Posted November 8, 2017

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the affirmative preliminary determinations in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigations, finding that exporters of fine denier polyester staple fiber from the People’s Republic of China (China) and India received countervailable subsidies of 41.73 to 47.64 percent and 7.18 to 9.86 percent, respectively.

 

The Commerce Department will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from importers of fine denier polyester staple fabric from China and India based on these preliminary rates.

 

In 2016, imports of fine denier polyester staple fiber from China and India were valued at an estimated $79.4 million, $14.8 million, respectively.

 

The petitioners are DAK Americas LLC (N.C.), Nan Ya Plastics Corporation, America (S.C.) and Auriga Polymers Inc. (N.C.).

 

Enforcement of U.S. trade law is a prime focus of the Trump administration.  From January 20 through October 31, Commerce has initiated 77 AD and CVD investigations – a 60 percent increase over the previous year. Commerce currently maintains 411 AD and CVD duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.

 

Unless the final determinations are aligned with the concurrent AD investigations, Commerce is currently scheduled to announce its final CVD determinations on January 16, 2018.

 

If the Commerce Department makes affirmative final determinations of subsidization and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue CVD orders. If the Commerce Department makes negative final determinations of subsidization or the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no order will be issued.

 

Click here for a fact sheet on the decisions.

 

Next steps

 

Unless the final determinations are aligned with the concurrent AD investigations, Commerce is currently scheduled to announce its final CVD determinations on January 16, 2018.

 

If the Commerce Department makes affirmative final determinations of subsidization and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue CVD orders.  If the Commerce Department makes negative final determinations of subsidization or the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no order will be issued.

 

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit within the International Trade Administration is responsible for vigorously enforcing U.S. trade laws and does so through an impartial, transparent process that abides by international rules and is based solely on factual evidence.

 

Imports from companies that receive unfair subsidies from their governments in the form of grants, loans, equity infusions, tax breaks and production inputs are subject to “countervailing duties” aimed at directly countering those subsidies.

 

The US Department of Commerce has announced its preliminary determination on the level of Countervailing Duties (CVD) on imported polyester staple of less than 3 denier from China and India as 41.73 to 47.64 percent and 7.18 to 9.86 percent, respectively.

 

AKC Note: This is a follow up to the petition brought by the US virgin staple producers, DAK Americas, Nan Ya and Auriga claiming both CVD and anti-dumping duty (ADD) against imported polyester staple of less than 3 denier from China and India. The ADD levels are expected to be announced in late December or early January. ADD cases also include imports from Taiwan and S. Korea. Final determination of the CVD rates is due on January 16 2018.

 

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce