Petition Filed for New AD/CV Duties on Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip From China
A group of U.S. steelmakers filed a petition on Feb. 12 with the Commerce Department and International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping and countervailing duties on stainless steel sheet and strip from China. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations on these products, based on the request by AK Steel , Allegheny Ludlum, North American Stainless, and Outokumpu Stainless.
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The requested AD/CV duty orders on China would join antidumping duty orders already in place on stainless steel sheet and strip from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, as well as countervailing duties on South Korea. Additional antidumping and countervailing duty orders on stainless steel sheet and strip from France and the United Kingdom were revoked in the middle of the last decade, and duties on Germany, Italy and Mexico were revoked in 2011.
Proposed Scope
The petition proposes the following scope for the investigations:
The merchandise covered by this investigation is stainless steel sheet and strip, whether in coils or straight lengths. Stainless steel is an alloy steel containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 percent or more of chromium, with or without other elements. The subject sheet and strip is a flat-rolled product - either in coils or straight lengths - with a width that is greater than 9.5 mm and with a thickness of 0.3048 mm and greater but less than 4.75 mm, and that is annealed or otherwise heat treated and pickled or otherwise descaled. The subject sheet and strip may also be further processed (e.g., cold-rolled, polished, aluminized, coated, etc.) provided that it maintains the specific dimensions of sheet and strip following such processing. Excluded from the scope of this investigation are the following: (1) sheet and strip that is not annealed or otherwise heat treated, not pickled or otherwise descaled, and not cold-rolled; (2) plate (i.e., flat-rolled stainless steel products of a thickness of 4.7 5 mm or more); and (3) flat wire (i.e., cold-rolled sections, with a prepared edge, rectangular in shape, of a width of not more than 9.5 mm).
The products under investigation are currently classifiable under Harmonized Tariff schedule subheadings 7219.13.0031, 7219.13.0051, 7219.13.0071, 7219.13.0081, 7219.14.0030, 7219.14.0065, 7219.14.0090, 7219.23.0030, 7219.23.0060, 7219.24.0030, 7219.24.0060. 7219.32.0005, 7219.32.0020, 7219.32.0025, 7219.32.0035, 7219.32.0036, 7219.32.0038, 7219.32.0042, 7219.32.0044, 7219.32.0045, 7219.32.0060, 7219.33.0005, 7219.33.0020, 7219.33.0025, 7219.33.0035, 7219.33.0036, 7219.33.0038, 7219.33.0042, 7219.33.0044, 7219.33.0045, 7219.33.0070, 7219.33.0080, 7219.34.0005, 7219.34.0020, 7219.34.0025, 7219.34.0030, 7219.34.0035, 7219.34.0050, 7219.35.0005, 7219.35.0015, 7219.35.0030, 7219.35.0035, 7219.35.0050, 7219.90.0010, 7219.90.0020, 7219.90.0025, 7219.90.0060, 7219.90.0080, 7220.12.1000, 7220.12.5000, 7220.20.1010, 7220.20.1015, 7220.20.1060, 7220.20.1080, 7220.20.6005, 7220.20.6010, 7220.20.6015, 7220.20.6060, 7220.20.6080, 7220.20.7005, 7220.20.7010, 7220.20.7015, 7220.20.7060, 7220.20.7080, 7220.20.8000, 7220.20.9030, 7220.20.9060, 7220.90.0010, 7220.90.0015, 7220.90.0060, and 7220.90.0080. Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this proceeding is dispositive.
Commerce Accepting Comments on Petition Support
The Commerce Department is accepting comments on domestic industry support for the petitions to determine whether the petitions meet the dual requirements of support by domestic producers or workers accounting for (1) at least 25% of the total production of the domestic-like product and (2) more than 50% of the production of the domestic-like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. If the petitions meet these requirements, among others, Commerce will initiate antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. Comments are due by March 3.
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the petition.