Commerce begins aluminum foil import investigations

The Commerce Department has initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations into aluminum foil imports from China.    The Commerce Department has initiated antidumping and countervailing duty investigations into aluminum foil imports from China.
   Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than its fair value, while countervailable subsidies are given to foreign companies by their respective governments based on their export performance and use of domestic goods over imported goods.
   The Aluminum Association Trade Enforcement Working Group, a coalition of U.S. aluminum foil producers, filed the petition on March 9 to seek relief from the effects of dumped and subsidized aluminum foil on the U.S. industry.
   According to Commerce, more than 230 Chinese companies are identified in the petition. The estimated dumping margins range from 38.40 percent to 140.21 percent. Commerce also initiated an investigation into 26 separately alleged subsidy programs.
   In 2016, imports of aluminum foil from China were valued at $389 million.
   Meanwhile, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to make its preliminary injury determinations into Chinese aluminum foil imports by April 24. If the ITC determines that there is a “reasonable indication” that these imports harm the domestic producers, then the investigations will continue and Commerce will make its preliminary countervailing duty determination in June and its preliminary antidumping determination in August. If the ITC’s preliminary determinations are negative, the investigations will be terminated.
   Initiation of these investigations follows other actions Commerce has taken on aluminum products, including the issuance of antidumping and countervailing duty orders on aluminum extrusion imports from China in May 2011.