The Section 232 Investigation of steel imports on national security hearing was held on Tuesday. The testimonies included four representatives of foreign governments: China, Russia, the European Union, and Ukraine. Not surprising, none were in support of new import restrictions by a Section 232 action. China was represented by Yu Gu, First Secretary of the […]
The U.S. Department of Commerce advised Steel Market Update, as a member of the media, who would be speaking at tomorrow’s (Wednesday, May 24, 2017) Section 232 hearing on steel. The hearing is part of the Commerce Department’s investigation about the need for steel for national security. Here is what we received from the US […]
Later this week the U.S. Department of Commerce will hold public hearings for interested parties to voice their opinions regarding the Section 232 (national security) inquiry into the steel industry. Many believe the conclusion of this investigation was predetermined at the time of the original announcement. In the Fact Sheet produced by the U.S. Department […]
A number of our readers have requested details regarding the CORE (corrosion resistant which is galvanized, Galvalume, etc.), cold rolled and hot rolled trade suit status and when the one-year anniversary for each product are potential reviews are due. Steel Market Update (SMU) went to trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz for answers and he provided the […]
How Much Power Does Section 232 Give the President to Restrict Steel Imports? Commentary by Lewis LeibowitzThe Law Office of Lewis E. LeibowitzWashington, D.C. We have had many questions about the power of the President under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. The statute gives the President considerable power to take action […]
Robert Lighthizer was confirmed as the new US Trade Representative by an 82-14 vote in the Senate on Thursday. Lighthizer faced some opposition from Republican Senators John McCain (Ariz.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.) who said they would vote against the Trump nominee because of his views concerning NAFTA and his alliance with the Administration’s protectionist […]
China’s Ministry of Commerce called the initiation by the U.S. of antidumping investigations on imports of cold-drawn steel mechanical tubing from China and five other countries “excessive,” in comments made on Thursday. Wang Hejun, head of the trade remedy and investigation bureau, said he was concerned over rising protectionism from the United States. “Under excessive […]
The U.S. International Trade Commission made a final determination that the U.S. steel industry has been materially injured by imports of carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Antidumping (AD) orders will be issued on imports of these products from the eight countries as well as […]
The Commerce Department is seeking input from American businesses on what factors contribute to the trade deficit. Commerce is collecting information to submit to President Trump as an information base for renegotiating trade deals and to deter and punish trade abuse. “Many trade abuses are well known to American companies, but because different Federal agencies […]
Produced by: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Report & Analysis On April 20, 2017, President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum (“Memorandum”) directing the Secretary of Commerce (“Secretary”) to prioritize investigating the effects of steel imports on national security pursuant to Section 232(b) of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Under the Act, if the Secretary determines […]
This week the Trump administration initiated an investigation on the impact of steel imports on national security under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. Section 232 has been initiated 26 times within the last 55 years but only two (1979 and 1983) found a threat to national security, both involving crude oil. […]
A ruling was made by the ITC on wood from Canada that could have long lasting implications for the flat rolled steel industry. On April 24, 2017, the International Trade Administration (ITC) released their Preliminary Determination of Countervailable subsidies of softwood lumber from Canada. The ITC found that there were subsidies on wood from Canada. […]
PITTSBURGH, April 18, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ –The United Steelworkers (USW) today issued the following statement on President Trump’s executive order to promote Buy American/Hire American: “The United States has laws on the books that promote the utilization of domestic materials and equipment when federal tax dollars are expended for certain projects. Taxpayers want their tax dollars […]
The following article is reprinted with permission from author Steven W. Baker, AIIS Customs Committee Chair, and originally published by AIIS in their Customs Corner newsletter. President Trump issued a March 31, 2017 Executive Order on Establishing Enhanced Collection and Enforcement of Antidumping and Countervailing Duties and Violations of Trade and Customs Laws. This Order […]
Commerce issued an order on Wednesday to rescind the circumvention inquiry on imported Chinese cut-to-length steel plate containing alloying elements that was initiated on February 10, 2016. The inquiry is to be rescinded as of April 12, 2017. With antidumping and countervailing duties just issued in March 2017 on CTL from China, this notice from […]
The following article on the recent OCTG ruling from the Republic of Korea is from trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz. We will provide his contact information at the end of the article: Last Tuesday, the US Commerce Department published its final determination on antidumping duties for the first administrative review period on oil Country tubular goods […]
Antidumping duties on oil and gas drilling pipes from South Korea were increased on Tuesday after an administrative review by Commerce. Duties were raise to a range of 2.76 – 24.92 percent from previously assigned duties of 4 – 6.5 percent. New provisions under the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 allow Commerce to consider market […]
There have been many press reports regarding the rumor that the Trump Administration is going to call for an “investigation” aimed at steel and aluminum. What our readers may find interesting is there are suggestions that the order may include manufactured products We have seen reports from the press and attorneys for steel service centers […]
On Friday the President signed an executive order that is designed to enhance trade enforcement efforts by the Commerce Department. The Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, and the United States Trade Representative Commerce are directed to develop a plan within 90 days that will […]
President Donald Trump signed new Executive Orders (XO’s) on trade and trade enforcement that contain no new initiatives. This is what we were told by trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz over the weekend. He told us: • “The Executive Order on trade enforcement has no new initiatives. It only requires the Commerce Department and Homeland Security […]
US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced today that a final finding has been made on the dumping of carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length (CTL) plate into the U.S. from eight countries. Commerce affirmed that dumping had occurred regarding imports of CTL from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan and imposed duties ranging […]
Steel Market Update (SMU) published an article in Tuesday evening’s newsletter entitled, “The Data Shows the Trade Cases Have Failed. The Question is Why?” and we have gotten some responses to this article that we would like to share with our readers. A manufacturing company sent us the following note: “Steel will “leak” into the […]
If the goal of the 2015 CORE, cold rolled and hot rolled trade cases was to reduce the number of foreign steel tons coming into the United States, well, the data says the cases did not complete their mission. There is one exception, hot rolled steel imports did indeed move lower and continue to move […]
Germany is seeking help from the European Union in its dispute with the United States regarding the alleged dumping of steel into the U.S. market. In a letter to EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel asked the Commission to urge the United States to follow World Trade Organization rules when deciding […]
Turkey has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization against U.S. countervailing duties placed on imports of pipe and tube products. Turkey requested the WTO initiate dispute consultation with the United States alleging the U.S. determination and imposition of duties was inconsistent with the WTO’s Agreement on Subsidies and Countevailing Measures (SCM Agreement) and […]
The following article was written by trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz for Steel Market Update readers: “Circumvention” is a loaded word suggesting evasion of responsibility or getting around something. It smacks of dishonesty, immorality, subterfuge. Frequently, loaded words are designed to create just such an impression. When you hear words like the “People’s Democratic Republic […]
The U.S. International Trade Commission issued two new final determinations on Wednesday related to imports of steel products from China. The ITC determined that the U.S. industry is materially injured by the imports of carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate from China. Countervailing subsidy rates of 251.00% and antidumping margins of 68.2 percent will be […]
The Department of Commerce, on March 1, issued affirmative preliminary determinations on the antidumping investigations of imports of steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) from Japan, Taiwan, and Turkey. Japan received preliminary dumping margins of 209.46 percent; Taiwan dumping margins ranged between 3.48 percent and 29.47 percent; and Turkey margins ranged from 5.29 percent to 7.07 […]
Following the DOC determination of AD/CVD duties on imports of stainless steel products, China issued a statement expressing its disappointment that the United States continues to follow its path of protectionism. “China is disappointed that the United States continued to launch high taxes on Chinese steel export products and calls into question the unfair way […]
On January 18, 2017, the Department of Commerce announced its final affirmative determinations in the antidumping and countervailing investigations of imports of cut-to-length steel plate from China. The China-wide rate for antidumping was established at 68.27 percent. The China-wide entity was assigned duties based on adverse facts for failure to cooperate with the investigation. The final subsidy […]