Brazil Resolução GECEX nº 856/2026 — Definitive Antidumping Duty on Galvanized and Aluminium-Coated Flat-Rolled Carbon Steel from China

Mechanism

Resolução GECEX nº 856 applies a definitive antidumping duty — structured as a specific tariff in USD per metric tonne — for a period of up to five years on imports into Brazil of galvanized and aluminium-coated flat-rolled carbon steel originating in China. The fifteen NCM codes covered span two surface-treatment categories:

Galvanized flat (zinc-coated):

• 7210.30.10, 7210.30.90 — electrolytically galvanized, ≥600 mm wide
• 7210.49.10, 7210.49.90 — otherwise zinc-coated (hot-dip), ≥600 mm wide
• 7212.20.10, 7212.20.90 — electrolytically galvanized, <600 mm wide
• 7212.30.00 — otherwise zinc-coated, <600 mm wide

Aluminium-coated and alloy-coated flat:

• 7210.61.00 — aluminium-zinc alloy coated (Galvalume/Zincalume equivalent), ≥600 mm wide
• 7210.69.11, 7210.69.19, 7210.69.90 — other aluminium-coated, ≥600 mm wide
• 7225.91.00, 7225.92.00, 7225.99.90 — alloy steel, flat-rolled, zinc- or Al-coated, ≥600 mm wide
• 7226.99.00 — other alloy steel, flat-rolled, coated, <600 mm wide

Duties are collected by Brazil's Receita Federal at import clearance as a specific USD/tonne amount. Individual rates apply to Chinese exporters that cooperated with the DECOM investigation; a higher residual rate applies to non-cooperating producers and exporters. The full rate schedule is published in the resolution annex (see LegisWeb source URL above).

The measure was adopted under Lei nº 9.019/1995 (Brazil's foundational AD/CVD/safeguards enabling statute) and Decreto nº 8.058/2013 (AD investigation procedural framework), consistent with WTO Anti-Dumping Agreement (Article VI GATT 1994) disciplines.

Position within the Brazilian flat-carbon-steel AD architecture

Res 856 is the third leg of a simultaneous GECEX three-resolution package published in DOU Edição 32 on 18 February 2026, completing Brazil's AD wall across the full surface-treatment spectrum of Chinese flat carbon steel:

Earlier steel-specific precedents on the register:

• GECEX 849 (filed, Jan 2026): Pre-painted flat steel from China + India (NCM 7210.70 / 7212.40)
• GECEX 765 (filed, Aug 2025): Thin carbon-steel sheets / tin-plate (NCM 7210.12 / 7210.50 / 7212.10 / 7212.50)

Together, GECEX 765 → 849 → 854 → 856 constitute an integrated multi-resolution AD perimeter covering the entire downstream surface-treatment value chain of Chinese flat carbon steel imports into Mercosur — uncoated cold-rolled substrate, tin/chromium-coated thin sheet, pre-painted substrate, and now galvanized + aluminium-coated substrate.

Downstream implications

• White-goods enamel substrate (appliances): Galvanized flat is the primary substrate before

vitreous enamel coating on washing-machine drums, refrigerator cabinets, and range bodies. Brazilian OEMs Whirlpool Brasil (Brastemp/Consul) and Electrolux do Brasil source galvanized coil from Usiminas and ArcelorMittal Brasil; the AD duty raises the floor on competing Chinese import prices in this segment.

• Construction cladding and roofing: Galvalume/aluminium-zinc alloy coated flat (7210.61)

is the predominant substrate for painted metal roofing panels in Brazil's civil-construction sector. Chinese producers (Baosteel, HBIS, Shagang) had been price-undercutting on galvalume equivalents; the specific USD/tonne duty structurally re-prices Chinese galvalume sheet above domestic production cost.

• Automotive body-in-white (outer skin): Hot-dip galvanized sheet (7210.49) is used for

exterior body panels on passenger cars. Brazilian OEMs (Stellantis, Volkswagen do Brasil, Toyota) typically source from Usiminas (main galvanizing capacity in Ipatinga) and ArcelorMittal Brasil (Vega do Sul plant, Santa Catarina). The AD duty limits Chinese alternative sourcing for tier-1 automotive stampers and press-shop suppliers.

• Nova Indústria Brasil (NIB) alignment: Res 856 operationalises the defensive trade-policy

pillar of President Lula's Nova Indústria Brasil programme (filed Jan 2024) at the granular galvanized HS-code level — consistent with NIB's stated objective of protecting domestic steel and metal-fabrication value chains from Chinese excess capacity.

• Domestic-industry beneficiaries: Usiminas (USIM5.SA — main galvanizing capacity),

ArcelorMittal Brasil (MT — Vega do Sul galvanizing line), CSN (CSNA3.SA — Presidente Vargas plant), Gerdau (GGBR4.SA — flat steel operations).

Open questions

• Exact USD/tonne duty rates by producer are published in the resolution annex; the rate table

for individual cooperating Chinese exporters has not been summarised here — see LegisWeb source for the full annex.

• Whether Chinese aluminium-zinc coated equivalents (Galvalume) will be re-routed through

third-country Mercosur members (Argentina, Paraguay) to circumvent the Brazil-specific duty is a watch item; prior DECOM investigations have opened anti-circumvention probes within 12–18 months of analogous resolutions.

• The companion anti-subsidy (CVD) probe against Chinese galvanized steel is a watch item

for a future Res 880+ instrument in 2026.