BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has extended tariffs on imports of iron and steel welded tubes and pipes from Belarus, China and Russia for five years, saying they are sold at unfairly low prices.


The European Commission, which oversees trade policy for the 27 EU countries, said in the EU official journal on Monday that the duties of between 10.1% and 90.6% would continue to apply.


Chinese producers including Zhejiang Kingland face the highest rate of 90.6%. The rate for manufacturers in Belarus is 38.1%, while Russia's OMK Group and TMK Group pay 10.1% and 16.8% respectively. Other Russian companies, such as PAO Severstal, face tariffs of 20.5%.


The duties, in place since 2008, followed a complaint by a group representing 50% of EU production. The investigation cites ArcelorMittal, Spain's Celsa Atlantic and Italy's Arvedi Tube Acciaio as EU producers.


The Commission concluded that China, Belarus and Russia have significant spare production capacity and that dumping is likely if measures are removed.


The three countries each currently hold a fewer than 0.5% share of the EU market. In 2006/2007, they had a combined market share of 18.7%. Turkey, whose producers are not subject to duties, has 28% of the EU market.

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