The Canadian International Trade Tribunal ruled Tuesday there is reasonable indication that the alleged dumping and subsidizing of Chinese steel line pipe imports have caused injury to domestic producers.

The preliminary determination, which allows the unfair trade case to proceed, applies to most of the subject Chinese material: carbon and alloy steel line pipe, welded or seamless, with outside diameters ranging from 2.375 inches (60.3 mm) up to and including 24 inches (609.6 mm).

With regard to some overlapping Chinese pipe products in the case, commonly identified as standard pipe, in the size range of 0.50 inch up to and including 6 inches (12.7 mm to 168.3 mm in outside diameter), the CITT made a negative injury determination because those products are already subject to a duty order from an August 2013 duty sunset review.

The CITT initiated its investigation August 31 after a complaint by domestic line pipe makers Tenaris Canada and Evraz North America. The CITT's preliminary injury determination allows the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to continue its investigations into the alleged subsidy and dumping violations and, by November 19, issue preliminary duty margin determinations if warranted.If the CBSA preliminary determinations indicate there have been violations, the agency will continue its investigations and, concurrently, the CITT will undertake a final injury inquiry.

Final antidumping and/or countervailing duty determinations made by the CBSA will be imposed only if the CITT makes a final determination that the dumped or subsidized products are injuring or threatening to injure Canadian producers.