Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the affirmative final determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) investigations of imports of carbon and alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from South Africa and Ukraine.

“Today’s decision allows U.S. producers of carbon and alloy steel wire rod to receive relief from the market-distorting effects of foreign producers dumping their goods into the domestic market,” said Secretary Ross. “While the United States values its relationship with South Africa and Ukraine even our closest friends must play by the rules.”

The Commerce Department determined that exporters from South Africa and Ukraine sold wire rod in the United States at 135.46 to 142.26 percent and 34.98 to 44.03 percent less than fair value, respectively.

As a result of today’s decisions, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect cash deposits from importers of wire rod from South Africa, and Ukraine based on these final rates.

In 2016, imports of carbon and alloy steel wire rod from South Africa and Ukraine were valued at an estimated $7.1 million and $55 million, respectively.

The petitioners are Gerdau Ameristeel US Inc. (FL), Nucor Corporation (NC), Keystone Consolidated Industries (TX), and Charter Steel (WI).

With regard to next steps, if the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue AD orders. If the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no orders will be issued.

Enforcement of U.S. trade law is a prime focus of the Trump administration. From January 20, 2017, through January 9, 2018, Commerce has initiated 82 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations – a 58 percent increase from 52 in the previous year.

The AD law provides U.S. 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 418 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.

Click HERE for a fact sheet on today’s decision(s).

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 law and is based solely on factual evidence.

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.