New AD/CV Duties Requested on Aluminum Sheet From 18 Countries
A coalition of U.S. manufacturers seeks the imposition of new antidumping duties on common alloy aluminum sheet from Bahrain, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, South Korea, Oman, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan and Turkey, and new countervailing duties on common alloy aluminum sheet from Bahrain, Brazil, India and Turkey, it said in a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission March 7. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations, which could result in the imposition of permanent AD/CV duty orders and the assessment of AD and CV duties on importers.
AD/CV duties sought by the petition, filed by the Aluminum Association Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet Trade Enforcement Working Group, would follow AD/CV duty orders issued about a year ago on common alloy aluminum sheet from China (see 1902070013 and 1902050026). Section 232 aluminum tariffs at 10% also apply to common alloy aluminum sheet.
“Existing duty orders in the U.S. have prompted Chinese producers to shift exports of common alloy sheet to other foreign markets,” the Aluminum Association said in a press release. “This has resulted in producers in those countries exporting their own production to the United States, the only market in the world where market conditions are not distorted by large volumes of low-priced imports from China.”
Proposed Scope
The petition proposes the following scope for the investigations:
Aluminum common alloy sheet (common alloy sheet), which is a flat-rolled aluminum product having a thickness of 6.3 mm or less, but greater than 0.2 mm, in coils or cut-to-length, regardless of width. Common alloy sheet within the scope of this order includes both not clad aluminum sheet, as well as multi-alloy, clad aluminum sheet. With respect to not clad aluminum sheet, common alloy sheet is manufactured from a 1XXX-, 3XXX-, or 5XXX-series alloy as designated by the Aluminum Association.
With respect to multi-alloy, clad aluminum sheet, common alloy sheet is produced from a 3XXX-series core, to which cladding layers are applied to either one or both sides of the core.
Common alloy sheet may be made to ASTM specification 8209-14, but can also be made to other specifications. Regardless of specification, however, all common alloy sheet meeting the scope description is included in the scope. Subject merchandise includes common alloy sheet that has been further processed in a third country, including but not limited to annealing, tempering, painting, varnishing, trimming, cutting, punching, and/or slitting, or any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the order if performed in the country of manufacture of the common alloy sheet.
Excluded from the scope of this order is aluminum can stock, which is suitable for use in the manufacture of aluminum beverage cans, lids of such cans, or tabs used to open such cans. Aluminum can stock is produced to gauges that range from 0.200 mm to 0.292 mm, and has an H-19, H41, H-48, or H-391 temper. In addition, aluminum can stock has a lubricant applied to the flat surfaces of the can stock to facilitate its movement through machines used in the manufacture of beverage cans. Aluminum can stock is properly classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings 7606.12.3045 and 7606.12.3055.
Where the nominal and actual measurements vary, a product is within the scope if application of either the nominal or actual measurement would place it within the scope based on the definitions set for the above.
Common alloy sheet is currently classifiable under HTSUS subheadings 7606.11.3060, 1606.11.6000, 7606.12.3096, 7606.12.6000, 7606.91.3095, 7606.90.6095, 7606.92.3035 and 1606.92.6095. Further, merchandise that falls within the scope of this order may also be entered into the United States under HTSUS subheadings 7606.11.3030, 7606.12.3015, 7606.12.3025, 7606.12.3035, 7606.12.3091, 7606.91.3055, 7606.91.6055, 7606.92.3025, 7606.92.6055 and 7607.11.9090. Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this order 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 on or about March 27.
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the petition.