Update to Safeguard Investigation into Ceramic Imports
Preliminary Determination of the Safeguard Investigation with Regard to Ceramic Floor and Wall Tiles Products Imported into Malaysia
On 13 September 2020, the Government of Malaysia initiated an investigation on imports of ceramic floor and wall tiles products into Malaysia pursuant to the Safeguards Act 2006 and Safeguards Regulations 2007, based on a petition filed by the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers - Malaysian Ceramic Industry Group on behalf of the domestic industry producing the like products. 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.
Pursuant to subsection 20(2) of the Safeguards Act 2006 and regulation 10 of the Safeguards Regulation 2007, the Government has completed the investigation and made a negative preliminary determination as there was no increase in imports of the product under investigation (PUI) in absolute term. The Government was also not able to ascertain the import volume of the PUI in relative term to the domestic production of the like products during the period of investigation. Moreover, the Government was unable to ascertain the existence of a causal link between the increase in imports of the PUI and the serious injury of the domestic industry in Malaysia producing the like products due to lack of information.
Based on these findings and the negative preliminary determination, the Government has decided to terminate the safeguard investigation on imports of ceramic floor and wall tiles products into Malaysia on 11 January 2021. Notice of Negative Preliminary Determination of Safeguard Investigation with regard to Ceramic Floor and Wall Tiles Products Imported into Malaysia can be accessed through:
Interested parties such as local producers, importers, foreign producers/exporters and associations related to the investigation can have access to the non-confidential version of the report on the Preliminary Determination by submitting a written request to the Ministry of International Trade and Industry as follows:
Director
Trade Practices Section Ministry of International Trade and Industry
Level 9, Menara MITI No. 7, Jalan Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah 50480 Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA Telephone: (603) 6208 4632/ 4660/ 4639/ 4647
Fax: (603) 6211 4429
