U.S. plans antidumping duties on cold-rolled steel

The U.S. Commerce Department this week preliminarily set antidumping duties on imports of certain cold-rolled steel flat products from Brazil, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom.    The U.S. Commerce Department this week preliminarily set antidumping duties on imports of certain cold-rolled steel flat products from Brazil, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
   Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair market value.
   In Commerce’s Brazil investigation, Companhia Siderurgica Nacional received a calculated preliminary dumping margin of 38.93 percent, while Usiminas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais (Usiminas) and other Brazilian producers and exporters received a preliminary dumping margin of 38.93 percent.
   For its China investigation, Commerce will access a preliminary dumping margin on all Chinese producers and exporters of 265.79 percent, while for India, JSW Steel Ltd./JSW Coated Products Ltd. received a preliminary dumping margin of 6.78 percent and all other producers/exporters in India received a preliminary dumping margin of 6.78 percent.
   In the Japan investigation, JFE Steel Corp. and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. both received a preliminary dumping margin of 71.35 percent, while other producers/exporters in Japan received a preliminary dumping margin of 71.35 percent.
   For the South Korea investigation, POSCO/Daewoo International Corp. and Hyundai Steel Corp. received preliminary dumping margins of 6.89 percent and 2.17 percent, respectively, while other producers/exporters in Korea received a preliminary dumping margin of 4.53 percent.
   In the Russia investigation, Joint Stock Company Severstal and Novolipetsk Steel OJSC received preliminary dumping margins of 12.62 percent and 16.89 percent, respectively. All other producers/exporters in Russia received a preliminary dumping margin of 14.76 percent.
   In Commerce’s United Kingdom investigation, Caparo Precision Strip, Ltd. and Tata Steel UK Ltd. received preliminary dumping margins of 5.79 percent and 31.39 percent, respectively. All other producers/exporters in the United Kingdom received a preliminary dumping margin of 28.03 percent.
   Commerce will now instruct Customs and Border Protection to require cash deposits based on these preliminary rates.
   The petitioners for these investigations include AK Steel Corp. of Ohio; ArcelorMittal USA in Chicago; Nucor Corp. of Charlotte, N.C.; Steel Dynamics of Fort Wayne, Ind.; and U.S. Steel Corp. of Pittsburgh.
   In 2014, imports of certain cold-rolled steel flat products from Brazil, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom were valued at an estimated $65 million, $514 million, $57 million, $143 million, $206 million, $54 million, and $132 million, respectively.
   Commerce is currently scheduled to make its final determinations in the China and Japan investigations by May 17, unless the statutory deadlines are extended. The final determinations in the Brazil, India, South Korea, Russia, and United Kingdom investigations have been extended, and are scheduled to be announced by July 13.
   If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations, and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) makes affirmative final determinations that imports of certain cold-rolled steel flat products from Brazil, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russian, and the United Kingdom, harm domestic industry, then Commerce will issue antidumping orders. If either Commerce’s or the ITC’s final determinations are negative, no antidumping orders will be issued. The ITC is scheduled to make its final injury determinations in the China and Japan investigations in June and the Brazil, India, South Korea, Russia, and United Kingdom investigations in August.