G/SG/N/8/MYS/1  
G/SG/N/10/MYS/1  
G/SG/N/11/MYS/1/Suppl.1  
 
1 July 2015  
(15-3359)  Page: 1/9  
Committee on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
 NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(B) OF THE AGREEMENT ON 
SAFEGUARDS ON FINDING SERIOUS INJURY OR THREAT 
THEREOF CAUSED BY INCREASED IMPORTS 
 
NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 12.1(C) OF 
THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS 
 
NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 9, FOOTNOTE 2, 
OF THE AGREEMENT ON SAFEGUARDS 
MALAYSIA  
(Hot Rolled Steel Plate) 
The following communication, dated 30 June 2015, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Malaysia. 
 
_______________ 
 Further to Malaysia notification G/SG/N/7/MYS/1–G/SG/N/11/MYS/1 and pursuant to 
Articles 12.1(b) and 12.1(c) and Article 9, footnote 2, of the Agreement on Safeguards, Malaysia, 
hereby notifies that a decision to apply a defini tive safeguard measure on hot rolled steel plate 
from various countries has been made. 
 
Consistent with Article 12.2 of the Agreement on Sa feguards, this notification contains all pertinent 
information relating to the decision to apply the definitive safeguard measure on product 
concerned and the definitive safeguard measure applied. 
 1  EVIDENCE OF SERIOUS INJURY OR THREAT THEREOF CAUSED BY INCREASED IMPORTS 
During the period of investigation commencin g from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2013, the 
import volume of the products under investigation into Malaysia increased significantly both in absolute and relative terms. An evaluation of the overall position of the domestic industry, in the 
light of almost all the relevant factors, having a bearing on the situation of the Malaysia domestic 
industry, shows a significant overall impairment. It was thus concluded that the domestic industry has suffered serious injury in terms of decline in domestic market share contributing to a decrease 
in domestic production, a decrease in domestic sales and financial losses. 
 2  INFORMATION ON WHETHER THERE IS AN ABSOLUTE INCREASE IN IMPORTS OR AN 
INCREASE IN IMPORTS RELATIVE TO DOMESTIC PRODUCTION 
During the period of investigation, the imports of the products concerned into Malaysia increased 
sharply from year to year, in both absolute and relative terms. The imports of the product concerned increased in imports of the product concerned to Malaysia by 42.17% from 138,429MT 
in Year 1 to 196,802MT in Year 2 and continued to increase by 28.65% in Year 2013 
to 253,201MT. The imports have increased sharply by 82.91% from Year 1 to Year 3. In relative term, it is observed that the proportion of total imports in relation to the domestic production 
continually increased from 88% in 2011 to 162% in 2012 and 219% in 2013.  
 G/SG/N/8/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/10/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/11/MYS/1/Suppl.1 
 
- 2 - 
 
  3  EVIDENCE OF SERIOUS INJURY AND THREAT THEREOF 
A substantive evaluation of the effect of all the relevant factors having a bearing on the situation 
of the domestic industry has been conducted. It was concluded that the increased imports of the products concerned into Malaysia have caused serious injury to the domestic producers as 
reflected by the following parameters: 
 
a. Market Share of Imports 
 2011 2012 2013 
Imports 100 106 115 
 
The domestic industry has lost its market share to imports of the product concerned as can be 
evidenced by a continual increase of the market  share of imports. In 2011, market share of 
imports accounted for 100 of the domestic market , but continually rose to 106 and 115 in 2012 
and 2013 respectively.  
b. Domestic Sales 
Description 2011 2012 2013 
Domestic Sales 100 99 105 
 
Despite the increase in sales volume, the sales revenue continually declines. Overall, the domestic 
sales decreased by 1.41% in 2012 and increased by 6.35% in 2013. 
 
c. Domestic Production 
 
Description 2011 2012 2013 
Actual production 100 77 73 
 
The domestic production continually declined in Year 2 and Year 3 by 23% and 5% respectively. 
 
d. Productivity 
Description 2011 2012 2013 
Productivity level 100 104 110 
 
The productivity level is measured by production (MT) against the machine hour. The machine hour reduced by 25% in Year 1 to Year 2 and further dropped by 10% in Year 3. Due to the decreasing trend of production, the productivity remained low throughout the POID. 
 
e. Capacity Utilization 
Description 2011 2012 2013 
Capacity Utilization (%) 26% 20% 19% 
 
With the decrease in the domestic production, the capacity utilization rate continually fell from 26% to 19% over the injury period. 
 G/SG/N/8/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/10/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/11/MYS/1/Suppl.1 
 
- 3 - 
 
  f. Profit/Loss 
 
Description 2011 2012 2013 
Profitability  100 (17.5) (21.83) 
 
The profitability of the domestic industry has deteriorated to such a situation that it is now 
suffering financial losses. The trend dropped in Year 2 and further declined to a loss in Year 3. The domestic industry profitability steeply deteriorated as it suffered financial losses clearly showing 
the adverse effect of increased imports. 
 
g. Employment 
Description 2011 2012 2013 
Total Personnel 100 93 107 
 
The level of employment has been stable throughout the period of investigation.  
4  PRECISE DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCTS CONCERNED 
Product subject to the safeguard measure is hot rolled steel plate products of iron or non-alloy 
steel and other alloy steel, of a width of 600 millimetres or more, hot rolled, not clad, plated or 
coated, of thickness between 6 millimetres to 75 millimetres, with applications, international 
standards, grades and titles are specified in the Annex.  
The products are classified under the Harmonised  System Code (H.S. Code) Number 7208.51.000, 
7208.52.000 and 7225.40.000. The H.S Code Number is only for information and shall have no binding effect on the classification of the products.  
5  PRECISE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED MEASURE 
The definitive safeguard measure is applied in relation to increased imports in order to remedy or 
prevent the serious injury suffered by the domestic industry. 
 
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Malaysia, the competent authority, has recommended imposing the safeguard duty for a pe riod of three years starting from 2 July 2015 
until 1 July 2018. In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Malaysia Safeguard Act 
(Act 657, 2006), which refer to Malaysia's obligations under Article XIX of the GATT and the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, the measure shall be prog ressively liberalized during the period of their 
validity as follows: 
 
Duration Definitive Safeguard Duty 
2 July 2015 – 1 July 2016 17.40% 
2 July 2016 – 1 July 2017 13.90% 
2 July 2017 – 1 July 2018 10.40% 
 As the imports from developing nations except The People's Republic of China, Ukraine, Republic of 
Korea, Republic of Indonesia and Republic of Si ngapore do not exceed 3% individually and 9% 
collectively, the import of product under consideration originating from developing nations except the People's Republic of China, Ukraine, Republic of Korea, Republic of Indonesia and Republic of 
Singapore would not attract Safeguard Duty. 
 6  THE MAJOR EXPORTING MEMBERS OF IMPORTS OF THE PRODUCT INVOLVED 
People's Republic of China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Ukraine, Republic of Indonesia and Republic 
of Singapore are the major suppliers of the imported product in 2011-2013. G/SG/N/8/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/10/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/11/MYS/1/Suppl.1 
 
- 4 - 
 
  ANNEX 
LIST OF HOT ROLLED STEEL PLATES IMPOSED WITH SAFEGUARDS DUTY 
No. Applications International 
Standards Grades Titles 
1. For structural, 
construction, fabrication and industry machinery EN 10025 -2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO, S355J2, S355K2 Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2: Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy structural steels 
BS EN 10025 -2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, 
S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO, S355J2, S355K2 Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions 
for non-alloy structural steels 
I.S EN 10025 -2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO, S355J2, S355K2 Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy structural steels 
SN EN 10025 -2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO, S355J2, S355K2 Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy structural steels 
ASTM A36/ A36M 
A36 Standard specifications for carbon 
structural steel 
ASTM A283/ A283M 
A, B, C, D Standard specifications for low and 
intermediate tensile strength carbon 
steel plates 
ASTM A572/ A572M 
42, 50, 55, 60, 65 Standard specifications for high-
strength low-alloy -columbium-vanadium structural steel 
ASTM A573/ A573M 
58, 65, 70 Standard specifications for structural 
carbon steel plates of improved toughness 
ASTM A529/A529M 
50, 55 Standard speci ﬁcation for high-
strength carbon-manganese steel of 
structural quality 
ASTM A569/A569M 
Type A, B, C Standard speci ﬁcation for steel, 
carbon (0.15 maximum, percent), hot-rolled sheet and strip commercial 
ASTM A570/A570M 
Gr. 30, 33, 36, 40, 
45, 50, 55 Standard speci ﬁcation for structural 
steel, sheet and strip, carbon, hot-rolled 
ASTM A635/A635M 1006, 1008, 1009, 
1010, 1012, 1015, 
1016, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1023, 1524 Standard speci ﬁcation for steel, sheet 
and strip, heavy-thickness coils, 
carbon, hot-rolled 
ASTM A656 /A656M 
50, 60 Standard specification for hot-rolled 
structural steel high strength, low-alloy plates with improved formability  
ASTM A659/A659M 1015, 1016, 1017, 
1018, 1020, 1021, 1023 Standard speci ﬁcation for commercial 
steel (CS), sheet and strip, carbon (0.16 maximum to 0.25 maximum, percent), hot-rolled G/SG/N/8/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/10/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/11/MYS/1/Suppl.1 
 
- 5 - 
 
  No. Applications International 
Standards Grades Titles 
ASTM A715/A715M 
50, 60, 70 Standard speci ﬁcation for steel sheet 
and strip, high-strength, low-alloy, hot-rolled, and steel sheet, cold-rolled, high-strength, low-alloy, with 
improved formability 
ASTM A830 /A830M 1006, 1008, 1009, 
1010, 1012, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1025, 1026,  1524  Standard speci ﬁcation for plates, 
carbon steel, stru ctural quality, 
furnished to chemical composition requirements 
ASTM A907/A907M 
Gr 30, 33, 36, 40 Standard speci ﬁcation for steel, sheet 
and strip, heavy thickness coils, carbon, hot rolled, structural quality 
ASME SA36/ SA 36M A36 Standard speci ﬁcation for carbon 
structural steel 
ASME SA283 / SA283M A, B, C, D Standard specification for low and 
intermediate tensile strength carbon steel plates  
ASME SA529/SA529M 50, 55 Speci ﬁcation for high-strength carbon-
manganese steel of structural quality 
ASME SA569/SA569M Type A, B, C Standard speci ﬁcation for steel, 
carbon (0.15 maximum, percent), hot-rolled sheet and strip commercial 
ASME SA570/SA570M Gr. 30, 33, 36, 40, 
45, 50, 55 Standard speci ﬁcation for structural 
steel, sheet and strip, carbon, hot-
rolled 
ASME 
SA572/SA572M 42, 50, 55, 60, 65 Standard speci ﬁcation for high-
strength low-alloy columbium-vanadium structural steel 
ASME SA573/SA573M 58, 65, 70 Standard speci ﬁcation for structural 
carbon steel plates of improved toughness 
ASME SA635/SA635M 1006, 1008, 1009, 
1010, 1012, 1015, 
1016, 1017, 1018, 
1019, 1020, 1021, 1023, 1524 Standard speci ﬁcation for steel, sheet 
and strip, heavy-thickness coils, 
carbon, hot-rolled 
ASME SA656/ 
SA656M 50, 60 Standard specification for hot rolled 
structural steel high strength, low alloy plates with improved formability 
ASME SA659/SA659M 1015, 1016, 1017, 
1018, 1020, 1021, 1023 Standard speci ﬁcation for commercial 
steel (CS), sheet and strip, carbon (0.16 maximum to 0.25 maximum, percent), hot-rolled 
ASME SA715/SA715M 
50, 60, 70 Standard speci ﬁcation for steel sheet 
and strip, high-strength, low-alloy, hot-rolled, and steel sheet, cold-rolled, high-strength, low-alloy, with improved formability 
ASME SA830/ SA830M 1006, 1008, 1009, 
1010, 1012, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018, 
1019, 1020, 1021, 
1022, 1023, 1025, 1026 1524  Standard speci ﬁcation for plates, 
carbon steel, stru ctural quality, 
furnished to chemical composition 
requirements G/SG/N/8/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/10/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/11/MYS/1/Suppl.1 
 
- 6 - 
 
  No. Applications International 
Standards Grades Titles 
ASME 
SA907/SA907M Gr 30, 33, 36, 40 Standard speci ﬁcation for steel, sheet 
and strip, heavy thickness coils, carbon, hot-rolled, structural quality 
AS/NZS 3678 
250, 350 Structural steel – Hot-rolled plates, 
floor plates and slabs 
AS/NZS 1594 HA 1006,  
HA 1010,  HA 1016 Hot rolled steel flat products 
CSA G40.21 230G,  
260W, WT  300W, WT  350W, WT 
 Structural quality steel - Plates, sheet, 
floor plates, bars and welded shapes 
CSA G40.20  230G, 
260W, WT 300W, WT 350W, WT General requirements for rolled or 
welded structural quality steel 
BS 4360 40A, 40B, 40C, 
40D, 43A, 43B, 43C, 43D, 50A, 
50B, 50C, 50D Specifications for weldable structural 
steels 
JIS G 3101 
SS330, SS400 
SS490, SS540 Rolled steel for General Structure 
JIS G 3111 SRB 330 
SRB 380 SRB 480 Rerolled carbon steel  
JIS G 3131  
SPHC  Hot rolled mild steel plates, sheets 
and strip 
JIG G 3132 SPHT1 
SPHT2 SPHT3 SPHT4 Hot-rolled carbon steel strip for pipes 
and tubes  
JIS G 3106 SM400A 
SM400B 
SM400C 
SM490A  SM490B SM490C SM490YA SM490YB SM520B SM520C Rolled steels for welded structure 
 
NBN EN 10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2 Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy structural steels 
NEN EN 10025 -2  S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2 Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
CSN EN 10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2  Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
SFS EN 10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2  Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  G/SG/N/8/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/10/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/11/MYS/1/Suppl.1 
 
- 7 - 
 
  No. Applications International 
Standards Grades Titles 
NF EN 10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  
S355J2, S355K2  Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
DIN EN 10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2  Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
UNI EN 10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, 
S275JO, S275J2, 
S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2  Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions 
for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
NS EN10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2  Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
PN EN10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2  Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
UNE EN 10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2  Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
SS EN 10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2  Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
DIN 17100 RSt 37-2 
St 37-3U St 44-2 St 44-3U St 52-3 St 52-3U Steels for general st ructure purposes  
NFA 35-501 E 24-2 
E 24-3 E 28-2 E 28-3 E 36-2 E 36-3 Standard specification is for low and 
intermediate tensile strength carbon steel plates 
UNI 7070 Fe 360B 
Fe 360C 
Fe 430B 
Fe 430C Fe 510B Fe 510C Hot rolled finished product of 
unalloyed basic and quality steel. 
Section, merchant bars, wide flats, 
plates, sheets, stri ps and coils for 
structural and engineering purposes. 
NBN 21-101 AE 235B 
AE 235C AE 295B AE 295C AE 355B AE 355C Standard for structural steel  
 
MNC 810E SS13.11.00 
SS13.12.00 SS14.12.00 SS21.32.01 SS21.34.01 Standard for structural steel  G/SG/N/8/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/10/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/11/MYS/1/Suppl.1 
 
- 8 - 
 
  No. Applications International 
Standards Grades Titles 
IS IS226 
Fe 410-S IS 2062 Fe 410 WA 
IS961 
FE570 HT Steel for general stru ctural purposes  
 
ISO 630  Fe 360B 
Fe 360C Fe 430B Fe 430C Fe 510B Fe 510C Structural steels – pl ates, wide flats, 
bars, sections and profiles  
ISO 4995 HR235, HR275 and 
HR355; classes B 
and D Hot-rolled steel sheet of structural 
quality  
GB 700 
Q195, Q215, Q235, 
Q255, Q275 Carbon structural steels  
GB 711 
08 Hot-rolled quality carbon structural 
steel plates and wide strips  
MS 1768 SPHT1 
SPHT2 SPHT3 SPHT4 Hot-rolled carbon steel strip for pipes 
and tubes   
MS 1705 
SPHC  Hot-rolled carbon steel strip and sheet 
of commercial and drawing qualities  
 
MS EN 10025-2 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, 
S355JR, S355JO,  
S355J2, S355K2 Hot rolled products of structural steels 
- Part 2: Technical delivery conditions for non- alloy stru ctural steels  
TIS 1499-2541 SM400A SM400B 
SM400C SM490A SM490B SM490C SM490YA SM490YB SM520B SM520C  Hot-rolled carbon steel coil, strip, 
plate and sheet for welded structure  
TIS 1735-2542 SPHT1 
SPHT2 SPHT3 SPHT4 Hot-rolled carbon steel coil and strip 
for pipes and tubes   
KS D 3503  SS330 
SS400 SS490 SS540 Rolled steels for general structures 
 
KS D 3515  SM400A SM400B 
SM400C SM490A SM490B SM490C SM490YA SM490YB SM520B SM520C  Rolled steels for welded structure  
 
GOST 16523  08ps, 
10ps, 10, 15ps, 15, 20ps, 
20, 
St1ps, St2ps, St1sp, Hot rolled carbon quality and common 
quality general applic ation steel sheet  
 G/SG/N/8/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/10/MYS/1 • G/SG/N/11/MYS/1/Suppl.1 
 
- 9 - 
 
  No. Applications International 
Standards Grades Titles 
St2sp, 
St3ps, St3sp 
GOST 14637  St2ps, 
St2sp, St3sp, St3ps, St3Gps, St3Gsp Common quality carbon steel plate 
ONORM M1316 
Rst360B Non alloy quality structural steel 
ONORM EN 10025 -2 
 S235JR, S235JO, 
S235J2, S275JR, S275JO, S275J2, S355JR, S355JO,  S355J2, S355K2 Hot rolled products of structural steels 
– Part 2 : Technical delivery conditions for non-alloy stru ctural steels  
 
__________