Russia: Steelmakers complain of bullying by EU officials

Two of Russia’s largest steelmakers NLMK and Severstal have made formal complaints against two EU officials, alleging bullying during an EU investigation into whether China and Russia exported steel at unfairly low prices.

Tensions between Russia and Brussels have been high since Moscow’s seizure of Ukraine’s Crimea region in March 2014 that led to economic sanctions.

Ties have been further soured by an anti-dumping investigation into cold-rolled flat steel products following complaints from European producers that they face unfair competition from Russian and also Chinese rivals.

The Commission has imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on a number of Russian and Chinese companies – including for NLMK at the highest rate of 26.2 percent and Severstal at 25.4 percent. These were enforced even though the investigation is only set to close by August.

A letter from the Brussels office of international law firm Dentons Europe to the European Commission, seen by Reuters and dated May 31, alleges that two Commission officials carried out verification visits to NLMK “in such a way as to amount, cumulatively, to bullying, psychological harassment and perceived intimidation”.

The visits were aimed at gathering information for the investigation, the letter said. Such visits are normal practice during EC trade investigations.

The two EU officials at the trade directorate, case handler William De Ruyck and assistant case handler Jean-Michel Bindner, declined to comment when spoken to by Reuters.

Full Content: Reuters

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