Seamless Pipe: New AD/CVD Investigations Deadlines & Scope

The Commerce Department issued Federal Register notices on its recently initiated antidumping duty investigations on seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line and pressure pipe from the Czech Republic (A-851-804), South Korea (A-580-909), Russia (A-821-826) and Ukraine (A-823-819), and its recently initiated countervailing duty investigations on South Korea (C-580-910) and Russia (C-821-827).

The International Trade Commission will conduct a concurrent investigation to determine whether imports of dumped and illegally subsidized seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line and pressure pipe are injuring U.S. industry. If the ITC finds no injury in its preliminary injury determination, due Aug. 24, the investigations will immediately end. If Commerce finds dumping or illegal subsidization in the preliminary determinations of these investigations, currently due in October for CV duties and December for AD duties, it will set AD and/or CV duty cash deposit requirements for imports of merchandise subject to the investigation. If both Commerce and the ITC reach affirmative final determinations, Commerce will issue an AD and/or CV duty order making duties permanent and beginning a process of annual administrative reviews to set final assessments of AD/CV duties on importers and potentially change AD/CV duty cash deposit rates.

AD/CVD Respondent Selection

Commerce said it will pick respondents for the AD duty investigations on the Czech Republic, South Korea and Russia, as well as the CV duty investigations on South Korea and Russia, based on CBP import data. The agency intends to investigate the only known company in Ukraine, Interpipe NTRP. Comments on respondent selection are due Aug. 7.

Scope of the AD/CVD Investigations

The merchandise covered by the scope of these investigations is seamless carbon and alloy steel (other than stainless steel) pipes and redraw hollows, less than or equal to 16 inches (406.4 mm) in nominal outside diameter, regardless of wall-thickness, manufacturing process (e.g., hot-finished or cold-drawn), end finish (e.g., plain end, beveled end, upset end, threaded, or threaded and coupled), or surface finish (e.g., bare, lacquered or coated). Redraw hollows are any unfinished carbon or alloy steel (other than stainless steel) pipe or “hollow profiles” suitable for cold finishing operations, such as cold drawing, to meet the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or American Petroleum Institute (API) specifications referenced below, or comparable specifications. Specifically included within the scope are seamless carbon and alloy steel (other than stainless steel) standard, line, and pressure pipes produced to the ASTM A-53, ASTM A-106, ASTM A-333, ASTM A-334, ASTM A-589, ASTM A-795, ASTM A-1024, and the API 5L specifications, or comparable specifications, and meeting the physical parameters described above, regardless of application, with the exception of the exclusions discussed below.

Specifically excluded from the scope of the investigations are: (1) all pipes meeting aerospace, hydraulic, and bearing tubing specifications, including pipe produced to the ASTM A-822 standard; (2) all pipes meeting the chemical requirements of ASTM A-335, whether finished or unfinished; and (3) unattached couplings. Also excluded from the scope of the investigations are all mechanical, boiler, condenser and heat exchange tubing, except when such products conform to the dimensional requirements, i.e., outside diameter and wall thickness, of ASTM A-53, ASTM A-106 or API 5L specifications.

Subject seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe are normally entered under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings 7304.19.1020, 7304.19.1030, 7304.19.1045, 7304.19.1060, 7304.19.5020, 7304.19.5050, 7304.31.6050, 7304.39.0016, 7304.39.0020, 7304.39.0024, 7304.39.0028, 7304.39.0032, 7304.39.0036, 7304.39.0040, 7304.39.0044, 7304.39.0048, 7304.39.0052, 7304.39.0056, 7304.39.0062, 7304.39.0068, 7304.39.0072, 7304.51.5005, 7304.51.5060, 7304.59.6000, 7304.59.8010, 7304.59.8015, 7304.59.8020, 7304.59.8025, 7304.59.8030, 7304.59.8035, 7304.59.8040, 7304.59.8045, 7304.59.8050, 7304.59.8055, 7304.59.8060, 7304.59.8065 and 7304.59.8070. The HTSUS subheadings and specifications are provided for convenience and customs purposes; the written description of the scope is dispositive.

Participants in the AD/CV duty investigations may submit comments on product coverage under the scope of the investigations. Comments on the scope are due by Aug. 17.

Investigations Timetable

These deadlines may, and usually are, extended. The Commerce Department fact sheet on the initiation of these investigations is (here). See 2007090047 for a summary of the Commerce Department's receipt of the petition underlying the initiation of this investigation.