The Commerce Department is extending until Nov. 2 the deadline for its preliminary determination in the countervailing duty investigations on corrosion-resistant steel products from India (C-533-864), Italy (C-475-833), China (C-570-027), South Korea (C-580-879), and Taiwan (C-583-857) (here). The agency decided to postpone after receiving a request from the group of U.S. chemical manufacturers that requested the investigation. The preliminary determination was originally due Aug. 27. Cash deposits of estimated CV duties can only be collected after the preliminary determination, although they can be made retroactive 90 days from the preliminary determination if Commerce finds companies are increasing exports before cash deposit requirements are imposed.
The Commerce Department is beginning antidumping duty investigations on imports of heavy-walled rectangular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from South Korea, Mexico and Turkey, as well as a countervailing duty investigation on imports from Turkey, it said in a fact sheet released Aug. 11 (here). A group of U.S. manufacturers requested the investigations on July 21, alleging that underpriced imports of heavy-walled pipe from the three countries have suppressed and depressed prices, causing domestic manufacturers to lose market share, sales and profits. (see 1507270019). The International Trade Commission is set to make its preliminary injury determination by Sept. 4. These AD/CV duty investigations will only continue if the ITC finds injury. ITT will provide more details upon publication of the initiation notice in the Federal Register.
The International Trade Commission on Aug. 7 voted to continue the antidumping duty investigation on hydrofluorocarbon blends and components from China, finding that there is a "reasonable indication" that U.S. industry is injured by imports of the product (here). All six ITC commissioners voted in the affirmative. The next step is the Commerce Department's preliminary AD duty determination, which is currently due around Dec. 2. At that point, liquidation of subject merchandise could be suspended and AD duty cash deposit requirements imposed.
The Commerce Department published notices in the Aug. 11 Federal Register on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The Commerce Department will require cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties on polyethylene terephthalate resin from China and India, but will not at this time require cash deposits on PET resin from Oman, it said in an Aug. 10 fact sheet announcing its preliminary CV duty determinations (here). For China, Commerce set CV duty cash deposit rates ranging from 4.27% to 18.88%%, depending on the exporter, beginning on the date Commerce publishes its affirmative preliminary determination. For India, CV duties at 5.55% to 115.04% will be retroactive back to 90 days before the publication date of Commerce's preliminary determination for all Indian exporters except Dhunseri, because of the agency's finding of critical circumstances. Cash deposit requirements for Dhunseri take effect upon publication of the preliminary determination.
The Commerce Department intends to add an exemption to the scope of antidumping duties on wooden bedroom furniture from China (A-570-890) for jewelry armoires with at least one front door, it said in the preliminary results of a changed circumstances review (here). Pier 1 Imports requested the new exemption, which would come on top of an existing one for jewelry armoires with one or more side doors.
The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its antidumping duty administrative review on polyethylene terephthalate film, sheet and strip from China (A-570-924) (here). The agency preliminarily assigned the 76.72% China-wide rate to the only company under review, Shaoxing Xiangyu Green Packing Co., Ltd. The new rate would take effect upon publication of the final results of this review, currently due in December.
The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its antidumping duty administrative review on cut-to-length carbon steel plate from China (A-570-849) (here). The agency preliminarily found five of the six companies under review were uncooperative, and tentatively assigned them to the China-wide entity with an AD rate of 128.59%. Commerce also preliminarily found the sixth reviewed company, Wuyang Iron & Steel Co, Ltd., had no exports of subject merchandise to the U.S. during the period under review. If Commerce's "no shipments" finding for Wuyang Iron is continued in the final results, the company's AD duty rate won't change as a result of this review.
The Commerce Department published notices in the Aug. 10 Federal Register on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its antidumping duty administrative review on seamless refined copper pipe and tube from Mexico (A-201-838) (here). The agency preliminarily calculated a zero percent AD rate for GD Affiliates S. de R.L. de C.V. If the agency's finding is continued in the final results, importers of subject merchandise from GD Affiliates entered between November 2013 and October 2014 will not be assessed AD duties, and future entries from GD Affiliates will not be subject to an AD cash deposit requirement until further notice. Any changes to rates for GD Affiliates would take effect on the date of publication in the Federal Register of the final results of this review, which are due in December.