Global Geopolitical Series: U.S. slaps duties on welded pipes from Canada, China, Greece, India, Korea, and Turkey

Yesterday, the U.S. Commerce Department concluded its preliminary investigations into imports of large diameter welded pipes from Canada, China, Greece, India, Korea, and Turkey and it has found that exporters of these countries are selling the above-mentioned product in the United States at prices less than the fair value. As a result of the findings, the commerce department has asked the U.S. customs and border patrol (CBP) agency to collect cash deposits from importers of the item based on the below preliminary rates,

• Canada – 24.38 percent,
• China – 132.63 percent,
• Greece – 22.51 percent,
• India – 50.55 percent,
• Korea – 14.97 to 22.21 percent,
• Turkey – 3.45 to 5.29 percent.

The investigation was initiated based on petitions filed by American Cast Iron Pipe Company (Birmingham, AL), Berg Steel Pipe Corp. (Panama City, FL), Berg Spiral Pipe Corp. (Mobile, AL), Dura-Bond Industries (Steelton, PA), Skyline Steel (Parsippany, NJ), and Stupp Corporation (Baton Rouge, LA).

According to the department’s calculations, the imports of large diameter welded pipe from Canada, China, Greece, India, Korea, and Turkey were valued at an estimated $179.9 million, $29.2 million, $10.7 million, $294.7 million, $150.9 million, and $57.3 million, respectively in 2017.

The final assessment will come by January next year and by November, in the case of China and India.

Under President Trump, the U.S. Commerce Department has significantly stepped up its investigations into foreign malpractices in trade and the number of investigations initiated is 216 percent more than the previous administration.