C-AIR TIMES ISSUE #608 - Friday, December 06, 2019 08:05

Polyester Textured Yarn from China and India Injures U.S. Industry, Says USITC - U.S. International Trade Commission

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of polyester textured yarn from China and India that the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has determined are subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, Randolph J. Stayin, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the USITC’s affirmative determinations, Commerce will issue antidumping and countervailing duty orders on imports of this product from China and India.

The Commission also made negative findings concerning critical circumstances with regard to imports of this product from China. As a result, imports of polyester textured yarn from China will not be subject to retroactive antidumping and countervailing duties.

The Commission’s public report Polyester Textured Yarn from China and India (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-612-613 and 731-TA-1429-1430 (Final), USITC Publication 5007, January 2020) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

The report will be available by January 20, 2020; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.

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UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20436
FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS
Polyester Textured Yarn from China and India
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-612-613 and 731-TA-1429-1430 (Final)

Product Description: Polyester textured yarn is synthetic multifilament yarn that is manufactured from polyester (polyethylene terephthalate). It is produced through a texturing process, which imparts special properties to the filaments of the yarn, including stretch, bulk, strength, moisture absorption, insulation, and the appearance of a natural fiber.

Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigation: Final phase antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations.
2. Petitioners: Unifi Manufacturing, Inc., Greensboro, NC; Nan Ya Plastics Corp. America, Lake City, SC.
3. USITC Institution Date: Friday, October 18, 2018.
4. USITC Hearing Date: Wednesday, November 13, 2019.
5. USITC Vote Date: Thursday, December 12, 2019.
6. USITC Notification to Commerce Date: Friday, January 3, 2020.

U.S. Industry in 2018:
1. Number of U.S. producers: 8.
2. Location of producers’ plants: North Carolina and South Carolina.
3. Production and related workers: [1]
4. U.S. producers’ U.S. shipments: 1
5. Apparent U.S. consumption: 1
6. Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption: 1

U.S. Imports in 2018:
1. Subject imports: $78.1 million.
2. Nonsubject imports: $78.8 million.
3. Leading import sources: China, Mexico, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan.

[1] Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.

CBP Officers Seize Pipe for False Country of Origin Markings at Portal Port of Entry - U.S.Customs & Border Protection

PORTAL, N.D. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations officers at the Portal Port of Entry inspected a commercial truck carrying pipe on Nov. 19. CBP officers inspected the shipment and discovered pipe with stenciled letters indicating Canada as the country of origin. However, additional markings were detected on the pipes to indicate the pipes actually originated from a third country. On Nov. 21, CBP seized 48 pieces of pipe with an invoiced value of $9,677.

Enforcing trade laws remains a high priority for U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” said James Rector, Portal Port Director. “Officers work every day to protect the United States from threats at our borders by enforcing a wide range of laws, including those governing trade.”

CBP focuses its trade enforcement efforts on the agency’s Priority Trade Issues, and is committed to facilitating a proactive and dynamic trade enforcement system that protects the American consumer and our nation’s economic prosperity. Trade violations related to country of origin markings, classification and/or value of goods can damage U.S. economy and may result in revenue loss. For more information on CBP’s priority trade issues visit: Trade Priorities.

If you have any information regarding suspected fraud or illegal trade activity, please contact CBP through the e-Allegations Online Trade Violation Reporting System at the following link
https://eallegations.cbp.gov/Home/Index2 or by calling 1-800-BE-ALERT.

U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Affirmative Preliminary Determinations in the Countervailing Duty Investigations of Imports of Wind Towers from Canada, Indonesia, and Vietnam - U.S. Department of Commerce

Today (12/9/19), the U.S. Department of Commerce announced affirmative preliminary determinations in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of utility scale wind towers from Canada, Indonesia, and Vietnam, finding that exporters from these countries received countervailable subsidies at rates of 1.09 percent, 20.29 percent, and 2.43 percent, respectively.

As a result of today’s decisions, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from importers of utility scale wind towers from Canada, Indonesia, and Vietnam based on these preliminary rates.

In 2018, imports of utility scale wind towers from Canada, Indonesia, and Vietnam were valued at an estimated $60.2 million, $37.4 million, and $21.4 million, respectively.

The petitioner is the Wind Tower Trade Coalition, which includes Arcosa Wind Towers Inc. (Dallas, TX) and Broadwind Towers, Inc. (Manitowoc, WI).

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 187 new antidumping and countervailing duty investigations – a 188 percent increase from the comparable period in the previous administration.

Antidumping and countervailing duty laws provide American businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of the unfair pricing of imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 503 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.

Commerce is currently scheduled to announce its final CVD determinations on or about April 21, 2020.

If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will be scheduled to make its final injury determinations on or about June 4, 2020. If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations in these investigations, and the ITC makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue CVD orders. If Commerce makes negative final determinations, or the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no orders will be issued.

Click HERE for a fact sheet on today’s decisions.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit within the International Trade Administration is responsible for vigorously enforcing U.S. trade law and does so through an impartial, transparent process that abides by international rules and is based on factual evidence provided on the record.

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. Companies that receive unfair subsidies from their governments, such as grants, loans, equity infusions, tax breaks, or production inputs, are subject to countervailing duties aimed at directly countering those subsidies.

Federal Register Notices:

U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Affirmative Preliminary Antidumping Duty Determinations on Quartz Surface Products from India and Turkey - U.S. Department of Commerce

Today (12/6/19), the U.S. Department of Commerce announced affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) investigations of imports of quartz surface products from India and Turkey, finding that exporters from these countries sold quartz surface products at less than fair value in the United States at the following rates:

India – 2.62 to 5.05 percent
Turkey – 0.00 percent to 4.88 percent

As a result of today’s decisions, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from importers of quartz surface products from India and Turkey based on these preliminary rates.

In 2018, imports of quartz surface products from India and Turkey were valued at an estimated $69.5 million and $28 million, respectively.

The petitioner is Cambria Company, LLC (Eden Prairie, MN).

Antidumping and countervailing duty laws provide American businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of the unfair pricing of imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 500 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.

Commerce is scheduled to announce the final determinations on or about February 19, 2020.

If Commerce’s final determinations are affirmative, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) will be scheduled to make its final injury determinations on or about April 3, 2020. If Commerce makes affirmative final determinations of dumping, and the ITC makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue AD orders. If Commerce makes negative final determinations of dumping, or the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no orders will be issued.

Click HERE for a fact sheet on today’s decisions.

CBP Officers Seize Multiple Narcotics, Make an Arrest and Detain a Mislabeled Violin over Busy Weekend - U.S. Customs & Border Protection

CHAMPLAIN, N.Y. – Over the weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Champlain port of entry seized just over 57 grams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oil, 143 grams of edible marijuana, just over 5 grams of marijuana, 1 gram of hashish and a half gram of cocaine in three separate incidents over the weekend. Officers also arrested a 32 year-old wanted man from Virginia and detained a violin that arrived from China that was mislabeled for Intellectual Property Rights and Trademark violations.
On Friday, CBP officers discovered just over 57 grams of THC oil originating from Montreal, Canada that was in a commercial shipment manifested as lipstick and destined for Rochester, New York.

Also on Saturday, CBP officers seized 1.6 grams of marijuana from a 24 year-old U.S. citizen after detecting an odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle she was traveling in. The marijuana was discovered in the vehicle and the subject paid a $500 penalty for failing to declare. Later on Saturday, officers encountered a 32 year-old U.S. citizen from Virginia who was wanted on an active warrant in Richmond, Virginia. CBP officers confirmed the active National Crime Information Center (NCIC) warrant for Fraud – Obtaining Money by False Pretense and subsequently turned the subject over to local law enforcement for extradition.

CBP officers on Sunday, detained a violin for suspected Intellectual Property Rights and Trademark violations after they encountered a 63 year-old U.S. citizen in Champlain. The subject claimed to officers that he was destined to a local mail depot so he could ship a violin that he had sold online. During a secondary inspection of the subject, he admitted importing violins from China, fraudulently re-labeling them and re-selling the violins with his own trademark at a much higher value. Furthermore, the subject produced 24 labels from his shirt pocket that contained his name, serial numbers and an origin of Andalucía, Espana.

Commission Adequacy Determination: Refined Brown Aluminum Oxide from China - U.S. International Trade Commission

Commission Adequacy Determination: Refined Brown Aluminum Oxide from China
To view the Commission's adequacy determinations, click the link below:

https://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/adequacy-determinations

Philadelphia CBP Agriculture K9 Detects Prohibited Cheese Wrapped in Unknown Animal Skins from Turkey - U.S. Customs & Border Protection

PHILADELPHIA – A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture detector dog led to the seizure of nearly 16 pounds of unpasteurized cheese wrapped in unknown animal skins at Philadelphia International Airport November 16.

While inspecting travelers from a flight that arrived from Turkey, CBP agriculture K9 Potter alerted to a couple’s baggage. During a secondary examination, CBP agriculture specialists discovered five tanned animal skins balled up and stitched closed. Inside they discovered 7.1 kilograms, or 15 pounds, 10 ounces, of soft cheese. The skins and cheese were prohibited without veterinary certification due to the skins being a potential carrier of animal diseases. The skins and cheese were destroyed.

CBP agriculture specialists observe increases in prohibited agriculture products during the holidays when foreign nations bring traditional meals and products to celebrate with family in the United States.

The couple, who CBP released, were destined to an address in Burlington County, N.J.

"Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists protect our nation from a variety of potential agriculture threats every day, including from these unfinished animal skins that may carry an economy-damaging animal disease,” said Casey Durst, Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Baltimore Field Office. “CBP agriculture specialists continue to exercise extraordinary vigilance in their fight to protect our nation’s agriculture and economic prosperity from invasive pests and animal diseases.”

CBP agriculture specialists perform a critical border security role in safeguarding America’s agricultural and natural resources from harmful pests and plant diseases. They have extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and agricultural inspection.

CBP agriculture specialists work diligently to inspect imported air and sea cargo and arriving international travelers every day to intercept pests and potential plant and animal diseases at our nation’s international ports of entry.

During a typical day last year, CBP agriculture specialists across the nation seized 4,552 prohibited plant, meat, animal byproduct, and soil, and intercepted 319 insect pests at U.S. ports of entry. See what else CBP achieved on a typical day during 2018,

CBP encourages foreign visitors to ‘know before you go’ by viewing general guidelines on a variety of prohibited or restricted products, or by visiting CBP’s Travel site at www.CBP.gov.