Global Affairs Canada issued a notice on the consultations to obtain your input and views on the potential collection and publication of country of melt and pour (COM) information for steel goods covered by the Steel Import Monitoring Program. This consultation is open from May 12th, 2022 to June 26th, 2022.
The consultations will provide a better understanding of the use and value of this data for stakeholders and to assess its potential application on the steel import process. Increasing surveillance over COM could increase supply chain transparency and help in obtaining a more fulsome picture of the origins of imported steel goods. Canada currently does not collect COM information for steel imports.
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) administers the Steel Import Monitoring Program. For 2021, there were over 375,000 steel import transactions subject to the Program. Presently, steel goods covered by the Program are imported under General Import Permits (GIPs) No. 80 and 81 of the Export and Import Permits Act. Importers are required to cite the applicable GIP on the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) customs declaration form. Relevant information from the customs declaration is automatically transmitted to GAC. The department then publishes the customs data in weekly steel import reports that provide aggregate data on the type, quantity, origin, and value of steel imports. The reports are a preliminary source of raw information for government and industry to track possible trends in real time. The reports are available at: Steel import monitoring program reports.
Potential approaches for collecting country of melt and pour information
The following options are included for discussion purposes only and are meant to stimulate discussion – it is possible that there may be other options to collect and publish COM data. The Government of Canada welcomes suggestions in this regard.
- Require importers to retain COM information for individual shipments of all steel imports subject to the Steel Import Monitoring Program and provide the data to GAC upon request. This option would allow GAC to have access to COM information for specific shipments on an ad-hoc basis upon request but would not allow for the publication of regularly updated aggregate COM data.
- Use the customs declaration system to require importers of steel goods to provide COM information when completing their customs declaration. This approach aligns with the current method for importing steel and would allow for the collection and publication of data for all imports.
- Re-instate the requirement for importers to obtain a shipment-specific permit for all steel imports rather than using the steel GIPs. This option could capture COM information for all steel imports and could produce aggregate COM data on all steel imports. The data collected by GAC, however, would reflect planned imports as opposed to actual import data.
- Maintain the status quo and not collect COM information.
The consultations will be open until June 26th, 2022, to all Canadians, including steel producers; manufacturers; processors; distributors; retailers and importers; industry associations and labour unions; small, medium, and large enterprises; academics and experts.
To participate in the consultation, interested parties are encouraged to review the background information and provide feedback through the online questionnaire or contact us directly.
Contact Information
Non-Supply Managed Trade Controls (TIN)
Global Affairs Canada
125 Sussex Drive,
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
E-mail: TIN-Consultations@international.gc.ca
Other related information
General information on the administration of steel import controls – Steel Import Monitoring
Handbook of Export and Import Commodity Codes – 2012 – C: Carbon and Specialty Steel