ITC votes not to impose duties on tin mill product imports

The ITC’s final vote means the trade case is ending without the imposition of duties.

The trade case was filed in January 2023 by Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and the United Steelworkers (USW) union. The petitioners had sought antidumping duties on tin- and chromium-coated sheet steel from Canada, China, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, and the UK, as well as countervailing duties against China.

The ITC heard final arguments in the case early last month.

The US Commerce Department also made its final decision in January, finding minuscule dumping rates for all countries except China. Commerce had determined the imports from China were dumped and subsidized at rates as high as 122% and 650%, respectively.

However, it is the ITC’s final injury ruling in trade cases that determines whether duties at those rates are imposed. In this case, it ruled that the imports are not harming the domestic industry.

In a statement sent to SMU, Cleveland-Cliffs said it and the USW “clearly demonstrated material injury to the domestic industry” in this case.

“Unfortunately, the International Trade Commission was unpersuaded by our arguments. While we are disappointed by today’s ITC determination, we must respect the ruling of the Commission,” Cliffs said.

The USW did not respond to a request for comment.