The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today made its final countervailing duty and antidumping duty determinations regarding imports of certain cold-rolled steel products from Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Russia, South Africa, and Thailand.

The Commission determined that an industry in the United States is not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of certain cold-rolled steel products from Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Russia, South Africa, and Thailand that the Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value, and those from Brazil that the Department of Commerce has determined are also subsidized.

Vice Chairman Marcia E. Miller and Commissioners Jennifer A. Hillman, Stephen Koplan, Thelma J. Askey, and Deanna Tanner Okun voted in the negative with respect to all investigations. Chairman Lynn M. Bragg voted in the affirmative with respect to all investigations.

As a result of the Commission's negative determinations, no countervailing duty or antidumping duties will be imposed on these imports.

The Commission's public report Certain Cold-Rolled Steel Products from Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Russia, South Africa, and Thailand (Investigations Nos. 701-TA-393 and 731-TA-829, 830, 833, 834, 836, and 838 (Final), USITC Publication 3283, March 2000) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

Copies may be obtained after April 3, 2000, 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 these investigations is certain cold-rolled (cold-reduced) carbon-quality steel flat products, neither clad, plated, nor coated with metal, whether or not annealed, painted, varnished, or coated with plastics or other non-metallic substances, both in coils and in straight lengths.

Status of Proceedings:
     1.   Type of investigations:  final countervailing duty and final antidumping.(1)
     2.   Petitioners: Bethlehem Steel Corp., Bethlehem, PA; Gulf States Steel, Inc., Gadsden, AL;
          Ispat Inland Inc., East Chicago, IN; LTV Steel Co., Inc., Cleveland, OH; National Steel
          Corp., Mishawaka, IN (2); Steel Dynamics, Inc., Fort Wayne, IN; U.S. Steel Group, a unit of
          USX Corp., Pittsburgh, PA; Weirton Steel Corp., Weirton, WV; United Steelworkers of
          America, Pittsburgh, PA; and Independent Steelworkers Union, Weirton, WV.
     3.   Investigations instituted by the USITC: June 2, 1999.
     4.   USITC hearing: January 20, 2000.
     5.   USITC vote: March 3, 2000.
     6.   USITC notification of the U.S. Department of Commerce: March 13, 2000.

U.S. Industry:
     1.   Number of producers of cold-rolled steel products:  30.
     2.   Location of producers' plants:  Production is primarily in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Illinois,
          Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West Virginia.
     3.   Employment of production and related workers in 1998: 21,637.
     4.   U.S. producers' U.S. shipments (excluding exports) in 1998:
               Including captive consumption, 33,976,667 short tons (valued at $14.7 billion)
               Open market shipments, 13,850,413 short tons (valued at $6.4 billion)
     5.   U.S. apparent consumption in 1998:
               Including captive consumption, 37,591,439 short tons (valued at $16.2 billion)
               Open market consumption, 17,465,185 short tons (valued at $7.9 billion)
     6.   Ratio of quantity of subject imports to U.S. apparent consumption in 1998:
               Including captive consumption, 4.4 percent.
               Open market shipments, 9.5 percent.

U.S. Imports in 1998:
     1.   From the subject countries listed above: 1,661,814 short tons, $643 million.
     2.   From other countries subject to investigation:(3)  554,867 short tons, $214 million.
     3.   From countries not subject to investigation: 1,398,093 short tons, $652 million.

(1) All countries mentioned are subject to antidumping investigations. Brazil is subject to countervailing duty investigation.
(2) National is not a petitioner with respect to Japan.
(3) Concurrent antidumping investigations were carried out with respect to imports from China, Indonesia, Slovakia, Taiwan, Turkey, and Venezuela. The Commission will vote on these investigations at a later date.