Forged Steel Fittings From the People's Republic of China: Countervailing Duty Order

AGENCY:

Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY:

Based on affirmative final determinations by the Department of Commerce (Commerce) and the International Trade Commission (ITC), Commerce is issuing a countervailing duty order on forged steel fittings from the People's Republic of China (China).

DATES:

Applicable November 26, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brian Smith or Janae Martin, AD/CVD Operations, Office VIII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone (202) 482-1766 or (202) 482-0238, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On October 5, 2018, Commerce published its final determination in the countervailing duty investigation of forged steel fittings from China. On November 19, 2018, the ITC notified Commerce of its final determination, pursuant to section 705(d) of the Act, that an industry in the United States is materially injured within the meaning of section 705(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act, by reason of subsidized imports of forged steel fittings from China.

Scope of the Order

The products covered by this order are forged steel fittings from China. For a complete description of the scope of this order, see the Appendix to this notice.

Countervailing Duty Order

On November 19, 2018, in accordance with section 705(d) of the Act, the ITC notified Commerce of its final determination in this investigation, in which it found that imports of forged steel fittings are materially injuring a U.S. industry. Therefore, in accordance with section 705(c)(2) of the Act, we are publishing this countervailing duty order.

As a result of the ITC's final determination, in accordance with section 706(a) of the Act, Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, countervailing duties on unliquidated entries of subject merchandise from China entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after March 14, 2018, the date on which Commerce published its preliminary countervailing duty determination in the Federal Register, and before July 11, 2018, the effective date on which Commerce instructed CBP to discontinue the suspension of liquidation in accordance with section 703(d) of the Act. Section 703(d) of the Act states that the suspension of liquidation pursuant to a preliminary determination may not remain in effect for more than four months. Therefore, entries of subject merchandise from China made on or after July 11, 2018, and prior to the date of publication of the ITC's final determination in the Federal Register are not liable for the assessment of countervailing duties due to Commerce's discontinuation of the suspension of liquidation.

Suspension of Liquidation

In accordance with section 706 of the Act, Commerce will direct CBP to reinstitute the suspension of liquidation of subject merchandise from China, effective the date of publication of the ITC's notice of final determination in the Federal Register, and to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce pursuant to section 706(a)(1) of the Act, countervailing duties for each entry of the subject merchandise in an amount based on the net countervailable subsidy rates for the subject merchandise. On or after the date of publication of the ITC's final injury determination in the Federal Register, we will instruct CBP to require, at the same time as importers would normally deposit estimated duties on this merchandise, cash deposits for each entry of subject merchandise equal to the rates noted below. These instructions suspending liquidation will remain in effect until further notice. The all others rate applies to all producers or exporters not specifically listed, as appropriate.

Notifications to Interested Parties

This notice constitutes the countervailing duty order with respect to forged steel fittings from China pursuant to section 706(a) of the Act. Interested parties can find a list of countervailing duty orders currently in effect at http://enforcement.trade.gov/stats/iastatsl.html.

This order is issued and published in accordance with section 706(a) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.211(b).

Appendix

Scope of the Order

The merchandise covered by this order is carbon and alloy forged steel fittings, whether unfinished (commonly known as blanks or rough forgings) or finished. Such fittings are made in a variety of shapes including, but not limited to, elbows, tees, crosses, laterals, couplings, reducers, caps, plugs, bushings, unions, and outlets. Forged steel fittings are covered regardless of end finish, whether threaded, socket-weld or other end connections.

While these fittings are generally manufactured to specifications ASME B16.11, MSS SP-79, MSS SP-83, MSS SP-97, ASTM A105, ASTM A350, and ASTM A182, the scope is not limited to fittings made to these specifications.

The term forged is an industry term used to describe a class of products included in applicable standards and does not reference an exclusive manufacturing process. Forged steel fittings are not manufactured from casting. Pursuant to the applicable specifications, subject fittings may also be machined from bar stock or machined from seamless pipe and tube.

All types of fittings are included in the scope regardless of nominal pipe size (which may or may not be expressed in inches of nominal pipe size), pressure rating (usually, but not necessarily expressed in pounds of pressure/PSI, e.g., 2,000 or 2M; 3,000 or 3M; 6,000 or 6M; 9,000 or 9M), wall thickness, and whether or not heat treated.

Excluded from this scope are all fittings entirely made of stainless steel. Also excluded are flanges, butt weld fittings, butt weld outlets, nipples, and all fittings that have a maximum pressure rating of 300 pounds of pressure/PSI or less.

Also excluded are fittings certified or made to the following standards, so long as the fittings are not also manufactured to the specifications of ASME B16.11, MSS SP-79, MSS SP-83, MSS SP-97, ASTM A105, ASTM A350, and ASTM A182:

• American Petroleum Institute (API) API 5CT, API 5L, or API 11B
• Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) SAE J476, SAE J514, SAE J516, SAE J517, SAE J518, SAE J1026, SAE J1231, SAE J1453, SAE J1926, J2044 or SAE AS 35411
• Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) certified electrical conduit fittings
• ASTM A153, A536, A576, or A865
• Casing Conductor Connectors 16-42 inches in diameter made to proprietary specifications
• Military Specification (MIL) MIL-C-4109F and MIL-F-3541
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) ISO6150-B

To be excluded from the scope, products must have the appropriate standard or pressure markings and/or accompanied by documentation showing product compliance to the applicable standard or pressure, e.g., “API 5CT” mark and/or a mill certification report.

Subject carbon and alloy forged steel fittings are normally entered under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) 7307.99.1000, 7307.99.3000, 7307.99.5045, and 7307.99.5060. They also may be entered under HTSUS 7307.92.3010, 7307.92.3030, 7307.92.9000, and 7326.19.0010. The HTSUS subheadings and specifications are provided for convenience and customs purposes; the written description of the scope is dispositive.