U.S. Department of Commerce Finds Dumping and Subsidization of Imports of Stainless Steel Flanges from India - Department of Commerce
Today (8/13/18), the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the affirmative final determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of stainless steel flanges from India.
The Department of Commerce determined that exporters from India have sold stainless steel flanges in the United States at 19.16 to 145.25 percent less than fair value. Commerce also determined that India is providing countervailable subsidies to its producers of stainless steel flanges at rates ranging from 4.92 to 256.16 percent.
In 2017, imports of stainless steel flanges from India were valued at an estimated $44 million.
The petitioners are the Coalition of American Flange Producers and its individual members: Core Pipe Products, Inc. (Carol Stream, IL) and Maass Flange Corporation (Houston, TX).
The strict enforcement of U.S. trade law is a primary focus of the Trump Administration. Since the beginning of the current Administration, Commerce has initiated 120 new AD and CVD investigations – this is a 216 percent increase from the comparable period in the previous administration.
Antidumping duty and countervailing duty laws provide American businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of the unfair pricing of imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 456 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is currently scheduled to make its final injury determinations on September 24, 2018. If the ITC makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue AD and CVD orders. If the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no orders will be issued.
Click HERE for a fact sheet on today’s decisions.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit within the International Trade Administration is responsible for vigorously enforcing U.S. trade laws and does so through an impartial, transparent process that abides by international law and is based on factual evidence provided on the record.
Foreign companies that price their products in the U.S. market below the cost of production or below prices in their home markets are subject to antidumping duties. Foreign companies that receive financial assistance from foreign governments that benefits the production of goods from foreign companies and is limited to specific enterprises or industries, or is contingent either upon export performance or upon the use of domestic goods over imported goods, are subject to countervailing duties.
UPDATE Additional Duty on Imports of Steel Articles Under Section 232, Republic of Turkey - U.S. Customs & Border Protection
BACKGROUND:
On March 8, 2018, the President issued Proclamations 9704 and 9705 on Adjusting Imports of Steel and Aluminum into the United States, under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1862), providing for additional import duties for steel mill and aluminum articles, effective March 23, 2018. See the Federal Register, 83 FR 11619 and 83 FR 11625 (March 15, 2018).
On March 22, April 30, and May 31, 2018, the President issued Proclamations 9710, 9711, 9739, 9740, 9758, and 9759 on Adjusting Imports of Steel and Aluminum into the United States. See the Federal Register, 83 FR 13355 and 83 FR 13361 (March 28, 2018); 83 FR 20683 and 83 FR 20677 (May 7, 2018); and 83 FR 25849 and 83 FR 25857 (June 5, 2018). On August 10, 2018, the President issued a new proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Steel into the United States.
GUIDANCE:
STEEL ARTICLES FROM THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
Per the August 10, 2018 Presidential Proclamation, steel articles covered by the Section 232 remedy that are the product of the Republic of Turkey (Turkey) will be subject to an increased ad valorem duty rate.
Steel articles will be subject to an ad valorem duty rate of 50%.
The increased rates of duty on steel articles that are the product of Turkey are effective with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on August 13, 2018.
FILING INSTRUCTIONS:
Steel Products from Turkey
In addition to reporting the regular Chapters 72 & 73 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) classification for the imported merchandise, importers shall report the following HTSUS classification for imported merchandise subject to the additional duty:
9903.80.02 (50% ad valorem duty rate for products of iron and steel that are the product of Turkey)
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
For more information, please refer to the Presidential Proclamations on Adjusting Imports of Steel and Aluminum into the United States, Federal Register, 83 FR 11619 and 83 FR 11625 (March 15, 2018); 83 FR 13355 and 83 FR 13361 (March 28, 2018); 83 FR 20683 and 83 FR 20677 (May 7, 2018); 83 FR 25849 and 83 FR 25857 (June 5, 2018); and the August 10, 2018 Proclamations on Adjusting Imports of Steel into the United States.
Also see Frequently Asked Questions at
ttps://www.cbp.gov/trade/programs-administration/entry-summary/232-tariffs-aluminum-and-steel.
Treasury Targets Shipping Industry and Other Facilitators of North Korea United Nations Security Council Violations - US Depatment of the Treasury
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced North Korea-related designations, continuing the implementation of existing UN and U.S. sanctions. Today’s action against one individual and three entities was taken pursuant to Executive Order 13810 of September 20, 2017, and targets persons involved in facilitating illicit shipments on behalf of North Korea. This action reinforces the United States’ ongoing commitment to prevent financial flows to the DPRK’s unlawful WMD programs and activities, in accordance with the decisions of the UN Security Council (UNSC). As a result of today’s action, any property or interests in property of the designated persons in the possession or control of U.S. persons or within the United States must be blocked, and U.S. persons generally are prohibited from dealing with any of the designated persons.
“Treasury will continue to implement existing sanctions on North Korea, and will take action to block and designate companies, ports, and vessels that facilitate illicit shipments and provide revenue streams to the DPRK,” said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. “The tactics that these entities based in China, Singapore, and Russia are using to attempt to evade sanctions are prohibited under U.S. law, and all facets of the shipping industry have a responsibility to abide by them or expose themselves to serious risks. Consequences for violating these sanctions will remain in place until we have achieved the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea.”
OFAC designated China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co., Ltd. and its Singapore-based affiliate, SINSMS Pte. Ltd. These companies worked together to facilitate illicit shipments to North Korea using falsified shipping documents, including exports of alcohol, tobacco, and cigarette-related products. The illicit cigarette trade in North Korea reportedly has netted over $1 billion per year for the regime. SINSMS Pte. Ltd. is responsible for exports to North Korea and general trading of items from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia. Employees at SINSMS Pte. Ltd. also provided information on how to evade shipping restrictions by sending cargo SINSMS Pte. Ltd. to Nampo, North Korea, via Dalian, China.
OFAC also designated Russia-based Profinet Pte Ltd. (Profinet) and its Director General, Russian national Vasili Aleksandrovich Kolchanov. Profinet is a Russian port service agency that provides loading, bunkering, supplying, and departure arrangements for vessels calling at the Russian ports of Nakhodka, Vostochny, Vladivostok, and Slavyanka. Profinet has provided port services on at least six separate occasions to DPRK-flagged vessels, including the sanctioned vessels CHON MYONG 1 and RYE SONG GANG 1, which have carried thousands of metric tons of refined oil products. Profinet continued to offer its bunkering services to DPRK-flagged vessels even after its employees knew of oil-related sanctions on North Korea. Kolchanov was personally involved in North Korea-related deals and interacted directly with North Korean representatives in Russia.
Treasury reminds the shipping industry, including flag states, ship owners and operators, crew members and captains, insurance companies, brokers, oil companies, ports, classification service providers, and others of the significant risks posed by North Korea’s shipping practices, and we urge UN member states and shipping industry associations to circulate OFAC’s North Korea Shipping Advisory
China Initiates Dispute Complaints Against Us Solar Cell Duties, Renewable Energy Measures - World Trade Organization
China has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding US safeguard duties imposed on imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic products. China has also requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding measures at the state and municipal level that provide incentives for the use of domestically sourced renewable energy products and technologies. The two requests were circulated to WTO members on 16 August.
Read entire article here
CBP Officers at the Laredo Port of Entry Seize More Than $1.3 Million in Crystal Methamphetamine - US Customs & Border Protection
LAREDO, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers at the Laredo Port of Entry recently seized over $1.3 million in crystal methamphetamine in one enforcement action.
“CBP has numerous layers of enforcement and our officers will go above and beyond to keep these illicit drugs from entering our country and affecting our community,” said Port Director Albert Flores, Laredo Port of Entry.
The seizure occurred on Saturday, August 11 at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2013 Nissan Altima driven by a 27-year-old female Mexican citizen from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico traveling with a 25-year-old male Mexican citizen for a secondary inspection. CBP officers utilizing a non-intrusive imaging system along with the help of a canine team discovered narcotics hidden within the vehicle. CBP officers discovered a total of 66.71 pounds of alleged crystal methamphetamine. The narcotics have an estimated street value of $1,334,223.
CBP OFO seized the narcotics and the vehicle. Both subjects were arrested and the cases were turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents for further investigation