Meredith M. Broadbent, Chairman of the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), announced today that Catherine B. DeFilippo has been named Director of Operations at the USITC.

DeFilippo will oversee the investigative and research activities of the agency’s Offices of Investigations, Unfair Import Investigations, Industries, Economics, Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements, and Analysis and Research Services.

“Cathy DeFilippo brings years of outstanding experience and sound judgment to her new role as Director of Operations,” said Chairman Broadbent.  “She knows the agency extremely well and has developed strong relationships with our stakeholders and staff.  The Commission looks forward to benefiting from her unique strengths of personality, dedication, common sense, and collegiality.”

DeFilippo has served as Director of the USITC’s Office of Investigations since September 2009.  In that role, she oversaw the planning and conduct of the USITC’s import injury investigations under the antidumping and countervailing duty provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930, the global safeguard provisions of the Trade Act of 1974, and other import injury statutes.  She served as the Chief of the Applied Economics Division in the Commission’s Office of Economics from 2001 to 2009, leading that office’s work in assessing pricing and the conditions of competition in the U.S. markets for products involved in the Commission’s import injury investigations.

From 2000-2001, DeFilippo served as a senior economist in the office of Commissioner Deanna Tanner Okun.  Prior to that, she worked in the USITC’s Office of Economics from 1986 to 2000, first as an economist, then as an international economist in the Investigation Support Division, and finally as a senior international economist in the Applied Economics Division.

DeFilippo holds a master of business administration degree with an emphasis on international business and economics from the University of Maryland and a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Boston College.  She resides in Potomac, Maryland, with her husband and two children.

The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent, nonpartisan, quasi-judicial federal agency that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices in import trade, such as patent and trademark infringement.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that revoking the existing antidumping and countervailing duty orders on commodity matchbooks from India 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 will remain in place. 

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

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 these five-year (sunset) reviews.

The Commission’s public report Commodity Matchbooks from India (Inv. No. 701-TA-459 and 731-TA-1155 (Review), USITC Publication 4525, April 2015) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the reviews.

The report will be available after April 23, 2015.  After that date, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.

 

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 Commodity Matchbooks from India were instituted on November 3, 2014.

On February 6, 2015, the Commission voted to conduct expedited reviews.  All six Commissioners concluded that the domestic group response for these reviews was adequate and the respondent group response was inadequate and voted for expedited reviews.

A record of the Commission’s vote to conduct expedited 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.

Complete Official 2015 HTS Now Available

Complete Official 2015 HTS Now Available

The updated official 2015 Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which is called the 2015 Basic HTS, is now available on the USITC web site.

Although a preliminary official 2015 edition of the HTS, updated as of January 1, 2015, was released in late December, that version did not include all changes for 2015.  On December 30, 2014, the President proclaimed changes to the HTS that could not take effect formally until 30 days after they were published in the Federal Register.

The 2015 Basic HTS includes:

• changes proclaimed by the President on December 30, 2014, and effective as of January 29, 2015;

• statistical changes approved by the Committee for Statistical Annotation of the Tariff Schedules (also known as the "484(f) Committee,” which analyzes and evaluates petitions requesting changes in HTS and Schedule B statistical reporting), effective as of July 1, 2014, and January 1, 2015;

• staged reductions in preferential duty rates applicable under existing (already proclaimed) free trade agreements and effective as of January 1, 2015; and

• cumulative changes that took effect during calendar year 2014 as reflected in the on-line HTS available on the USITC website (see the Change Record, which includes a record of files reposted since January 1, 2015).

Users should note that the 2015 HTS reflects certain provisions or special duty codes which are not currently in effect but may be considered for renewal.  These include provisions or codes for the GSP, which expired on July 31, 2013, and temporary duty suspensions or reductions, which expired on December 31, 2012, or December 31, 2014.

The printed version of the 2015 Basic HTS will be available within a few weeks and can be ordered from the Government Publishing Office. 

 

 

Keywords

2015 HTSA Basic Edition

U.S. International Trade Commission

Completed Official Harmonized Tariff Schedule 2015

• Read more about Complete Official 2015 HTS Now Available

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of silica bricks and shapes from China that are allegedly sold in the United States at less than fair value.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determination, the U.S. Department of Commerce will continue to conduct its investigation on imports of this product, with its preliminary antidumping duty determination due on or about April 24, 2013.

The Commission's public report Silica Bricks and Shapes from China (Investigation No. 731- TA-1205 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 4369, January 2013) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

Copies of the report are expected to be available after January 22, 2013, by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or writing to the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.

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FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

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Silica Bricks and Shapes from China
Investigation No. 731-TA-1205 (Preliminary)

Product Description: Silica bricks and shapes covered by this investigation include all bricks and shapes, regardless of size, containing at least 90 percent silica (also known as silicon dioxide (SiO2)), regardless of other materials in the bricks and shapes. These bricks and shapes are used for refractory purposes, primarily in coke ovens and glass furnaces.

 

Status of Proceedings:                            

1.        Type of investigation:  Preliminary antidumping.
2.        Petitioner:  Utah Refractories Corp., Lehi, UT.
3.        Preliminary investigation instituted by the USITC:  November 15, 2012.
4.        Commission's conference:  December 6, 2012.
5.        USITC vote:  December 28, 2012.
6.        USITC determination to the U.S. Department of Commerce:  December 31, 2012.
7.        USITC views to the U.S. Department of Commerce:  January 8, 2013.


U.S. Industry:

1.        Number of producers in 2011:  One.
2.        Location of producer's plant:  Utah.
3.        Employment of production and related workers in 2011:  1/
4.        Apparent U.S. consumption in 2011:  1/
5.        Ratio of the value of total U.S. imports to total U.S. consumption in 2011:  1/


U.S. Imports:

1.        From the subject countries during 2011:  1/
2.        From other countries during 2011:  1/
3.        Leading sources during 2011:   1/

_____________________________________________________________

1/ Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.

gency is Reviewing, Revamping Publication

 

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has released data for 2011 regarding changes in trade with key U.S. partners and for individual U.S. industries, along with a user survey it hopes will help the agency identify ways to revise and improve its data presentation and analysis in this area.

The USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, compiles the information and releases it in an annual web-based report. The report provides details and analysis for key shifts in merchandise trade and can be searched by country or industry group and subgroup. Certain of the trade data are also updated each quarter on the USITC website.

The USITC is not publishing its annual report this year while it evaluates its trade shifts reporting to ensure that it is presenting data and analysis in ways that users find useful and timely. The agency is actively seeking input from users through a brief survey, which is posted on its web site.

The trade data for 2011 can be found at: http://www.usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/tradeshifts/2011/index.htm

The survey can be found at: http://parkinglot.usitc.gov/ITCSurveys/OARS/Trade_Shifts/Trade_Shifts.asp?P1=0710-90x6-58p

Questions regarding the report and the survey's content should be directed to Robert Carr at robert.carr@usitc.gov. Technical questions related to the survey should be directed to Jeremy Wise at jeremy.wise@usitc.gov.

 

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC or Commission) has voted to conduct full five-year ("sunset") reviews concerning the countervailing and antidumping duty orders on certain pasta from Italy and Turkey (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-365-366 and 731-TA-734-735 (Third Review)).

As a result of these votes, the Commission will conduct full reviews to determine whether revocation of these orders would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

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 notice of institution in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file with the Commission responses that discuss the likely effects of revoking the order under review and provide other pertinent 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.

With regard to imports from Italy, all six Commissioners concluded that the domestic group response was adequate and that the respondent group response was inadequate, but that circumstances warranted full reviews.

With regard to imports from Turkey, all six Commissioners concluded that both the domestic group response and the respondent group response were adequate and voted for full reviews.

A record of the Commission's votes on these matters 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.

The record of the Commission's votes is also posted on the USITC's Internet site at http://pubapps2.usitc.gov/sunset/caseProf/list?sort=caseTitle&order=asc. From this page, search on "pasta" using the search box in the upper right corner.

The Federal Register notice will indicate whether any further information or statements will be available. The Commission will issue a report after it completes its reviews.

Growing Activity Supports At Least 180,000 Jobs

 

The United States is the world's largest producer, consumer, and exporter of remanufactured goods, reports the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) in its publication Remanufactured Goods: An Overview of the U.S. and Global Industries, Markets, and Trade.

Remanufacturing is an important and growing activity in many industrial sectors and supports at least 180,000 jobs throughout the United States, according to the report. Remanufacturing is the industrial process of restoring end-of-life goods to original working condition.

The USITC recently concluded the investigation for the U.S. Trade Representative. The report, based on survey data, covers the period 2009-11 and focuses on remanufacturing-intensive sectors that account for the majority of remanufacturing activity in the United States.

The report provides an overview of the U.S. remanufactured goods industries and markets, including U.S. remanufacturing production and employment, estimates U.S. and global trade in remanufactured goods, and examines factors affecting trends in remanufactured goods trade. Highlights of the report follow.

• During the period 2009-11, U.S. production of remanufactured goods grew by 15 percent to at least $43 billion, supporting 180,000 full-time jobs. The largest U.S. remanufacturing sectors are aerospace, heavy-duty and off-road equipment, and motor vehicle parts.
• U.S. production, employment, and exports are growing in many remanufacturing sectors but are still small compared with overall U.S. manufacturing activities.
• U.S. exports of remanufactured goods total $11.7 billion in 2011, up 50 percent compared with 2009. Canada, the European Union, and Mexico are important markets for U.S. exports of remanufactured goods. About 40 percent of U.S. remanufactured goods exports went to free trade agreement partners.
• Key factors affecting the competitiveness of U.S. remanufacturers in all sectors and markets are the availability and relative price of cores (the used goods to be remanufactured), transportation and labor costs, the comparative price of remanufactured goods and new goods, the availability of lower-priced new alternatives, and customer perceptions about price and quality.
• Remanufacturing and trade in remanufactured goods and related inputs in many foreign markets are limited. Foreign regulatory barriers are a significant impediment to U.S. and global trade in remanufactured goods. The lack of a common definition of remanufactured goods hampers increased U.S. and global trade in remanufactured goods.
• The United States and the European Union account for the bulk of global remanufacturing activity and trade. Although Brazil, India, and China are developing their own remanufacturing industries in response to growing domestic demand, they tend to restrict trade in remanufactured goods and related inputs the most.

Remanufactured Goods: An Overview of the U.S. and Global Industries, Markets, and Trade (Investigation No. 332-525, USITC Publication 4356, October 2012), will be available on the USITC's Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4356.pdf. A CD-ROM of the report may be requested by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or contacting the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed at 202-205-2104.

USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analysis on the subject investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigations reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that revoking the existing antidumping duty order on folding gift boxes from China would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

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 Folding Gift Boxes from China (Inv. No. 731-TA-921 (Second Review), USITC Publication 4365, December 2012) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the review.

Copies may be requested after December 31, 2012, 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.

 

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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) review concerning Folding Gift Boxes from China was instituted on April 2, 2012.

On July 6, 2012, the Commission voted to conduct an expedited review. All six Commissioners concluded that the domestic group response for this review was adequate and the respondent group response was inadequate and voted for an expedited review.

A record of the Commission's vote to conduct an expedited review 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.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that revoking the existing antidumping duty order on honey from China 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 determination, the existing order on imports of this product from China will remain in place.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

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 these five-year (sunset) reviews.

The Commission's public report Honey from China (Inv. No. 731-TA-893 (Second Review), USITC Publication 4364, November 2012) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the review.

Copies may be requested after December 21, 2012, 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.

 

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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) review concerning Honey from China was instituted on July 2, 2012.

On October 5, 2012, the Commission voted to conduct an expedited review. All six Commissioners concluded that the domestic group response for this review was adequate and the respondent group response was inadequate and voted for an expedited review.

A record of the Commission's vote to conduct an expedited review 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.

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of steel wire garment hangers from Taiwan that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the USITC's affirmative determination, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order on imports of this product from Taiwan.

The Commission's public report Steel Wire Garment Hangers from Taiwan (Investigation No. 731-TA-1197 (Final), USITC Publication 4363, November 2012) will contain the views of the Commissioners and information developed during the investigation.

Copies may be obtained after December 21, 2012, by emailing pubrequest@usitc.gov, calling 202-205-2000, or by writing the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

 

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UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
Office of Industries
Washington, DC 20436

 

FACTUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Steel Wire Garment Hangers from Taiwan
Investigation No. 731-TA-1197 (Final)

 

Product Description: Steel wire garment hangers are garment hangers fabricated from carbon steel wire, whether or not galvanized or painted, whether or not coated with latex or epoxy or similar gripping materials, and/or whether or not fashioned with paper covers or capes (with or without printing) and/or nonslip features such as saddles or tubes. Steel wire garment hangers in this instance specifically exclude wooden, plastic, and other garment hangers that are not made of steel wire; steel wire garment hangers with swivel hooks; steel wire garment hangers with clips permanently affixed; and chrome-plated steel wire garment hangers with a diameter of 3.4mm or greater. Steel wire garment hangers are principally used by the drycleaning, industrial laundry and uniform rental industries for draping clothes and textiles.

 

Status of Proceedings:

1. Type of investigation: Final antidumping.
2. Petitioners:  M&B Metal Products Company, Inc., Leeds, AL; Innovative Fabrication LLC /
       Indy Hanger, Indianapolis, IN; and US Hanger Company, LLC, Gardena, CA. 
3. Investigation instituted by USITC:  December 29, 2011.
4. USITC hearing: October 24, 2012.
5. USITC vote: November 15, 2012.
6. USITC notification of Department of Commerce: November 29, 2012.

U.S. Industry:

1. Number of U.S. producers in 2011:  6.
2. Location of producers' plants:  Alabama, California, Indiana, Nebraska, Puerto Rico, and
       Texas. 
3. Employment of production and related workers in 2011: (1)        
4. U.S. producers' U.S. shipments in 2011:  (1)
5. Apparent U.S. consumption in 2011:  (1) 
6. Ratio of subject imports to apparent U.S. consumption in 2011: (1)

U.S. Imports in 2011:

1. From the subject countries during 2011:  $38.7 million.
2. From other countries during 2011:  $43.5 million.
3. Leading sources during 2011: Vietnam, Mexico, and China (in terms of total value).

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