ITC Makes Affirmative Injury Determinations in Antidumping Investigations on CTL Plate from Brazil, South Africa, and Turkey

January 6, 2017

Washington, DC—In an important victory for U.S. steel producers, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has made affirmative final determinations in the antidumping (AD) investigations on carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length (CTL) plate from Brazil, South Africa, and Turkey. The ITC found that U.S. steel producers have been materially injured by dumped imports of CTL plate from these countries, paving the way for the imposition of AD orders. All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative. The ITC will be voting on the remaining nine countries (Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan) subject to these AD and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations in the next several months.

The ITC determination is in response to an April 2016 petition filed by Nucor Corporation, ArcelorMittal USA, and SSAB Enterprises, alleging that unfairly dumped and subsidized CTL plate from 12 countries is injuring the U.S. industry and threatening the industry with additional injury. 

“These final determinations are a critical step in returning fair trade to the U.S. flat-rolled steel market,” said Alan H. Price, partner and chair of Wiley Rein’s International Trade Practice, and counsel to Nucor Corporation. “We welcome the final results on CTL plate from these three countries, and commend the ITC and the Commerce Department for their hard work on these investigations. We also look forward to affirmative determinations on the remaining nine countries.” 

“Today’s vote confirms that the U.S. steel industry has suffered harmful effects from unfairly traded CTL plate imports,” Mr. Price added. “With its affirmative determination, the ITC is sending a clear message that all countries must play by the rules of international trade and will be held accountable for failure to do so.”

Prior to today’s vote, the Commerce Department determined that producers in the three subject countries were dumping CTL plate into the United States at the following margins: Brazil (74.52%); South Africa (87.72% - 94.14%); and Turkey (42.02% - 50.0%). AD orders will be issued, imposing duties at these levels.

The ITC has already made affirmative final injury determinations in cases on corrosion-resistant steel from five countries (China, Korea, Taiwan, India, and Italy), cold-rolled steel from seven countries (Brazil, China, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, and the United Kingdom), and hot-rolled steel from seven countries (Australia, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Turkey, and the United Kingdom).