India on top of anti-dumping probes: WTO

India accounted for more than one-third of new anti-dumping investigations initiated by WTO members countries between July and December 2008.

India accounted for more than one-third of new anti-dumping investigations initiated by WTO members countries between July and December 2008.

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China and Brazil too figured among the nations resorting to protecting their industries against dumping.

The trade policy reviews report of the World Trade Organisation released on Wednesday showed that India initiated 42 anti-dumping investigations out of the total 120 such probes taken up by all the member countries affiliated to the multi-lateral agency.

“The increase in initiations of anti-dumping investigations looks set to continue in 2009...,” the report released by WTO Director General Pascal Lamy said.

The other main users of anti-dumping, measured by investigations initiated, were Argentina, Turkey, and the European Communities, while the main targets of anti-dumping investigations were China, the European Communities and the United States, the report said.

“The main risk (to global trade) is that governments will continue to give way to protectionist pressures, even if only gradually and temporarily, as long as the global economic situation continues to deteriorate. This would affect all countries,” Lamy said.

He said the developing countries, reliant on exports to drive growth, would be hardest hit should governments move to restrict trade as a way of surviving the global crisis.

China initiated 11 anti-dumping probes while Brazil had 16 such cases.