KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — The government is starting a safeguard investigation on imports of ceramic floor and wall tiles products into Malaysia, said the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI).
It said there was sufficient evidence of serious injury caused by increased imports to do so following a petition from the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers – Malaysian Ceramic Industry Group received on July 16 requesting for a global safeguard investigation on these imports.
“The petitioner alleged that the increase in imports of ceramic floor and wall tiles products in absolute terms and relative to domestic production from 2017 to 2019 have caused serious injury to the domestic industry in Malaysia producing the like products,” MITI said in a statement today.
In accordance with the Safeguards Act 2006 and its related regulations, a preliminary determination will be made within 120 days from the date of initiation.
“If the preliminary determination is affirmative, the government will impose a provisional safeguard duty at the rate that is necessary to reduce the effects of serious injury to the domestic industry caused by the imports,” the ministry said.
In connection with the investigation, MITI will provide a set of questionnaires to interested parties such as importers, foreign producers, exporters and associations. Other interested parties may request for the questionnaires in writing to the ministry no later than Sept 28.
Interested parties may also provide views and additional evidence to MITI by Oct 13 to support the investigation.
If it received no additional information within the specified period, the government would make its preliminary determination based on available facts and information, MITI added.
