January 8, 2008
News Release 08-007
Inv. Nos. 701-TA-413 and 731-TA-913-916 & 918 (Review)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC or Commission) today determined that revoking the existing countervailing duty order on stainless steel bar from Italy and the antidumping duty orders on this product from France, Germany, Italy, Korea, and the United Kingdom would not be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

As a result of the Commission's negative determinations, the existing orders on imports of stainless steel bar from France, Germany, Italy, Korea, and the United Kingdom will be revoked.

Chairman Daniel R. Pearson, Vice Chairman Shara L. Aranoff, and Commissioners Deanna Tanner Okun and Irving A. Williamson voted in the negative. Commissioner Dean A. Pinkert voted in the negative with respect to France and the United Kingdom and voted in the affirmative with respect to Germany, Italy, and Korea. Commissioner Charlotte R. Lane voted in the affirmative.

Today's action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. See the attached page for background on these five-year (sunset) reviews.

The Commission's public report Stainless Steel Bar from France, Germany, Italy, Korea, and the United Kingdom (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-413 and 731-TA-913-916 & 918 (Review), USITC Publication 3981, January 2008) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the reviews.

Copies may be requested after February 13, 2008, by calling 202-205-2000 or by contacting the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by fax at 202-205-2104.

BACKGROUND

The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the ITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (ITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.

The Commission's institution notice in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file responses with the Commission concerning the likely effects of revoking the order under review as well as other information. Generally within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the ITC's notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.

The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determination in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission's prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the review, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.

The five-year (sunset) reviews concerning Stainless Steel Bar from France, Germany, Italy, Korea, and the United Kingdom were instituted on February 1, 2007.

On May 7, 2007, the Commission voted to conduct full reviews. With respect to France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, all six Commissioners found that both the domestic group response and the respondent group responses were adequate and voted for full reviews. With respect to Italy, Chairman Daniel R. Pearson, Vice Chairman Shara L. Aranoff, and Commissioners Deanna Tanner Okun and Dean A. Pinkert concluded that the domestic group response was adequate and the respondent group response was inadequate, but that circumstances warranted full reviews; Commissioners Charlotte R. Lane and Irving A. Williamson concluded that both the domestic group response and the respondent group response were adequate and voted for full reviews. With respect to Korea, all six Commissioners determined that the domestic group response was adequate and the respondent group response was inadequate, but that circumstances warranted a full review.

Information concerning the reasons for the Commission's vote to conduct full reviews was published in the Federal Register on May 18, 2007. That notice and a record of the Commission's vote is posted on the ITC's Internet site at http://info.usitc.gov/oinv/sunset.NSF (under "Stainless Steel Bar - France," "Stainless Steel Bar - Germany," "Stainless Steel Bar - Italy (AD)," "Stainless Steel Bar - Italy (CVD)," "Stainless Steel Bar - Korea," and "Stainless Steel Bar - United Kingdom").

In addition, a record of the Commission's vote to conduct full reviews is available from the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by telephone by calling 202-205-1802.