The International Trade Administration issued its final affirmative countervailing duty determination on bottom mount combination refrigerator-freezers from Korea (C-580-866) that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of subject merchandise. The ITA found CV rates of de minimis to 12.9%, which are officially effective as of March 26 for all firms. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expected to implement these CV cash deposit/bond requirements soon.
The International Trade Administration has issued a fact sheet announcing its affirmative final determinations in the antidumping duty investigations of bottom mount combination refrigerator-freezers from Korea and Mexico (A-580-865 and A-201-839, respectively), and the countervailing duty investigation of the same product from Korea (C-580-866), its finding of targeted dumping for two companies from Korea, and its finding of AD critical circumstances for one company from Mexico.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments by April 6, 2012 on the country/tariff number pairs that could lose their Generalized System of Preferences duty-free treatment in the 2011 Annual Review if they exceed certain statutory thresholds or one or both Competitive Needs Limits (CNLs). Comments are also sought on the possible re-designation of articles currently ineligible for GSP. While 2011 full calendar data is available for all GSP-eligible tariff numbers, USTR has issued four lists that indicate the GSP changes for 156 tariff numbers that may take effect on July 1, 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued an interim rule, effective March 15, 2012, that amends CBP regulations to implement the customs-related provisions of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KFTA). Comments must be received by May 18, 2012.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is asking for comments by April 6, 2012 on the competitive needs limits (CNLs) for the 2011 GSP Annual review and the potential revocation of GSP benefits for certain country/tariff number pairs, the possibility of de minimis waivers for other pairs slated to lose GSP, and the possible redesignation for pairs currently ineligible for GSP. The President's decisions regarding these potential actions are expected to take effect on July 1, 2012.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued its instructions for the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), which takes effect for qualifying goods entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption on or after March 15, 2012. The notice gives an overview of the KFTA rules of origin, as well as instructions for handling "WCO tariff number" discrepancies. CBP also provides information on its process for verifying importer claims, the SPI "KR", post-importation claims and protests, etc.
The International Trade Administration has issued the final results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat products from Korea (A-580-816) which sets AD cash deposit rates for eight manufacturer/exporters, and revokes the order with respect to Pohang Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. and Pohang Coated Steel Co., Ltd.1 These rates, which are effective March 12, 2012, are expected to be implemented by U.S. Customs and Border Protection soon.
The International Trade Administration has issued the preliminary results of its administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain frozen warmwater shrimp from Vietnam (A-552-802) for 34 companies and the Vietnam-wide entity (unchanged since last review). These preliminary results are not in effect. The ITA may modify them in the final results of this review and change the estimated AD cash deposit rate for these companies.
On March 5, 2012, Mexico released its decision to initiate an antidumping investigation of imports of children's bicycles originating in China as the Secretariat has determined that there is evidence of unfair practices in these imported products. Among the factors which led to this determination include the fact that during the period of review (January 1, 2008 to June 30, 2011), imports from China (i) were made with a dumping margin above de minimis and recorded an increasing trend in absolute terms and in relation to the domestic market; (ii) were offered at prices significantly below those of the domestic industry, posting an average margin of undercutting of 88%, (iii) had adverse effects on the industry, particularly in the volume of production, domestic sales, employment levels, prices, and inventories.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced that the ACE Rail Manifest Implementation Guidelines have been updated to include the changes needed for Instruments of International Traffic (IIT) residue reporting.