Commercial Information Circulars
24-hour hotline : 23 922 922
e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Ref. : EIC 191/2
EIC 191/3
EIC 191/3/7/1
16 October 2018
Dear Sirs,
Commercial Information Circular No. 920/2018
Canada : Provisional Safeguard Measures (Tariff-rate Quota) on Certain Steel Imports – 25% Surtax for Exceeding Specified Quota
The Government of Canada announced on 11 October 2018 that Canada is imposing provisional safeguards, in the form of tariff rate quotas (TRQ) on imports of seven steel products: (1) heavy plate, (2) concrete reinforcing bar, (3) energy tubular products, (4) hot-rolled sheet, (5) pre-painted steel, (6) stainless steel wire, and (7) wire rod, which will take effect on 25 October 2018.
DETAILS
2.The provisional safeguards will be in the form of TRQ, with a 25 % surtax applied to imports of the above seven products that exceed a specified quantity threshold. Products subject to the provisional safeguards are set out in Annex (pdf format). The provisional safeguard measures apply to steel goods imported from all countries except certain countries including the US, Chile, Mexico, Israel, etc.
3.The TRQs will be administered in four consecutive periods of 50 days as follows:
- 25 October to 13 December 2018
- 14 December 2018 to 1 February 2019
- 2 February to 23 March 2019
- 24 March to 12 May 2019
4.The quantity of goods that may be imported under each TRQ in each fifty-day period is as follows:
| Product | Quota for each 50-day period (tonnes) | Total 200-day quota (tonnes) | Maximum share of total quota for any single country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy plate | 12,918 | 51,672 | 23 % |
| Concrete reinforcing bar | 35,332 | 141,328 | 23 % |
| Energy tubular products | 64,348 | 257,392 | 23 % |
| Hot-rolled sheet | 15,299 | 61,196 | 37 % |
| Pre-painted steel | 11,635 | 46,540 | 35 % |
| Stainless steel wire | 467 | 1,868 | 25 % |
| Wire rod | 11,513 | 46,052 | 47 % |
5.The TRQs are administered by way of shipment-specific import permits (specific permits) issued on a first-come, first-served basis and the application period will open on 25 October 2018. Once imports originating in any one country account for a specific percentage of a TRQ, as set out above, specific permits will no longer be issued for imports originating in that country. Goods that originate in that country may continue to enter Canada under certain conditions.
6.For further details of the above safeguard measures, please refer to the relevant notice issued by Global Affairs Canada (http://www.international.gc.ca/controls-controles/steel-acier/notices-avis/911.aspx?lang=eng).
ENQUIRIES
7.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at 2398 5682.
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Ivy TAM)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry
Note: While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.