2. Anti-dumping duties are part of the trade laws of many countries. They are designed to protect
domestic industries from foreign competition by charging artificially high duties, which makes
the imports appear to be more expensive than they really are.
Anti-dumping consultants are individual, private corporations that help businesses protect
themselves from unfair foreign competition. These consultants are not government entities, but
they are still often called anti-dumping consultants to describe a part of their role - and the role
of this industry as a whole.
The role of anti-dumping consultants is to help businesses lodge anti-dumping complaints with
their respective national governments. The complaints must be based on the core argument that
a foreign company is selling a product in a country at a price lower than it sells at in its home
market.
A good anti-dumping consultant must possess a variety of skills including knowledge of the
anti-dumping duties rules and procedures, experience in the client's business and general
industry and an in-depth understanding of the competitive environment.
3. The first thing that a consultant must do is to analyze the client's business. He/she should be
able to identify exactly how different competitors operate and what kind of products they
produce. The consultant should also learn about the type of industry (i.e. manufacturing), the
company's place in it and its position relative to other firms. All these details would provide a
clear understanding of the client's business and competitiveness through which he or she could
prepare a better report for the client.
The role of anti-dumping consultants is to evaluate the case against dumping and to submit such
information in support of its antidumping claim. Dumping occurs when foreign suppliers export
their products to a particular domestic market at a price below their normal value. This results
in a loss of sales and profit to the domestic industry. Though there are several ways in which
consultants can help a company prove dumping, there are two general approaches:
The company either sells products to the local market at a price lower than its normal value
(preferred approach) or
The company sells a product locally at its normal value and also at lower prices to a third
country.
4. Duties of anti-dumping consultants include:
Working with importers and exporters to ensure compliance with anti-dumping and
countervailing duty laws in the US and in foreign countries.
Creating analytical reports and statistical analyses that help government officials
determine whether foreign companies are dumping or unfairly subsidizing their products.
Training personnel at private companies, consulting with law firms and providing advice
for clients.
Supervising and reviewing the work of staff members.
Helping companies prepare for what happens during an antidumping or countervailing
duty investigation.
Preparing briefs that argue the client's point of view during a formal hearing.
Participating in informal fact-finding investigations done by the U.S. International Trade
Commission (ITC).
Assisting clients in understanding how they must comply with U.S. Department of
Commerce rulings on countervailing duties.
Providing advice on how to properly classify products in a way that will not cause the
product to be subject to any anti-dumping duties.
Consult on how to classify products at the border.
5. Giving advice on how to structure a petition in a way that will avoid being rejected as an
anti-dumping petition.
Helping a company set prices for their product in a way that is consistent with
anti-dumping laws.
Reviewing an importer’s price structure for compliance with fair market value.
Evaluating and interpreting tariffs and other import fees related to products.
There are many more areas that an anti-dumping consultant can help a company in, so if
they offer these services, they should be able to guide you along the way during their
consultation process.
Keep this in mind before choosing your consultants
Before choosing the right anti-dumping consultant, it is imperative that you know just what this
consultancy can do for you. To be able to tell if a company’s services are right for you, there are
some things you need to know first.
6. Third-party consultants in the anti-dumping field are hired by businesses that are looking to
have a better understanding of how the anti-dumping system works.