Commerce starts AD/CVD investigations on rubber band imports

The Alliance Rubber Company had petitioned for duties on rubber band imports from China, Sri Lanka and Thailand on Jan. 30.

   The Commerce Department is starting antidumping and countervailing duty investigations into imports of rubber bands from China, Sri Lanka and Thailand, Commerce announced Thursday.
   The Alliance Rubber Company (ARC) petitioned for the duties on Jan. 30.
   The petitioner alleged dumping margins of 27.27 percent for China, 56.54 percent-133.13 percent for Sri Lanka, and 28.92 percent-78.36 percent for Thailand.
   ARC alleged 16 Chinese subsidy programs, 20 Sri Lankan subsidy programs, and 10 Thai subsidy programs, Commerce said.
   If Commerce makes affirmative findings in these investigations and the International Trade Commission (ITC) determines dumped and/or unfairly subsidized imports of rubber bands from the nations under investigation are injuring U.S. industry, Commerce will impose antidumping and/or countervailing duties on imports in the amount of dumping and/or unfair subsidization found to exist.
   The ITC is set to make its preliminary injury determinations in the investigations no later than March 16.
   If the ITC preliminary determines injury or threat of injury, Commerce will continue its investigations, with a preliminary countervailing duty determination due April 26, and preliminary antidumping duty determination due July 10, “unless those deadlines are extended,” Commerce said.
   If Commerce preliminarily determines dumping and/or unfair subsidization, it will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect cash deposits from all U.S. companies importing rubber bands from China, Sri Lanka and/or Thailand, Commerce said.
   Commerce’s final determination due dates are July 10 for the countervailing duty cases, and Sept. 24 for the antidumping duty cases, but those dates may be extended.
   If Commerce finds no dumping or unfair subsidization, or if the ITC final determinations report no injury to U.S. industry was found, the investigations will be terminated and no duties will be applied.