AMSA loses bid for 120% safeguard duties

NEASA – the National Employers Association of South Africa – have had a long running campaign to highlight what they think are issues that are hurting the local steel processing industry – the downstream industry players. ‘The effect of the toxic combination of Import Duties and AMSA’s inability to supply’ are the main topics that NEASA have been concerned with.

“During the course of June 2020, AMSA (ArcelorMittal South Africa) applied for import duty protection of 120% on certain long products. NEASA (National Employers Association of South Africa) opposed the application. Many companies contributed towards costs in this regard and we express our sincere gratitude for that,” said CEO Gerhard Papenfus.

“We have been notified that the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) has decided to recommend that AMSA’s request in this regard must not be adhered to.”

“This development is the first victory in the battle against the multitude of duties that are wreaking havoc in the Steel Downstream. There are still pending duties on nine new tariff codes of coated products. NEASA has opposed this application and the safeguard duties on hot-rolled coil, which were unlawfully extended and subsequently challenged in the Pretoria High Court by Macsteel. The case is still pending.”

“In respect of the latest victory, we wish to remind you that when the safeguard duties on hot-rolled coil were implemented, ITAC also made a recommendation that it is “not in the public interest” to introduce duties. However, only a few weeks later, mysteriously, the wording was changed to it being “in the public interest” and the duties were implemented. Up until now, no explanation for this change has been forthcoming. We can only hope that such a suspicious intervention will never repeat itself.”

NEASA provides all employers, regardless of business size and industry, access to affordable, top quality labour law services, as well as other labour services. NEASA passionately defends the interests of employers nationally across all industries and multiple bargaining councils. Their presence is visible on all appropriate forums (parliament, courts and the media), and they are one of South Africa’s leading collective bargaining role players. NEASA is known to be South Africa’s most prominent lobbyist for the rights of employers.

The National Employers Association of South Africa commands a substantial presence in all sectors and industries in South Africa. NEASA is currently represented on the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC), Motor Industry Bargaining Council (MIBCO) and the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI).