The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today made its final phase countervailing duty and antidumping duty determinations regarding imports of certain stainless steel plate in coils from Belgium, Canada, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan.

The Commission found two like products in these investigations: cold-rolled stainless steel plate in coils and hot-rolled stainless steel plate in coils. The Commission made affirmative determinations that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of imports of hot-rolled stainless steel plate in coils from Belgium, Canada, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan that the Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value, and those from Belgium, Italy, and South Africa that the Department of Commerce has determined are also subsidized.

The affirmative determinations regarding hot-rolled stainless steel plate in coils resulted from 6-0 votes. Chairman Lynn M. Bragg, Vice Chairman Marcia E. Miller, and Commissioners Carol T. Crawford, Jennifer A. Hillman, Stephen Koplan, and Thelma J. Askey voted in the affirmative with regard to these imports. Chairman Bragg and Commissioner Koplan found one domestic like product encompassing both cold-rolled stainless steel plate in coils and hot- rolled stainless steel plate in coils and rendered affirmative determinations in all investigations.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will direct the U.S. Customs Service to impose antidumping duties on imports of certain hot- rolled stainless steel plate in coils from Belgium, Canada, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan, as well as countervailing duties on imports of these products from Belgium, Italy, and South Africa.

With regard to imports of cold-rolled stainless steel plate in coils from Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan, the Commission made findings of negligibility. Imports are generally deemed "negligible" if they amounted to less than 3 percent of all such merchandise imported into the United States in the most recent 12-month period for which data are available preceding the filing of the petition. Vice Chairman Miller and Commissioners Crawford, Hillman, and Askey found that imports were negligible. As a result of the Commission's negligibility findings, the investigations regarding imports of cold-rolled stainless steel plate in coils from Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan are terminated.

With regard to imports of cold-rolled stainless steel plate in coils from Belgium and Canada, the Commission made negative determinations. Vice Chairman Miller and Commissioners Crawford, Hillman, and Askey voted in the negative. Chairman Bragg and Commissioner Koplan voted in the affirmative based on their like product finding. As a result of the Commission's negative determinations, no duties will be imposed on imports of cold-rolled stainless steel plate in coils from Belgium and Canada.

The ITC's votes in these final phase countervailing duty and antidumping duty investigations were held on April 22, 1999, under sections 705(b) and 735(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930.

The Commission's public report Certain Stainless Steel Plate from Belgium, Canada, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan (Investigations Nos. 701-TA-376, 377, & 379 and 731-TA- 788-793 (Final), USITC Publication 3188, May 1999) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

Copies may be obtained after May 24, 1999, by calling 202-205-1809 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

Product Description: The imported product subject to this investigation is stainless steel plate, annealed and pickled, in coils. Stainless steel is an alloy steel containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 percent or more of chromium, with or without other elements. Subject plate products are flat rolled products, 254 mm (10 in.) or over in width and 4.75 mm (0.187 in.) or over in thickness, in coils, and annealed and pickled or otherwise descaled. The subject plate may also be further processed (e.g., cold-rolled, polished, etc.) provided that it maintains the specified dimensions of plate following such processing. Excluded from the scope of this investigation are: (1) plate not in coils, (2) plate that is not annealed or otherwise heat treated and pickled or otherwise descaled, (3) sheet and strip, and (4) flat bars.

Status of Proceedings:
1.  Types of investigations: Final countervailing duty and final antidumping
2.  Petitioners: Armco, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA; J&L Specialty Steel, Inc.(2), Pittsburgh, PA;
    Washington Steel (formerly Washington Steel Div. of Lukens, Inc., Coatesville, PA); North
    American Stainless(3), Ghent, KY; United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO/CLC.(4)
3.  Investigations instituted by the USITC: March 31, 1998.
4.  Commission's hearing: March 23, 1999.
5.  USITC briefing and vote: April 22, 1999.
6.  USITC notification of the U.S. Department of Commerce: May 3, 1999.

U.S. Industry:
1.  Number of producers in 1998: Six.
2.  Location of producers' plants: Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
3.  Employment of production and related workers in 1997: 236.
4.  Apparent U.S. consumption in 1997: 143,257 short tons, $248.9 million.
5.  Ratio of quantity of imports to U.S. consumption in 1997: 19.9 percent.    

U.S. Imports:
1.  From the subject countries during 1997: 28,818 short tons, $48.1 million.
2.  From other countries during 1997: 2,948 short tons, $4.8 million.

(1) Canada and Taiwan were not subject to countervailing duty investigations.
(2) J&L Specialty Steel, Inc. was not a petitioner in the Belgium investigations.
(3) North American Stainless was not a petitioner in the countervailing duty investigations or the Italy antidumping investigation.
(4) United Steelworkers of America was not a petitioner in the Canada investigation.