CIT Extends Mediation Deadline in Section 232 Exclusion Denials Challenge

The Court of International Trade extended the mediation period for a case brought by Evraz challenging the Commerce Department's denial of the importer's Section 232 steel and aluminum tariff exclusion requests. In the March 15 order, the trade court gave the parties until April 29 to resolve litigation led by Judge Leo Gordon. Evraz called for mediation, along with other litigants, to discuss the availability of a remedy for already liquidated entries (Evraz Inc. v. United States, CIT #20-03869).

CIT consolidated six challenges to the exclusion denials in August 2021 (see 2108190038). In each case, Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security issued a blanket rejection of the exclusion request and then filed for a voluntary remand to conduct an independent review of each request once judicial relief was sought. In one of those cases, mediation led to a result wherein CIT granted the plaintiff, North American Interpipe, refunds on its Section 232 duties paid (see 2203090027).