Petition Filed for New AD/CV Duties on Ferrosilicon From 4 Countries

Two domestic producers seek the imposition of new antidumping and countervailing duties on ferrosilicon from Brazil, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Russia, they said in a petition filed with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission March 27. Commerce will now decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations, which could result in the imposition of permanent AD/CVD orders and the assessment of AD and CVD on importers. The petition was filed by CC Metals and Alloys (CCMA) and Ferroglobe USA.

Proposed Scope

"The scope of this investigation covers all forms and sizes of ferrosilicon, regardless of grade, including ferrosilicon briquettes. Ferrosilicon is a ferroalloy containing by weight four percent or more iron, more than eight percent but not more than 96 percent silicon, three percent or less phosphorus, 30 percent or less manganese, less than three percent magnesium, and 10 percent or less any other element. The merchandise covered also includes product described as slag, if the product meets these specifications.

"Subject merchandise includes material matching the above description that has been finished, packaged, or otherwise processed in a third country, including by performing any grinding or any other finishing, packaging, or processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigations if performed in the country of manufacture of the ferrosilicon.

"Ferrosilicon is currently classifiable under subheadings 7202.21.1000, 7202.21.5000, 7202.21.7500, 7202.21.9000, 7202.29.0010, and 7202.29.0050 of the HTSUS. While the HTSUS numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope remains dispositive."

Commerce Accepting Comments on Petition Support

The Commerce Department will accept comments on domestic industry support for the petition to determine whether the petition meets 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 petition meets these requirements, among others, Commerce will initiate antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. The agency has not yet set a deadline for submitting comments.