrian Harris, secretary general of Orgalime, the European federation representing the interests of the European mechanical, electrical, electronic, and metal articles industries.

Europe is now facing a supply shortage and imports from China perfectly fill the gap, said Harris.

"Steel prices by EU mills are high and steel users have to import from China to stay competitive," he said, pledging to offer strong arguments to the European Commission in the course of the investigation.

"It doesn't hold water for the commission to protect the interests of the 200,000 to 300,000 employees in the steel industry while sacrificing those of the over 7 million people working in the metal processing and equipment manufacturing industries," Harris said.

For more details, please read the full story in Chinese (http://www.bbtnews.com.cn/international/channel/political34828.shtml).

(China.org.cn December 17, 2007)