ITC Holding Final Hearing on AD/CVD Rates in 2017

The International Trade Commission will hold a hearing to make its final determination on anti-dumping and countervailing duties on truck and bus tires from China in January 2017, the Federal Register reports.

The ITC will hold the hearing at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 24, 2017, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building. This will be the final hearing to determine Chinese truck and bus tires are materially injuring, or threaten to materially injure, industry in the United States.Requests to appear at the hearing must be filed in writing with the Secretary to the Commission on or before Jan. 18, 2017. According to the Federal Register, “a nonparty who has testimony that may aid the Commission’s deliberations may request permission to present a short statement at the hearing. All parties and nonparties desiring to appear at the hearing and make oral presentations should participate in a prehearing conference to be held on January 20, 2017, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, if deemed necessary.”

Preliminary Results: AD

The Department of Commerce issued a correction to its preliminary anti-dumping duty determination in October after two “significant ministerial errors” lead to greater tariffs for every manufacturer and importer.

Due to an error made in the calculation of estimated weighted-average for Prinx Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Co. (PCT), the tiremaker’s anti-dumping rate grew from 20.87% to 30.36%. Since the DOC used PCT’s initial tariff for all other “non-selected respondents” during its first announcement, rates from non-selected respondents also increased to 30.36%.

Preliminary Results: CVD

The DOC’s preliminary determination assigned CVD rates ranging from 17.06 to 23.38% to counteract a tire exporters artificially low prices that result from government subsidies. Those directly affected by the ruling include Double Coin Holdings Ltd., which produces tires for China Manufacturers Alliance (CMA) in the U.S., with a CVD rate of 17.06%, and Guizhou Tyre Co. with a CVD rate of 23.38%. All other Chinese tire producers were issued rates of 20.22%.

Additionally, Guizhou Tyre was found to be in violation of critical circumstance and must pay duties on any imports to the U.S. going back 90 days from the determination. Critical circumstance prohibits shipping at a frenzied rate following a filed complaint. The DOC found Double Coin did not violate critical circumstance.