August 23, 2013
News Release 13-078
Inv. Nos. 731-TA-929-931 (Second Review)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that revoking the existing antidumping duty orders on silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations, the existing orders on imports of this product from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela will remain in place.

With respect to imports from India and Kazahstan, all six Commissioners made affirmative determinations. With respect to Venezuela, Chairman Irving A. Williamson and Commissioners Shara L. Aranoff, Dean A. Pinkert, David S. Johanson, and Meredith M. Broadbent voted in the affirmative; Commissioner Daniel R. Pearson voted in the negative.

Today's action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. See the attached page for background on this five-year (sunset) review.

The Commission's public report Silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela (Inv. Nos. 731-TA-929-931 (Second Review), USITC Publication 4424, September 2013) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the reviews.

Copies may be requested after October 3, 2013, by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202- 205-2000, or writing to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by fax at 202-205-2104.

BACKGROUND

The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the USITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (USITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.

The Commission's institution notice in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file responses with the Commission concerning the likely effects of revoking the order under review as well as other information. Generally within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the USITC's notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.

The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determination in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission's prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the review, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.

The five-year (sunset) reviews concerning Silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela were instituted on October 1, 2012.

On January 4, 2013, the Commission voted to conduct full reviews. Regarding India and Kazakhstan, all six Commissioners concluded that the domestic group responses were adequate and the respondent group responses were inadequate, but that circumstances warranted full reviews. Regarding Venezuela, all six Commissioners concluded that both the domestic group response and the respondent group responses were adequate and voted for full reviews.

A record of the Commission's vote to conduct full reviews is available from the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by telephone by calling 202-205-1802.