On August 16, the Department of Commerce (DOC) has preliminarily determined that critical circumstances exist with respect to subsidized imports of drill pipe from China, specifically for DP Master Group as well as ‘all others' group in the review. The period for which the institution is measuring subsidies is calendar year of 2009.
The petitioners for this investigation are: VAM Drilling USA, Inc.; Texas Steel Conversions, Inc.; Rotary Drilling Tools; TMK IPSCO; and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO-CLC.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, the US DOC preliminarily determined that Chinese exporters of drill pipe have received a subsidy rate of 15.72 percent. On June 21 this year, the US DOC announced its decision to align the final determinations of the countervailing duty (CVD) and antidumping (AD) duty administrative reviews for drill pipe from China.
The DOC is currently scheduled to make its final determination in December 2010. If the final determination is affirmative, the US International Trade Commission is expected to make an injury determination.
The subject products are currently classified in the following Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) categories: 7304.22.0030, 7304.22.0045, 7304.22.0060, 7304.23.3000, 7304.23.6030, 7304.23.6045, 7304.23.6060, 8431.43.8040 and may also enter under 8431.43.8060, 8431.43.4000, 7304.39.0028, 7304.39.0032, 7304.39.0036, 7304.39.0040, 7304.39.0044, 7304.39.0048, 7304.39.0052, 7304.39.0056, 7304.49.0015, 7304.49.0060, 7304.59.8020, 7304.59.8025, 7304.59.8030, 7304.59.8035, 7304.59.8040, 7304.59.8045, 7304.59.8050, and 7304.59.8055.
Prior to February 2, 2007, these imports entered under different tariff classifications, including 7304.21.3000, 7304.21.6030, 7304.21.6045, and 7304.21.6060.