U.S. International Trade Commission Issues Affirmative Determination In Steel Probe

The U.S. International Trade Commission voted Thursday, September 25, to continue its probe into corrosion-resistant steel products, paving the way for anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports from 10 trading partners.

All three commissioners voted in favor, determining that the roughly $2.9 billion in imports are “materially injuring” American companies. The USITC, which is an independent agency, will release a report from their investigation Nov. 5, according to a press release.

Corrosion-resistant steel, designed to resist rust and deterioration, is used in everything from cars to construction.

The list of countries includes Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam, as well as the self-governing island of Taiwan, which could all face new duties on top of the 50 percent tariff the Trump administration has already imposed on steel imports.

The decision is the latest development in the administration’s effort to expand tariffs and other trade barriers to protect U.S. steel and other manufacturing sectors from losing market share to foreign competitors.

Antidumping duties, meant to counter imports sold below fair market value, are expected to range from less than 6 percent to more than 190 percent on corrosion-resistant steel, with Brazil and Vietnam facing some of the steepest rates. Countervailing duties, which aim to offset foreign government subsidies, are projected to fall between zero and less than 17 percent, according to a press release.

Commerce determined in August that steel imports from the 10 partners were being unfairly subsidized.

That same month, the administration separately moved to expand the list of products subject to Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, and last week signaled it may consider an even broader expansion.

Background Information

The anti-dumping and countervailing case stems from a 2024 petition from representatives of the domestic steel sector including Steel Dynamics, Nucor, U.S. Steel, Wheeling-Nippon Steel and the United Steelworkers labor union.

Alan H. Price, counsel to Nucor and a partner at the Wiley Rein law firm, said in a press release that Thursday’s decision confirms U.S. manufacturers are being undercut by imports.

"This is a critical victory for American CORE producers and their workers,” Price said, referring to corrosion-resistant steel products. "We are proud to have helped secure a level playing field on behalf of the domestic industry and in cooperation with the other petitioners and their counsel."