November 9, 2023
News Release 23-097
Inv. No(s). 731-TA-1103
Contact: Elizabeth Nesbitt, 202-205-1819
USITC Makes Determination in Five-Year (Sunset) Review Concerning Activated Carbon from China

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that revocation of the existing antidumping duty order on certain activated carbon 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. 

Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioners Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, and Amy A. Karpel 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 Certain Activated Carbon from China (Inv. No. 731-TA-1103 (Third Review), USITC Publication 5474, November 2023) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the review. 

The report will be available by December 12, 2023; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: https://www.usitc.gov/commission_publications_library.


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 terminating the suspended investigation 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 Certain Activated Carbon from China (Third Review) was instituted on June 1, 2023.

On September 5, 2023, the Commission voted to conduct an expedited review. Commissioners Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, Jason E. Kearns, Randolph J. Stayin, and Amy A. Karpel concluded that the domestic interested party group response was adequate and the respondent interested party group response was inadequate. Chairman David S. Johanson concluded that both the domestic interested party group response and the respondent interested party group response were adequate. Commissioners Jason E. Kearns, Randolph J. Stayin, and Amy A. Karpel voted for an expedited review, and Chairman David S. Johanson and Commissioner Rhonda K. Schmidtlein voted for a full 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.

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