ITC Makes Affirmative Final Determination in Critical Trade Cases on Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Japan and Turkey

June 16, 2017

Washington, DC — In a victory for U.S. steel producers, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today made affirmative final determinations in the antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations on steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) from Japan and Turkey. The ITC found that U.S. rebar producers have been materially injured by unfairly traded imports of rebar from these countries, paving the way for the imposition of AD/CVD orders. All five Commissioners participating in the case voted in favor of the domestic industry. 

The ITC determination follows a September 2016 petition filed by the Rebar Trade Action Coalition (RTAC), alleging that unfairly dumped rebar from Japan, Taiwan, and Turkey, and subsidized rebar from Turkey, is injuring the U.S. industry and threatening the industry with additional injury. The members of RTAC include Byer Steel Group Inc., Commercial Metals Company, Gerdau Ameristeel U.S. Inc., Nucor Corporation, and Steel Dynamics, Inc.

“The ITC’s findings are a critical step toward restoring fair trade to the U.S. steel market and providing important relief to U.S. producers of rebar,” said Alan H. Price, chair of Wiley Rein’s International Trade Practice and counsel to RTAC. “We welcome the final decision and commend the ITC and the Commerce Department for their hard work on these cases.” 

“This decision confirms that the U.S. steel industry and its workers have been devastated by unfairly traded rebar imports from Japan and Turkey,” Mr. Price added. “With today’s decision, the Commission is stating that foreign countries and producers that do not abide by the rules of international trade will be held accountable. We look forward to a similar determination on rebar imports from Taiwan in July.”

Mr. Price further noted: “While this is an important result, it is far from the only step necessary to address the steel import crisis affecting the domestic rebar industry. We urge the President to provide comprehensive relief in the steel Section 232 proceeding to address fully the national security implications caused by massive global excess capacity.”

Prior to today’s ITC vote, the U.S. Department of Commerce determined that producers in the subject countries were dumping rebar into the United States at the following margins: Japan (206.43% – 209.46%) and Turkey (5.39% – 8.17%). AD orders will be issued, imposing duties at these levels. In addition, Commerce found that a rebar producer in Turkey, the only country of the three that was also subject to a CVD investigation, was being unfairly subsidized at a rate of 15.99%. Commerce’s final determination in the Taiwan AD investigation will be issued next month, and the ITC will then vote in the Taiwan investigation. 

In 2014, the ITC also made affirmative final injury determinations in cases on rebar from Mexico and certain other producers in Turkey. 

For additional background information, please see our Rebar Fact Sheet.