The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of certain small diameter seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from the Czech Republic and Romania that the Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value. The Commission also determined that an industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of certain large diameter seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from Mexico that the Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

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 small diameter seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from the Czech Republic and Romania, as well as imports of certain large diameter seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from Mexico.

Chairman Stephen Koplan, Vice Chairman Deanna Tanner Okun, and Commissioners Lynn M. Bragg and Marcia E. Miller voted in the affirmative with respect to imports of large diameter carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from Mexico and small diameter carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from the Czech Republic and Romania. Commissioner Jennifer A. Hillman voted in the affirmative with respect to imports of large diameter carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from Mexico; she further announced that with regard to small diameter carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe, she found two like products, voting in the affirmative with respect to small diameter carbon steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from the Czech Republic and Romania and finding that imports of small diameter alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from the Czech Republic and Romania were negligible. Commissioner Thelma J. Askey voted in the affirmative with respect to imports of large diameter carbon steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from Mexico and small diameter carbon steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from the Czech Republic and Romania; she voted in the negative with respect to imports of large diameter alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from Mexico and small diameter alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from the Czech Republic and Romania.

The Commerce Department previously made an affirmative critical circumstances determination with respect to imports of certain small diameter seamless carbon and alloy steel standard, line, and pressure pipe from the Czech Republic. Therefore, the Commissioners who made affirmative determinations today are required to determine whether those imports are likely to undermine seriously the remedial effect of the antidumping duty order Commerce will issue. The Commission made a negative determination concerning critical circumstances with respect to these imports. As a result of the Commission's negative determination regarding critical circumstances, the antidumping duty order concerning these imports will not apply to goods that entered the United States prior to February 4, 2000, the date of publication in the Federal Register of the Department of Commerce's affirmative preliminary determination.

The Commission's public report Certain Seamless Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and Pressure Pipe from the Czech Republic, Mexico, and Romania (Investigations Nos. 731-TA-846, 848, and 849 (Final), USITC Publication 3325, August 2000) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

Copies may be obtained after August 23, 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 products subject to these investigations are small diameter (less than or equal to 4.5 inches in outside diameter) and large diameter (greater than 4.5 inches up to and including 16 inches in outside diameter) seamless carbon and alloy (other than stainless) steel standard, line, and pressure pipes and redraw hollows(1).

Status of Proceedings:
    1.  Type of investigations: Final antidumping.
    2.  Petitioners: Koppel Steel Corp., Beaver Falls, PA; Sharon Tube Co., Sharon, PA;  U.S. Steel Group,
    Fairfield, AL; USS/Kobe Steel Co., Lorain, OH; and Vision Metals' Gulf States Tube Div.,
    Rosenberg, TX(2).
    3.  Investigations instituted by the USITC: June 30, 1999.
    4.  USITC hearing: May 4, 2000.
    5.  USITC briefing and vote: July 13, 2000.
    6.  USITC notification of the U.S. Department of Commerce: August 2, 2000.

U.S. Industry:
    1.  Number of producers of seamless carbon and alloy steel pipe: Total, 9; small diameter, 8; large
        diameter, 4.
    2.  Location of producers' plants:  Alabama, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
    3.  Employment of production and related workers in 1999:  Small diameter: 303; Large diameter: (3).
    4.  U.S. producers' U.S. shipments (excluding exports)  in 1999:
        Small diameter: 105,646 short tons, valued at $76.4 million;  Large diameter: (3).
    5.  U.S. apparent consumption in 1999:
        Small diameter: 152,502 short tons, valued at $108.4 million; Large diameter: 293,151 short tons,
        valued at $167.6 million
    6.  Ratio of subject imports from Czech Republic, Mexico, and Romania to U.S. apparent consumption
        in 1999:  Small diameter (Czech Republic and Romania):(3);  Large diameter (Mexico):(3).

U.S. Imports in 1999:
    1.  From the subject countries listed above: (3).
    2.  From countries not subject to investigation during 1999: 
        Small diameter: 10,637 short tons, valued at $8.0 million; Large diameter: (3).