US DOC sets preliminary countervailing duties on certain CRC imports

On December 16, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced its affirmative preliminary determinations in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of certain cold-rolled steel flat products from Brazil, China, India, and Russia and its negative preliminary determination in the CVD investigation of imports of certain cold-rolled steel flat products from Korea. 

 In the Brazil investigation, the DOC preliminarily determined that mandatory respondents Companhia Siderurgica Nacional and Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais both received a subsidy rate of 7.42 percent.  All other producers/exporters in Brazil have been assigned a preliminary subsidy rate of 7.42 percent.  

In the China investigation, the DOC preliminarily determined that mandatory respondents Angang Group Hong Kong Co., Ltd. and Benxi Iron and Steel (Group) Special Steel Co., Ltd. and, a noncooperative exporter, Qian’an Golden Point Trading Co., Ltd., received subsidy rates of 227.29 percent.  All other exporters of certain cold-rolled steel flat products from China will be subject to a subsidy rate of 227.29 percent.  These CVD rates are based on adverse facts available following the DOC’s determination that the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the mandatory respondents did not fully cooperate in the investigation by failing to respond to Commerce’s requests for information.  

In the India investigation, the DOC preliminarily determined that sole mandatory respondent JSW Steel Limited and its cross-owned affiliate JSW Coated Products Limited received subsidy rate of 4.45 percent.  All other producers/exporters in India have been assigned a preliminary subsidy rate of 4.45 percent.  

In the Korea investigation, the DOC preliminarily determined that mandatory respondents Hyundai Steel Co., Ltd. received a subsidy rate of 0.61 percent and POSCO/Daewoo International Corporation received a subsidy rate of 0.18 percent, which are both de minimis which results in a negative countervailing duty determination.  Because the preliminary determination is negative, no “all others” rate has been applied to any other producers/exporters in Korea.   
 
In the Russia investigation, the DOC preliminarily determined that mandatory respondents Novolipetsk Steel OJSC (NLMK), Novex Trading, Altai-Koks OJSC, Dolomite OJSC, Stoilensky OJSC, Studenovskaya (Stagdok) OJSC, Trading House LLC, Vtorchermet NLMK LLC, Vtorchermet OJSC, and Vtorchermet NLMK Center LLC (collectively, the NLMK Companies) received a subsidy rate of 6.33 percent and PAO Severstal, Severstal Export GmbH, JSC Karelsky Okatysh, AO OLKON, AO Vorkutaugol, and JSC Vtorchermet (collectively, the Severstal Companies) received a subsidy rate of 0.01 percent, which is de minimis.  The “all others” rate is the rate calculated for the NLMK Companies.   

Based on an allegation filed in the China CVD case, Commerce found that critical circumstances do not exist for all other Chinese exporters, but do exist for Angang Group Hong Kong Co., Ltd., Benxi Iron and Steel (Group) Special Steel Co., Ltd., and Qian’an Golden Point Trading Co., Ltd.  Where critical circumstances are found, CBP will be instructed to impose provisional measures retroactively on entries of certain cold-rolled steel flat products up to 90 days prior to publication of the preliminary determination Federal Register notice. 

Based on an allegation filed in the Russian CVD case, Commerce found that critical circumstances do not exist with regard to Russian producer/exporters of cold-rolled steel. 

The petitioners for these investigations are AK Steel Corporation, ArcelorMittal USA, Nucor Corporation, Steel Dynamics, Inc., and US Steel Corporation.