The Coalition to Enforce Antidumping & Countervailing Duty Orders (the Coalition) said Tuesday that it applauds House Bill 3057, the Enforcing Order and Reducing Customs Evasion Act. The bill could strengthen US enforcement of existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders. The bill works in tandem with the Enforcing Orders and Reducing Circumvention and Evasion (ENFORCE) Act of 2011. The Coalition also lauded the bipartisan nature of the bill--Congressional leaders from both the Republican and Democratic parties endorsed the legislation.
The legislation establishes a rapid-response timeline by which US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the federal agency tasked with collecting duties and enforcing compliance with US customs law, would respond to allegations of duty evasion. The law would require CBP to determine whether there is a reasonable basis to believe an importer is evading an AD/CVD order within 90 days of an allegation being put forward. If an affirmative preliminary determination is made, the law will require that cash deposits be made on entries of the merchandise until the investigation is concluded. These proceedings will protect the rights of all interested parties by providing transparency and procedural fairness to everyone.
Spokesperson for the Coalition, Bill Upton, President of Vulcan Threaded Products said, "We commend these members of Congress for their commitment to halting the widespread illegal evasion of US trade remedy laws by means such as transshipment through third countries and submission of fraudulent documentation."
Steel-related companies make up the bulk of members on the Coalition, and include: American Spring Wire Company, GEO Specialty Chemicals, Insteel Industries, JMC Steel Group, Leggett & Platt, Incorporated, M&B Metal Products, Mid Continent Nail Corporation, Seaman Paper Company of Massachusetts, Inc., Southern Shrimp Alliance, SSW Holdings and Vulcan Threaded Products.