Bird's eye view of colourful cargo containers
Office of Trade Remedy Compliance
Supporting U.S. companies facing foreign antidumping, countervailing duty and safeguard investigations and ensuring foreign governments comply with their international trade obligations

South Africa Initiates Safeguard Investigation into Global Imports of Cold-Rolled Products of Iron and Steel

South Africa Initiates Safeguard Investigation into Global Imports of Cold-Rolled Products of Iron and Steel 

On July 10, 2026, South Africa’s International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) initiated a safeguard (SG) investigation into global imports of cold-rolled products of iron and steel. If an affirmative decision is issued in this investigation, duties may be imposed on subject U.S. exports.  

What is a Safeguard (SG) investigation?  

A safeguard investigation assesses whether a surge of imports is causing or threatening to cause serious injury to the domestic industry 

How can I participate? 

U.S. companies involved in the production, sale, or distribution of the subject goods should register as interested parties as soon as possible. Registration is the first step in protecting your rights in a foreign trade remedy proceeding. Doing so allows you to access the case records and submit information and comments, ensuring that your views are considered. Please follow the directions outlined in Section 4 of the Initiation Notice for instructions on how to register as interested party in this proceeding.  

KEY DATES
Period of InvestigationJanuary 1, 2023, to December 31, 2025
Interested Party Registration and Comment Deadline July 30, 2026
Initial Questionnaire Response DeadlineJuly 30, 2026
Final Determination*July 10, 2027

*Estimated

Products Under Investigation

The products subject to this investigation are cold-rolled products of iron and steel.  The merchandise under investigation is currently classified under tariff codes 720915, 720916, 720917, 720918, 720925, 720926, 720927, 720990, 721123, 721129, 721190, and 722550.

A complete description of the scope can be found on Section 2 of the Initiation Notice  

Contact Us

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Trade Remedy Compliance supports U.S. companies facing foreign trade remedy proceedings (antidumping duty, countervailing duty, and safeguard actions) and ensures foreign governments comply with their international trade obligations. Should you have any questions, please contact TRCS@trade.gov. For more information, visit Office of Trade Remedy Compliance. 

×

Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

Privacy

The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

Privacy Program | Information Quality Guidelines | Accessibility