Department of Commerce Issues Proposed Regulations to Create Aluminum Import Monitor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 29, 2020
Contact: Office of Public Affairs
Phone: 202-482-3809
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued proposed regulations to create a new Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis (AIM) program. Modeled on the successful Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis program, AIM will allow both external users and the U.S. Government to track surges in aluminum imports and to detect potential evasion and circumvention of aluminum duties as well as transshipment.
“Today’s proposed regulations are an important step forward in ensuring that trade in aluminum is free, fair, and reciprocal,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “It is yet another affirmation of our commitment to use all available tools to combat circumvention and evasion of duties.”
The proposed AIM program would require importers of covered products to obtain an aluminum import license, which would be issued automatically upon completion of an application form. Import license applicants would be required to identify the country in which the aluminum used in the manufacture of the imported aluminum product was smelted and poured, as well as the country of origin, value, and certain other information. The Department would release this data on an aggregated basis through a website. The information collected through AIM will provide for the timely and effective monitoring of any surges in aluminum imports.
Today’s action complements other groundbreaking steps the Administration has taken with respect to the aluminum industry, including the self-initiation of antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) investigations on common alloy aluminum sheet from China (which led to the imposition of AD/CVD orders) and the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on aluminum.
The public has 30 days to comment on the proposal. Comments will be addressed in the final rule.
Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit within the International Trade Administration, which issued the proposed rule on AIM, is responsible for vigorously enforcing U.S. trade laws as well as monitoring steel and aluminum imports.
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