The Commission said the investigation had been terminated after the complainant, industry body Euroalliages, withdrew its complaint by email on February 27. Euroalliages had lodged a complaint with the EU on June 19, 2017, acting on behalf of four EU producers: France-based Ferropem (a subsidiary of Ferroglobe), Spain’s Ferroatlantica (now Ferroglobe), OFZ Slovakia and Huta Laziska in Poland.
The product being investigated was ferro-silicon containing, by weight, at least 20% but not more than 96% silicon, and 4% or more of iron, the report said.
The prices for standard grade ferro-silicon (Si 75%) at €1,450-1,500 ($1,696-1,755) per tonne on Friday, flat with the previous week’s assessment.
The market was at an annual low of €1,140-1,200 per tonne in January last year, before climbing steadily to hit an annual peak of €1,700-1,760 per tonne in the same month this year.
"The investigation has not brought to light any considerations showing that such termination would be against the [European] Union interest," the EU statement said. "Therefore, the Commission considered that the present investigation should be terminated."
Interested parties were informed accordingly and given an opportunity to comment, it said, however, the Commission received no comments that would justify that such a termination would not be in the Union’s interest, it added.
The Commission's decision will enter into force on the day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union on June 4, the statement said.
The investigation covered the period from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017, the Commission said, adding that, “the examination of trends relevant for the assessment of injury will cover the period from January 1, 2014 to the end of the investigation period”.
