The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued its preliminary results of the antidumping (AD) duty changed circumstances review of certain softwood lumber products from Canada regarding the appropriate AD cash deposit rate for Produits Forestiers Saguenay Inc. (PFS), a previously inactive holding company which began producing softwood lumber and exporting it to the U.S. as of June 1, 2004 and is currently owned by Abitibi Consolidated Company of Canada (ACCC) (part of the Abitibi Group1).
Customs Duty
A Customs Duty is a tariff or tax which a country imposes on goods when they are transported across international borders. Customs Duties are used to protect countries' economies, residents, jobs, and environments, by limiting the flow of imported merchandise, especially restricted and prohibited goods, into the country. The Customs Duty Rate is a percentage determined by the value of the article purchased in the foreign country and not based on quality, size, or weight.
The ITA states that if it does not receive, by the April 30, 2005 deadline, a request for the review of entries covered by an AD or CV duty order listed above for the identified review period, it will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess AD or CV duties on those entries at a rate equal to the cash deposit of (or bond for) estimated AD or CV duties required on those entries at the time of entry, and to continue to collect the AD or CV cash deposit previously ordered.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has issued the final results of its antidumping (AD) duty changed circumstances review of sebacic acid from China. The ITA has determined that Tianjin resumed dumping of sebacic acid during the July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003 period of review, as alleged by a domestic interested party.
The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) has issued a press release announcing Canada's plans to impose retaliatory sanctions on selected U.S.-origin products in light of the U.S.' failure to repeal the Byrd Amendment, which the World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled is inconsistent with the U.S.' international obligations. (See BP note below for additional details on the Byrd Amendment dispute.)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced that the 2005 in-quota ("low duty") tariff rate quota (TRQ) for canned tuna and skipjack (tuna) filled at opening moment on January 3, 2005.
Beginning May 1, 2005
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has initiated an antidumping (AD) duty investigation of superalloy degassed chromium from Japan.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has issued a notice announcing the 2005 in-quota ("low duty") tariff-rate quota (TRQ) quantity for tuna and skipjack (tuna) in airtight containers, not in oil, weighing with their contents not over 7 kilograms (kg) each, that is not the product of any U.S. insular possession, as described in HTS 1604.14.22 (6% duty).
The International Trade Administration (ITA) has published a notice in the Federal Register stating that on March 9, 2005 the Court of International Trade (CIT) affirmed the ITA's final results of redetermination on remand (remand results) with respect to certain stainless steel wire rod from Italy.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has updated its comparison of various trade agreements and trade programs in order to add the Australia Free Trade Agreement (UAFTA).