Trade Cases

Commerce Upholds Duties on Sheet Imports from Vietnam
Written by Tim Triplett
December 17, 2019
Affirming that steel imports from Vietnam have been circumventing U.S. antidumping and countervailing duties, the Department of Commerce on Monday upheld its preliminary AD/CVD rates on imports of galvanized and cold rolled sheet from Vietnam manufactured with hot- or cold-rolled substrate from Korea and Taiwan.
Steel products produced in Korea and Taiwan, shipped to Vietnam for minor processing, and then exported to the United States as corrosion-resistant steel products (CORE) and cold-rolled steel (CRS) circumvent existing AD/CVD orders on Korea and Taiwan, Commerce found. As a result, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will continue to collect AD and CVD cash deposits as high as 456.23 percent, depending on the type and origin of the steel. The duties are retroactive to imports dating back to Aug. 2, 2018, when Commerce initiated the circumvention inquiries.
U.S. law provides that Commerce may find circumvention of AD/CVD orders when merchandise subject to an existing order is completed or assembled in a third country prior to importation into the United States. Over the past seven years, shipments of CORE from Vietnam to the United States increased from $22 million to $933 million, an increase of 4,076 percent. Additionally, shipments of CRS from Vietnam to the United States increased from $49 million to $498 million, an increase of 922 percent.
Domestic sheet producers—including AK Steel, ArcelorMittal USA, California Steel Industries, Nucor, Steel Dynamics and U.S. Steel—filed a complaint in June 2018 alleging transshipment of hot and cold rolled sheet from Korea and Taiwan through Vietnam into the U.S.

Tim Triplett
Read more from Tim TriplettLatest 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.