Trade Cases
New AD/CVD Investigation on Welded Pipe Imports
Written by Sandy Williams
February 13, 2018
The Department of Commerce announced on Tuesday the initiation of new antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations on imports of large-diameter welded pipe from Canada, China, Greece, India, Korea, and Turkey.
Dumping margins were estimated by the petitioners at 50.89 percent for Canada, 41.04 percent for Greece, 120.84 to 132.63 percent for China, 37.94 percent for India, 16.18 to 20.39 percent for Korea, and 66.09 percent for Turkey.
The petitioners, American Cast Iron Pipe, Berg Steel Pipe, Dura Bond Industries, Skyline Steel, and Stupp Corp., also allege that producers of large-diameter welded pipe from China, India, Korea and Turkey are receiving unfair subsidies from their respective governments.
The product covered by these investigations is welded carbon and alloy steel pipe, more than 406.4 mm (16 inches) in nominal outside diameter (large-diameter welded pipe), regardless of wall thickness, length, surface finish, grade, end finish or stenciling.
In 2016, imports of large-diameter welded pipe from Canada, China, India, Greece, Korea and Turkey were valued at an estimated $66 million, $139 million, $26 million, $70 million, $150.3 million, and $116.1 million, respectively.
Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross commented, “This administration has made it clear that we will vigorously administer antidumping and countervailing duty laws.”
In the past year since President Trump took office, AD/CVD investigations have jumped 81 percent compared to the prior year. Commerce has initiated 94 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations and currently maintains 424 AD and CVD orders.
The announcement on welded pipe precedes a meeting scheduled for today between the White House and Congress regarding the Section 232 reports on steel and aluminum imports. Steel producers are calling for strict quotas and tariffs on all imported steel products.
The new AD/CVD investigation was met with concern by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. “China is concerned about the U.S. side’s serious trade protectionist tendency in the field of steel products,” said Wang Hejun, head of the MOC’s trade remedy and investigation bureau.
Wang said that although it is the right of WTO members to bring forward such investigations, “frequent and excessive protection of the domestic industry cannot serve the original purpose of trade remedy measures, but often creates a vicious cycle.”
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Trade Cases
Tariff fallout: Canada strikes back, Stellantis idles, GM boosts production
Canada imposes auto tariffs, while automaker Stellantis temporarily idles some plants.
Commerce tags UAE with ‘critical circumstances’ in CORE trade case, South Africa spared
The Commerce Department has made a preliminary determination that ‘critical circumstances’ exist for certain imports of corrosion-resistant (CORE) flat-rolled steel from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Commerce decided that critical circumstances did not apply to CORE from South Africa. The department also found that critical circumstances did not apply to CORE from UAE producers Al-Ghurair Iron & Steel LLC and United Iron & Steel Company LLC.
Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ brings 10% baseline tariffs; steel, aluminum, and autos/parts excluded
President Trump’s promised “Liberation Day” has arrived, with a 10% minimum tariff on imports. But there are some very important exceptions: The United States’ USMCA partners, Canada and Mexico, are excluded from the reciprocal tariffs for now. In addition, steel, aluminum, as well as autos and auto parts are excluded from the reciprocal tariffs. That’s […]
Price on Trade: Auto tariffs, auto parts, and Hyundai – a world of rapid changes
Trump's new auto tariffs will apply to passenger vehicles (including sedans, sport utility vehicles, crossover utility vehicles, minivans, and cargo vans), light trucks, and certain automobile parts (including engines and engine parts, transmissions and powertrain parts, and electrical components).
CRU: Canacero urges Mexico-US partnership to fend off Asian steel imports
Victor Cairo, head of Mexico’s steel sector body Canacero and CEO of ArcelorMittal Mexico, says he is confident negotiations between the Mexican and US governments planned for April 2 will lead to the creation of a regional block to substitute imports, especially from Asia.