On Friday, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) decided to conduct an expedited sunset review of the antidumping (AD) order on certain seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from Germany.
The ITC's decision was based on a finding that the response of the domestic industry to the ITC's institution notice was adequate but that the response of the foreign producers was inadequate.
The ITC's decision means that it will not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in connection with this review. Instead, the ITC will rely on facts available, including the ITC's prior injury and review determinations, the domestic industry's responses to the ITC's institution notice, and data already collected by the ITC staff. This expedited review is anticipated to take four months or less to complete.
The ITC's decision to conduct an expedited review virtually guarantees that the ITC will make an affirmative determination. If, as expected, the US Department of Commerce also makes an affirmative determination in its sunset review, the AD order will remain in effect for a further period of five years.