China - BRUSSELS, Sept 13 (Reuters) - European Union trade watchdogs have decided not to hit Chinese steel imports with anti-dumping duties for the time being but will continue investigating, the EU's executive said on Saturday.

In the first of three high-profile cases involving China's surging steel shipments, the European Commission confirmed it would not impose provisional duties on hot-dipped metallic coated iron or steel flat-rolled products from China.

The products are used in construction.

"However, as a number of elements have emerged towards the end of the provisional investigation stage, the investigation will now continue in order to clarify these issues," said Peter Power, a spokesman for EU trade chief Peter Mandelson.

"Moreover, all parties concerned will receive on Monday or Tuesday disclosure of the provisional findings and will have the possibility to comment," he said. Brussels has a further six months to decide whether to impose definitive duties, usually lasting five years.

European steel makers complained to the Commission last year that competitors in China were being helped by unfair subsidies, allowing them to ramp up exports to the EU.

A European steel sector representative said on Friday that the need for provisional duties was less urgent now because of a recent slowdown in Chinese steel exports to the EU.

China denies that its exporters dump their goods in the EU and accuses European manufacturers of resorting to protectionism because they cannot compete with its low-cost exporters.

Some European engineering firms, which are big consumers of steel, also oppose anti-dumping duties that would make imports more expensive.

The European Commission is investigating whether two other categories of Chinese steel -- stainless steel cold-rolled flat products and wire rod -- are being dumped in the bloc, or being sold at below prices in China or below cost.