imported steel subject of new department of commerce probe

In an effort to prohibit dumping, the federal Department of Commerce has announced that it is launching an investigation looking into Canadian, Chinese, and Mexican fabricated steel imports.
In particular, the department is seeking to ascertain whether or not fabricated structural steel from those counties is being sold in the United States at a less than fair value.
Fabricated steel is widely used in everything from commercial, office, institutional, and residential construction, not to mention arenas, convention centers, and medical facilities.
The investigation is also tasked with trying to find out if producers in Canada, China, and Mexico are receiving unfair government subsidies.
In a press release, the department notes that there are a combined 109 alleged program violations regarding imports from the three countries, including tax, grant, loan, equity, and, export insurance programs.
If, after the investigation, the Commerce Department should arrive at an affirmative finding regarding dumping and/or unfairly subsidized imports, it will “impose duties on those imports in the amount of dumping and/or unfair subsidization found to exist.”
Those duties would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to begin collecting cash deposits from any U.S. company importing the steel in question from Canada, China, and Mexico.
A preliminary determination is expected to be announced by March 21, followed by further investigations and determinations in May.

By Garry Boulard

---