HÀ NỘI — The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has announced that it is launching an investigation into certain copper pipe fittings originating in or exported from Việt Nam.

The agency will investigate whether these are being sold at unfair prices in Canada and whether subsidies are being applied to certain copper pipe fittings originating in or exported from Việt Nam, the agency announced on its website.

The CBSA said that the investigations are the result of a complaint filed by Cello Products Inc (Cello) of Cambridge, Ontario. The complainant alleges that as a result of price undercutting from Việt Nam, Cello faces loss in sales and market share, resulting in negative financial results, reduced production and employment.

According to the Việt Nam Competition Authority under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Việt Nam’s copper pipe fittings under the investigation are coded 7412.10.00.11, 7412.10.00.19, 7412.10.00.90 and 7412.20.00.11, as well as 7412.20.00.12, 7412.20.00.19 and 7412.20.00.90. The investigation period is from January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017.

The CBSA and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) will both play a role in the investigations.

The CBSA announced that Việt Nam’s copper pipe fittings exporters and the Vietnamese government can send responses to CBSA’s request for information on December 4, 2017.

The CITT will begin a preliminary inquiry to determine whether the imports are harming Canadian producers and will issue a decision by December 27, 2017.

Concurrently, the CBSA will investigate whether the imports are being sold in Canada at unfair and/or subsidised prices, and will make a preliminary decision by January 25, 2018.

By noon of March 19, 2018, the CBSA will receive case arguments due from all parties.

A copy of the Statement of Reasons, which provides more details about these investigations, will be available on the CBSA’s website, www.cbsa.gc.ca/sima-lmsi, within 15 days.

Currently, there are 98 special import measures in force in Canada, covering a wide variety of industrial and consumer products, from steel products to refined sugar. Of note, there are currently special import measures in place since June 2006 on copper pipe fittings from the United States, the Republic of Korea and China.

Copper pipe fittings are used to connect copper pipes, tubes or other copper pipe fittings to one another. The fittings can also be used to connect copper tubing to other metal systems by use of threaded fittings. Copper pipe fittings can be used in heating, plumbing, air conditioning and refrigeration applications. — VNS