VINACHEM

The Trade Remedies Authority of Việt Nam (under the Ministry of Industry and Trade) has announced that South Africa has officially initiated an investigation into alleged tax avoidance and anti-dumping practices on car, bus, and truck tyres imported from Việt Nam, Thailand, and Cambodia.

The move is based on allegations that these products are avoiding anti-dumping taxes that South Africa has already imposed on similar goods from China.

The products under investigation include car, bus, and truck tyres classified under the following South African import codes: 4011.10.01, 4011.10.03, 4011.10.05, 4011.10.07, 4011.10.09, 4011.20.16, 4011.20.18, and 4011.20.26. The plaintiff in this case is the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference, which initiated the investigation on 20 September 2024, alleging a dumping margin of up to 84 per cent for Việt Nam.

The anti-dumping investigation period is set from 1 November 2023 to 31 May 2024. Meanwhile, the anti-circumvention investigation covers four phases: from 1 March 2022 to 30 September 2022, from 1 October 2022 to 30 April 2023, from 1 April 2023 to 31 October 2023, and from 1 November 2023 to 31 May 2024.

Earlier, in May 2023, the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) imposed anti-dumping duties on car, bus, and truck tyres originating from China, with a tax rate ranging from 7.18 per cent to 43.60 per cent.

According to the Trade Remedies Authority, relevant documents, including a public version of the investigation application, the notice of initiation, and the investigation questionnaire, will be sent by ITAC to relevant Vietnamese manufacturers and exporters within seven days of the initiation date, specifically on 27 September 2024.

Involved enterprises are required to submit their responses to the questionnaire by 15:00 on 28 October 2024 (South African time) via postal mail to: The Senior Manager, Trade Remedies II, Private Bag X753, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa. In the event of any arguments or comments related to the case, companies may also send their submissions to the aforementioned address.

ITAC will carry out subsequent steps, including issuing preliminary and final conclusions, conducting on-site verification, and holding hearings to verify the information. This will facilitate a decision regarding the alleged tax avoidance, damage to the domestic industry, and the causal relationship.

The Trade Remedies Authority recommends that associations and relevant producers and exporters thoroughly review the investigation application, the initiation notice, and the guidelines and regulations provided by South Africa. Moreover, full cooperation in responding to the questionnaire and providing information as requested by ITAC is crucial.

In addition, businesses should consider diversifying their export markets, as if South Africa imposes anti-dumping duties, other member countries of the Southern African Customs Union (including Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Eswatini) might take similar actions. Regular communication with the Trade Remedies Authority will ensure timely support and the latest information.