Until the early 1990s, anti-dumping measures were used by only a relatively limited number of countries. Since 1992, however, the situation has changed dramatically. As developing countries began to participate more actively in the world trading system, they were frequently confronted by increasing pressure from domestic industries to take action against allegedly dumped imports. More and more, developing countries responded by taking anti-dumping actions – since 1995 more than half of all known anti-dumping investigations have been opened by developing countries. There is no obligation on WTO Members to provide for the possibility to take anti-dumping actions. However, it is important that Members be able, if they choose, to exercise their right to take such actions in a manner consistent with the complex multilaterally agreed rules set out in the WTO Agreement on Anti-Dumping.

The number of developing country Members requesting hands-on assistance in the anti-dumping area has been consistently high and has even increased. This is why assisting Members in understanding the rules and applying them in conformity with WTO obligations has been an important part of technical assistance provided by the Rules Division over the past several years. This Handbook is in part an outgrowth of that effort, as it is based on the authors’ many years of work experience in national investigating authorities prior to joining the WTO Secretariat, as well as their experience in providing technical assistance through training missions and consultations with Members.