U.S. Department of Commerce Initiates Antidumping Duty Investigation of Imports of Seamless Refined Copper Pipe and Tube from Vietnam
For Immediate Release
July 21, 2020
Contact: ITA Office of Public Affairs
Phone: 202-482-3809
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the initiation of a new antidumping (AD) investigation to determine whether seamless refined copper pipe and tube from Vietnam is being dumped in the United States.
The petition was filed by the American Copper Tube Coalition and its constituent members which include Mueller Copper Tube Products, Inc., Mueller Copper Tube West Co., Mueller Copper Tube Company, Inc., Howell Metal Company, and Linesets, Inc. (collectively, Mueller Group) (Collierville, Tenn.), and Cerro Flow Products, LLC (Sauget, Ill.).
In the AD investigation, Commerce will determine whether imports of seamless refined copper pipe and tube from Vietnam are being dumped in the U.S. market at less-than-fair value. The alleged dumping margin is 111.82 percent.
If Commerce makes an affirmative finding in this investigation, and if the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determines that dumped imports of seamless refined copper pipe and tube from Vietnam materially injure, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry, Commerce will impose duties on those imports in the amount of dumping found to exist.
The 2019, imports of seamless refined copper pipe and tube from Vietnam were valued at approximately $146.5 million.
Read the fact sheet on today’s decision.
Next Steps:
During Commerce’s investigation into whether seamless refined copper pipe and tube from Vietnam is being dumped, the ITC will conduct its own investigation into whether the U.S. industry and its workforce are being injured by such imports. The ITC will make its preliminary determination by August 14. If the ITC preliminarily determines that there is a reasonable indication of material injury or threat of material injury, then Commerce’s investigation will continue, with the preliminary AD determination scheduled for December 7, unless this deadline is extended.
If Commerce preliminarily determines that dumping is occurring, then it will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to start collecting cash deposits from all U.S. companies importing seamless refined copper pipe and tube from Vietnam, as appropriate.
A final determination by Commerce in this case is scheduled for February 22, 2021, but this date may be extended. If Commerce finds that products are not being dumped, or the ITC finds no injury to the U.S. industry, then the investigation will be terminated, and no duties will be applied.
The strict enforcement of U.S. trade law is a primary focus of the Trump administration. Since the beginning of the current administration, Commerce has initiated 273 new AD and CVD investigations – a 250 percent increase from the comparable period in the previous administration.
The AD and CVD laws provide American businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of unfair pricing and unfair subsidization of imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 531 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.
Foreign companies that price their products in the U.S. market below the cost of production or below prices in their home markets are subject to AD duties. Foreign companies that receive financial assistance from foreign governments that benefits the production of goods, and is limited to specific enterprises or industries, or is contingent either upon export performance or upon the use of domestic goods over imported goods, are subject to CVD duties.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit within the International Trade Administration is responsible for vigorously enforcing U.S. trade laws and does so through an impartial, transparent process that abides by international rules and is based on factual evidence provided on the record.
