US, NLMK Pennsylvania Request More Time in Section 232 Exclusion Case Settlement

Steel importer NLMK Pennsylvania and the U.S. asked for another 60 days to continue hammering out the details in the steel company's suit on the Commerce Department's refusal to grant it exclusions for Section 232 steel and aluminum duties. The parties initially sought a stay in August, telling the court that they had "reached an agreement in principle to settle the case" (see 2308100018). In their joint status report, NLMK and the U.S. said to effectuate the deal, the U.S. "must review NLMK's import data," adding that both sides are working to collect and review that data (NLMK Pennsylvania v. U.S., CIT # 21-00507).

NLMK sought 58 exclusions for two different types of semi-finished stainless steel slabs from Russia, which Commerce rejected after finding that the domestic industry was capable of timely making the slabs in enough quantities. The trade court found the agency didn't properly support the rejections (see 2301230027). The parties were arguing over the length of the remand period when settlement talks began.