The Secretariat of Economy of Mexico has imposed provisional countervailing duties on imports of seamless steel tubes from South Korea, Spain, India and Ukraine.

The Secretariat published the decision in official publication Diario Oficial on August 3, 2017.

It was decided to continue the investigation.

Interpipe international vertically integrated pipe and wheel company (Dnipro) told Interfax-Ukraine that the duties would not considerably affect the company, as small batches of pipes were supplied to Mexico.

"The supplies of Interpipe's tubes to Mexico in the period from 2013 through 2017 totaled only 5,000 tonnes. The sales to this country are not significant for Interpipe. However, the case of the new imposing of the duty on Ukrainian metal products is worrying. Another state imposes trade barriers against Ukrainian manufacturers. It is obvious that the domestic market protection policy and support of domestic producers is a generally accepted practice," the group told Interfax-Ukraine.

As reported, Mexico's Secretariat of Economy launched an antidumping investigation into imports of seamless pipes originated from South Korea, Spain, India and Ukraine on December 15, 2016.

The anti-dumping probe was opened against seamless pipes under foreign activity codes 7304.19.01, 7304.19.02, 7304.19.99, 7304.39.05, 7304.39.06 and 7304.39.99 of the Mexican customs tariff.

The investigation was launched under a claim of Mexico's TAMSA (Tubos de Arcero de Mexico S.A.) where 99% of shares belongs to Italy's Tenaris.