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Trade remedies in the Dominican Republic: antidumping, countervailing duties and safeguards

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Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Stable

Ley 1-02 lets the Comisión de Defensa Comercial impose antidumping, countervailing and safeguard measures, following WTO rules. Applicants must hold more than 50% of the output of producers voicing a view, and at least 25% of total output. Investigations take 6 to 18 months, and duties last 5 years unless reviewed.

Key facts

Antidumping de minimis margin2 % of export priceLey 1-02 art. 41, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Countervailing de minimis, developed country products1 %Ley 1-02 art. 42, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Duration of definitive duties5 yearsLey 1-02 art. 54, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Maximum safeguard term8 yearsLey 1-02 art. 78, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Term to challenge a decision30 daysLey 1-02 art. 88, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. Dumped or subsidized imports that cause or threaten material injury may face duties.Ley 1-02, art. 3 and art. 21, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
2. The Comisión Reguladora de Prácticas Desleales de Comercio y Medidas de Salvaguarda is the authority, with five commissioners named for 4 years. It is known as the Comisión de Defensa Comercial.Ley 1-02, art. 7, art. 82 and art. 85, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
3. A petition comes from or for the domestic industry, with evidence of dumping or subsidy, injury and causation. It needs support from producers of more than 50% of output of those expressing a view and at least 25% of total output.Ley 1-02, art. 32 to art. 34, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
4. Investigations should end in 6 months and in exceptional cases 18 months.Ley 1-02, art. 41 and art. 68, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
5. A case ends if the margin is below 2% of export price or volumes are negligible, below 3% for one country, or 7% in total for smaller suppliers. For subsidies the de minimis level is 1%, or 2% for products of developing countries, whose case also ends if imports are below 4%, unless such suppliers together pass 9%.Ley 1-02, art. 41 and art. 42, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
6. Provisional measures need a preliminary positive finding and cannot start before 60 days from the opening notice. They last up to 4 months, or 6 at exporters' request, and 6 and 9 months with a lesser duty.Ley 1-02, art. 45 and art. 46, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
7. Definitive duties equal the margin found and stay for 5 years from imposition or the last review. Exporters can obtain a refund of duty paid above the real margin, normally within 12 months and never beyond 18.Ley 1-02, art. 54 and art. 55, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
8. Safeguards need serious injury from increased imports. Provisional ones last up to 200 days as an ad valorem increase. The initial term is up to 4 years, extendable to 8 in total, and those over a year must be liberalized.Ley 1-02, art. 57, art. 75, art. 78 and art. 79, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
9. Quantitative safeguards may not cut imports below the 3 year average unless justified. Safeguards do not apply to a developing WTO member with under 3% of imports, if such members together stay under 9%.Ley 1-02, art. 72 and art. 73, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
10. Duties may apply without injury proof to goods from a country with no treaty with the Dominican Republic on the subject.Ley 1-02, art. 30, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
11. Decisions can be challenged at the Tribunal Superior Administrativo within 30 days.Ley 1-02, art. 88, 2002-01-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30
12. Goods subject to a safeguard or anti unfair trade measure cannot use the low value courier category.Decreto 755-22, Reglamento General de Aplicación de la Ley 168-21, art. 177 paragraph II numeral 10, 2022-12-23 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Worked example

  • An exporter with a 1.5% margin falls under the 2% de minimis, so the case against it should end. One with a 12% margin may face a duty up to that margin, for 5 years.

Step by step

  1. Local producers gather data on output, price and imports for the last 3 years or a representative period.
  2. File a petition with evidence and non confidential versions.
  3. Exporters and importers answer questionnaires and comment.
  4. After a final decision, watch the 5 year clock or seek a review.

Common traps

  • Do not confuse this commission with Pro Competencia, the antitrust body.
  • A current list of measures was not confirmed in an official document, so check with the commission before pricing a shipment of steel or similar goods.
  • Art. 30 only reaches countries with no treaty on the subject, so read it together with WTO rules before assuming a duty without injury.

Sources

Related pages

Related: Dominican Republic country profile · live dashboard · central bank and release calendar · our posts on X · where Argentina is involved, see The Argentine Thread guide

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