LatinNews Daily - 14 February 2025

*Mexico’s economy ministry (SE), headed by Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, has announced the opening of an antidumping investigation into imports of paperboard from China. The resolution to open the investigation was published in the official gazette (DOF). It details that in September 2024 two major Mexico paperboard manufacturers, Productora de Papel and Cartones Ponderosa, made an official request for investigation into suspected “unfair practices” on the part of competitors based in China. The companies constructed a case from data collected over the five-year period of August 2019 to July 2024, which has flagged high volumes of paperboard of Chinese origin marketed at prices relatively lower than those of domestic producers and other foreign imports. In the resolution, “countervailing duties”, otherwise known as anti-subsidy duties, have been floated as a countermeasure that may be taken should dumping be found to have occurred. The SE stated it had determined it was appropriate to initiate the investigation as the evidence submitted by the companies indicated that imports of paperboard from China were made under alleged conditions of price discrimination and posed a threat to the domestic industry. The SE has summoned all national producers, importers, and exporters interested in the results of the investigation, as well as the Chinese government, to share any evidence that may be appropriate to the defence of their interests. The investigation takes place as Mexico is under increasing pressure from the US government led by President Donald Trump to clamp down on allegedly unfair Chinese trade practices.