American Line Pipe Producers Association Welcomes Commerce's Preliminary Antidumping Duty Determinations, Wiley Rein Reports

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) issued preliminary determinations in critically important antidumping duty (AD) investigations on Large Diameter Welded Pipe (LDWP) from Canada, China, Greece, India, Korea, and Turkey. 

The American Line Pipe Producers Association (ALPPA), a domestic coalition of large diameter line pipe producers that petitioned for the investigations, commends Commerce's strong response to uncooperative respondents in its investigations of Chinese and Indian LDWP. Commerce imposed preliminary dumping rates of 132.63 percent for China and 50.55 percent for India. In cases such as this, where foreign manufacturers refuse to participate in the agency's investigations, it is critical that Commerce act to the full extent permitted under U.S. law to safeguard the integrity of its proceedings.

ALPPA also thanks Commerce for its efforts in investigating the sales into the United States at less than fair value by Canadian, Greek, Korean and Turkish LDWP manufacturers. The agency calculated preliminary dumping margins of 24.38 percent for Canada, 22.51 percent for Greece, 14.97 percent to 22.21 percent for Korea, and 3.45 percent to 5.29 for Turkey. 

"ALPPA is confident that Commerce will continue to investigate the unfairly traded imports by foreign producers in these six countries aggressively," said Tim Brightbill, partner at Wiley Rein LLP and trade counsel to ALPPA. "After all necessary information has been provided, we believe the final results of these investigations will reflect the full value of the dumping that has driven harmful volumes of foreign large diameter welded pipe into the United States and taken sales from U.S. producers." In fact, due to the pressure caused by unfairly traded imports, the U.S. LDWP industry is currently operating at less than 40 percent of its capacity.

Cash deposits will start being collected immediately at these preliminary margin levels.  Preliminary countervailing duty (CVD) rates were also imposed on LDWP from China, India, Korea and Turkey in June 2018, and cash deposits are currently being collected on such merchandise. The domestic industry awaits Commerce's final AD/CVD determinations, which may impose higher AD and CVD duties and which are scheduled to be issued in January 2019.  AD/CVD duties will be imposed in addition to applicable Section 232 tariffs.

Duties may not be absorbed by the foreign producer or any affiliated importer, but must be passed to the unaffiliated purchaser. Foreign producers or U.S. importers found to be absorbing duties will be penalized by the Commerce Department.

The Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Wiley Rein LLP represents ALPPA on trade matters.

CONTACT:  Timothy C. Brightbill
American Line Pipe Producers Assn.
202-719-3138 | [email protected]

SOURCE Wiley Rein LLP