Brussels, 04/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - The news is not all that surprising given that the boom in Chinese steel exports, which surged in 2006 and 2007, has stirred up protest within the EU since the beginning of the year, mainly against the tax advantages enjoyed by the Chinese steel industry. European steel producers are said to be preparing to file a complaint with the European Commission against Chinese exports of finished steel products (flat products, sheets, tubes, …) sold, they say, at prices below the cost price. This was revealed by AFP on Tuesday 2 October. It cited an industrial sector source, said to be familiar with the dossier, who confirmed that this was in the offing. When questioned by EUROPE on Wednesday, a representative of the European confederation for the iron and steel industries (Eurofer), who was visibly annoyed, refused to comment. There is no doubt that European steel producers would like anti-dumping duties to hit imports of cheap, finished steel products from China. But this will not be easy to achieve as, here again, Community interest is caught in the crossfire. “It will not be that easy as it is a complex dossier”, commented Peter Power, the spokesman for Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson on 2 October. He stressed that several interests were at stake: - those of the producers and those of the users/importers of finished steel products who would be opposed to antidumping measures as they enjoy less expensive products from China. “The final decision will take several elements into account, not only the interests of steel producers”, Mr Power went on to say. In procedural terms, once the complaint by European steel producers has been lodged, the Commission will have 45 days in which to decide whether there are sufficient elements to justify launching antidumping review procedures. (eh)