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 low enriched uranium from France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom that the Department of Commerce has determined are subsidized and those from France that the Department of Commerce has determined are also sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Chairman Stephen Koplan and Commissioners Lynn M. Bragg, Marcia E. Miller, and Jennifer A. Hillman voted in the affirmative. Vice Chairman Deanna Tanner Okun did not participate in these investigations.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations, the U.S. Department of Commerce will issue countervailing duty orders on imports of this product from France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, and an antidumping duty order on imports of this product from France.

The Commission's public report Low Enriched Uranium from France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, Invs. Nos. 701-TA-409-412 and 731-TA-909 (Final), USITC Publication 3486, February 2002) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigations.

Copies may be obtained after February 25, 2002, 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: For purposes of these investigations, LEU is enriched uranium hexafluoride (UF6) with a U235 assay of less than 20 percent that has not been converted into another chemical form, such as UO2, or fabricated into nuclear fuel assemblies, regardless of the means by which the LEU is produced (including LEU produced through the down-blending of highly enriched uranium). LEU is an intermediate product used in the production of nuclear fuel for use in nuclear power plants for the generation of electricity. The merchandise subject to these investigations is provided for in subheading 2844.20.00 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.

Status of Proceedings:

1.  Type of investigations: Final phase countervailing duty and antidumping duty.
2.  Petitioner:  USEC Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiary United States Enrichment Corp., 
      Bethesda, MD.
3.  Investigations instituted by USITC:  December 7, 2000.
4.  Hearing: December 14, 2001.
5.  USITC vote:  January 22, 2002.
6.  Transmittal of USITC determinations to Department of Commerce: No later than February 4, 2002.

U.S. Industry:

1.  U.S. producers in 2001:  One.
2.  Location of producer's plants:(1)  Portsmouth, OH and Paducah, KY.
3.  Production during 2000 (separative work units (SWUs)): (2)
4.  Average number of production and related workers during 2000: (2)
5.  U.S. consumption during 2000 (1,000 SWUs): (2)   
6.  U.S. consumption during 2000 (1,000 dollars): (2) 

U.S. Imports:

1.  Quantity of subject imports during 2000: (2) 

(1) In May 2001, the Portsmouth plant was placed on cold standby.
(2) Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.