For Immediate Release: May 22, 2008
Contact: Brittany Eck  (202) 482-3809

COMMERCE FINDS UNFAIR DUMPING OF SODIUM METAL FROM FRANCE

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced its affirmative preliminary determination in the antidumping duty investigation of imports of sodium metal from France. Sodium metal is a silver-white chemical element commonly used as an intermediate product in the manufacture of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, and in refining metal. The preliminary antidumping rate for French exporters is 62.62 percent.

“Foreign competitors that unfairly sell undervalued goods in the United States distort the global marketplace and hurt American workers and industries,” said Assistant Secretary for Import Administration David Spooner. “American producers are the most competitive in the world and deserve to compete on a level playing field in the international economy. The Administration will continue its commitment to aggressively enforcing America’s trade remedy laws for American workers.”

Commerce preliminarily determined that French exporters sold sodium metal in the United States at less than fair value. MSSA, S.A.S., the sole mandatory respondent, and all other French exporters, received a preliminary antidumping rate of 62.62 percent. The petitioner for this investigation is E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co. (DE).

Dumping occurs when a foreign company sells a product in the United States at less than fair value. If Commerce issues a final affirmative determination of dumping, and if the U.S. International Trade Commission makes a final determination that imports of sodium metal from France materially injure, or threaten material injury to, the domestic industry, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order.

For more information about Import Administration, or for the fact sheet on today’s decision, please visit www.trade.gov/ia.

# # #