U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Affirmative Preliminary Antidumping Duty Determinations on Difluoromethane from China
For Immediate Release
August 21, 2020
Contact: ITA Office of Public Affairs
Phone: 202-482-3809
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) investigations of imports of difluoromethane from China.
Commerce preliminarily determined that exporters from China have dumped difluoromethane in the United States at margins between 161.49 percent and 221.06 percent.
As a result of today’s decisions, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from importers of difluoromethane from China based on the preliminary rates noted above.
The petitioner is Arkema Inc. (King of Prussia, Pa)
Commerce is scheduled to announce its final determinations in these cases on or about November 4.
If Commerce’s final determinations are affirmative, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will be scheduled to make its final injury determination on or about December 18. If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations of dumping and the ITC makes an affirmative final injury determination, Commerce will issue AD orders. If Commerce makes a negative final determination of dumping or the ITC makes a negative final determination of injury, the investigation will be terminated and no orders will be issued.
In 2019, imports of difluoromethane from China were valued at an estimated $193.1 million.
Read the fact sheet on today’s decisions.
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 286 new AD and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations – a 267 percent increase from the comparable period in the previous administration.
The antidumping duty law provides American businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of unfair pricing of imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 531 AD and CVD 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 antidumping duties.
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 solely on facts submitted to the public record.
