Gulf companies urged to complain against dumping

Dubai: Potential investors are allowed to file complaints against dumping activities which could harm their trade, top officials of Technical Secretariat for Anti-Dumping said at a seminar on Sunday.

Rihan M. Fayez, director general of the Technical Secretariat for Anti-Dumping, said there has been an increase in the number of cases related to dumping in recent times, which has forced the UAE government to establish bodies to deal with the issue.

The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and the Ministry of Economy and the Technical Secretariat for Anti-Dumping are working together to raise awareness of the unified law on anti-dumping for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Fayez said industries need to be aware of preventive measures that can be taken by anti-dumping bodies.

"The objective of the unified law is to combat harmful practices that threaten the industry," he said.

Fayaz added that potential investors who decide to not follow through on their intentions when they notice dumping in the market can file complaints with the correct authorities.

Fayez also said the law will not apply to cases that originate from within the GCC countries, as it considered a single market.

He said the role of the Technical Secretariat for Anti-Dumping is to apply the law and investigate cases of dumping. Currently, there are 31 cases, while some have been closed, others are pending.

The authoritative body on anti-dumping is working within agreements with the World Trade Organisation (WTO). "We are there to protect Gulf investors. We have a comprehensive database of information on the law and on the agreement with WTO."

Atiq Juma Nasib, executive director, commercial services department, DCCI, said: "Anti-dumping has increased worldwide. East Asia accounts for a large and growing share of worldwide dumping."