The International Trade Commission (ITC) recently voted in the affirmative in two trade cases concerning products manufactured by domestic wire companies. In the second section 421 trade case, the ITC , by a vote of 5-0, determined that steel wire garment hangers from China are being imported in such increased quantities that they are causing market disruption and material injury to the U.S. hanger industry. The Commissioners recommended tariffs in the range of between 20% and 30% on these imported hangers. The USTR will be holding a hearing on April 1 during which all interested parties get a chance to again make their cases. Then a formal recommendation will be sent to the president, who has until April 25, 2003 to make his final decision Section 421 was added to our trade laws when Congress passed legislation in October 2000 granting permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status to China. This special safeguard provision provides relief for UScompanies which the ITC finds are injured by increasing imports from China. Thefinal decision on the appropriate remedy is made by the President. Section 421 is available to all industries. In a second case, the ITC determined that there is a reasonable indication that a US industry is being injured by reason of imports of prestressed concrete steel wire strand from India that are allegedly subsidized, and from Brazil, India, Korea, Mexico and Thailand that are allegedly sold at less than fair value. As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations, the US Department of Commerce will continue to conduct both its countervailing duty and antidumping investigations of these imports. Preliminary countervailing duty determination is due on or about April 28, 2003, and its preliminary antidumping determination due on or about July 10, 2003.
 American Wire Producers Association |
