The International Trade Commission is beginning a Section 337 investigation on allegations that imports of high-strength aluminum or aluminum alloy-coated steel from VinFast, as well as cars made using the steel, is infringing on patents held by ArcelorMittal, the ITC said in a notice last week. In its April 17 complaint (see 2404220054), ArcelorMittal alleged that VinFast, a Vietnam-based car manufacturer, is including the high-strength aluminum-coated steel in its cars, including the VF-8, which VinFast has been exporting to the U.S. “since at least 2022,” the complaint said. In the investigation, the ITC will consider whether to issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist orders banning import and sale of infringing merchandise from Vinfast and its affiliates.
The Commerce Department published notices in the Federal Register May 29 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):
Suspension of liquidation and antidumping duty cash deposit requirements are set to take effect May 30 for imports of frozen warmwater shrimp from Ecuador (A-331-805) and Indonesia (A-560-842), after the Commerce Department found dumping in preliminary determinations in its ongoing AD duty investigations.
The Commerce Department has released the preliminary results of a countervailing duty administrative review on organic soybean meal from India (C-533-902). Rates set in this review will be used to assess CVD on subject merchandise from the exporters under review entered during the period Sept. 3, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2022.
The Commerce Department has published the final results of the antidumping duty administrative review on circular welded carbon steel pipes and tubes from Thailand (A-549-502). Commerce calculated an AD rate of zero percent for the only two companies under review, Saha Thai Steel Pipe Public Company, Ltd. (also known as Saha Thai Steel Pipe (Public) Company, Ltd.) and Thai Premium Pipe Co. Ltd. In these final results, Commerce will order liquidation without regard to AD for subject merchandise from Saha Thai and Thai Premium Pipe entered during the period March 1, 2022, through Feb. 28, 2023. The new zero percent AD cash deposit rate for the two companies is effective May 29, the date these final results were published in the Federal Register.
On May 28, the FDA posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board issued the following notices on May 29:
A bipartisan bill to amend the Lacey Act was introduced in the House of Representatives, and it would add a ban on import and export of "prohibited primate species." The bill's text was published this week. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., Nancy Mace, R-S.C., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Joe Neguse, D-Colo., were the original sponsors; 15 other co-sponsors have joined the bill since its introduction.
The Federal Maritime Commission collected more than $2.3 million in fines after entering into compromise agreements with three companies, the FMC said May 29. The companies, CMA-CGM, Vangaurd Logistics Services and Shipco Transport, paid money to resolve various allegations of shipping violations that had been investigated by the commission’s Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations and Compliance.
The Court of International Trade on May 28 rejected the government's motion for partial reconsideration of the court's decision finding that the government violated the "implied contractual term" of reasonableness in waiting eight years to demand payment from surety Aegis Security Insurance Co. on a customs bond.