Petition Filed for New AD/CVD on Silicon Metal From Five Countries
A domestic producer recently filed a petition with the Commerce Department and the International Trade Commission requesting new antidumping and countervailing duties on silicon metal from Angola, Australia, Laos, Norway, and Thailand. Commerce now will decide whether to begin AD/CVD investigations, which could result in the imposition of permanent AD/CVD orders and the assessment of AD and CVD on importers. Mississippi Silicon and Ferroglobe requested the investigation.
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The petitioner stated that "silicon metal from Angola, Australia, Laos, and Norway is being, or is likely to be, sold at less than fair value ... and that silicon metal from Australia, Laos, Norway, and Thailand has benefited from subsidies that are countervailable." Silicon metal is described as containing "at least 85.00 percent but less than 99.99 percent silicon, and less than 4.00 percent iron, by actual weight."
Proposed Scope
The petition proposes the following scope for the investigations:
"The scope of this investigation covers all forms and sizes of silicon metal, including silicon metal powder. Silicon metal contains at least 85.00 percent but less than 99.99 percent silicon, and less than 4.00 percent iron, by actual weight. Semiconductor grade silicon (merchandise containing at least 99.99 percent silicon by actual weight and classifiable under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 2804.61.0000) is excluded from the scope of this investigation.
"Silicon metal is currently classifiable under subheadings 2804.69.1000 and 2804.69.5000 of the HTSUS. While the HTSUS numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope remains dispositive."
ITC and Commerce to Initiate Investigation
The Commerce Department and the ITC will accept comments on domestic industry support for the petitions to determine whether the petitions meet the dual requirements of support by domestic producers or workers accounting for (1) at least 25% of the total production of the domestic-like product and (2) more than 50% of the production of the domestic-like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. The ITC has initiated an investigation, with a preliminary determination expected by June 9.