Artist canvases exported by Jiangsu Animal By-Products Import & Export Corp. that are woven and primed in India before being cut and stretched in China are not subject to antidumping duties on artist canvas from China (A-570-899), said the Commerce Department in a scope ruling issued July 23. During the original AD duty investigation on artist canvas from China in 2006, Commerce found that the weaving and priming of artist canvases give them their essential character, and subsequent cutting and weaving does not alter that character. It inserted a phrase in the scope that said “canvas woven and primed in India but cut and stretched in [China] and exported from [China] is not subject to the order.” In its scope ruling request, Jiangsu Animal By-Products submitted a certification from its Indian supplier that the canvases were woven and stretched in India, as well as excerpts from its supplier’s website, purchase and import documentation, and evidence of its operations in China. Commerce said it found the evidence sufficient to prove the company’s canvases qualify for the exemption for “artist canvas woven and primed in a third country.”
Tinker Bell’s wings make candles in the Disney character’s shape subject to antidumping duties, said the Commerce Department in a scope ruling issued July 23. Although figurine candles in the shape of a human are exempt from the AD duty order on petroleum wax candles from China, humans don’t have wings and the Tinker Bell candles aren’t exempt, said Commerce.
The Commerce Department issued the final results of the antidumping duty administrative review on hand trucks and parts thereof from China (A-570-891). Commerce calculated a zero percent AD duty rate for New-Tec Integration (Xiamen) Co., Ltd., and found the only other company under review, Yangjiang Shunhe Industrial Co., Ltd., did not have any reviewable shipments to the U.S. during the relevant period.
The Commerce Department issued its final determinations in the antidumping duty investigations on ferrosilicon from Russia and Venezuela, finding dumping by Venezuelan exporters but not Russian companies and therefore exempting Russia from AD duties. Commerce's July 25 fact sheet says it calculated a 22.84% AD duty rate for Venezuelan producers. But just as it had in its preliminary determination, Commerce calculated a zero rate for the only Russian company under investigation. Commerce will now terminate the AD duty investigation on ferrosilicon from Russia, and will not issue an AD duty order. The agency will direct CBP to continue to collect AD duty cash deposits on subject merchandise from Venezuela.
The Commerce Department will soon begin requiring antidumping duty cash deposits on crystalline silicon photovoltaic products from China and Taiwan, it said in a fact sheet issued July 25. Cash deposit rates will range from 27.59% to 44.18% for Taiwan and 10.74% to 165.04% for China. Solar products from China are already subject to suspension of liquidation and cash deposit requirements of estimated countervailing duties (see 14060914). Commerce says it's still considering the controversial scope of duties, which also covers solar panels and other solar products assembled in China and Taiwan from solar cells produced in a third-country using Chinese or Taiwanese inputs. The final determination in this investigation is currently due in December. ITT will have more details on the preliminary rates when Commerce publishes its preliminary determination in the Federal Register.
An advisory panel to the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommended new bans on certain phthalates in toys in a July 18 report. The Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel says the phthalates diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPENP), di-n-hexyl phthalate (DHEXP), and dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) should be permanently banned in toys and child care products because of the health risks they pose to children. It also called for an interim ban on diisooctyl phthalate. The advisory panel recommended leaving most existing bans on phthalates in children’s products in place, except interim bans on di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) and diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), which it said don’t merit prohibitions because a low risk that humans will be exposed to harmful doses.
On July 25 the Foreign Agricultural Service posted the following GAIN reports:
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes July 25 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to amend its regulations to allow importation of two types of Unshu orange hybrids from South Korea. Currently, only the Swingle variety of Unshu orange is allowed to be imported into the United States from South Korea. The agency’s proposed rule would allow the Shiranuhi and Setoka unshu hybrids, subject to the same conditions in place for the Swingle variety. APHIS would also clarify that all unshu oranges from South Korea, including the Swingle variety, must be imported in commercial consignments. Comments are due Sept. 29.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to end a ban on importation of fresh pork and pork products from most of Mexico, after finding the country to be free of classical swine fever. Under the proposal, fresh pork and pork products would be eligible for importation from every Mexican state except Chiapas. Establishments that raise the swine would be subject to sanitary and biosecurity requirements, and slaughterhouses would be subject to APHIS inspection. Live swine would not be permitted for importation except from the States of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chihuahua, Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Yucatan, which are the nine Mexican states from which APHIS already allows imports. Comments are due Sept. 29.