The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has voted to maintain existing duties on steel rebar imports from Mexico and Turkey.
In its five-year sunset review, the USITC determined revoking the duties would likely lead to material injury “within a reasonably foreseeable time” to domestic steel manufacturers in the U.S.
Rebar from Mexico and Turkey will continue to be subject to anti-dumping duties. USITC ruled the duties have been effective and restrict rebar imports from Mexico and Turkey that are subsidized by the two countries, then sold in the U.S. for prices below market value.
American steel producers have complained that imported steel rebar from Mexico and Turkey have unfairly undercut U.S. prices.
“We welcome the final decision and commend the ITC and the Commerce Department for their hard work in these cases and for vigorously enforcing US trade laws,” said Alan Price, counsel to the Rebar Trade Action Coalition, in a statement. “The ITC’s finding is critical to ensuring fair trade in the U.S. steel market and providing ongoing relief to US producers and their workers.”
Steel rebar can be used in the construction of buildings, bridges, seawalls, highway entrance and exit ramps, docks, parking garages, tunnels, and other structures.
Mexico was the third-largest exporter of steel rebar to the U.S. in 2019, followed by Turkey ranked fourth. Spain was the largest rebar exporter to the U.S., according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Ports of Houston, Laredo and El Paso, Texas, account for around 70% of imports of Mexican rebar coming into the U.S.
The exact dollar amount of rebar imported into the U.S. is difficult to determine, but the U.S. is the world’s largest importer of steel products. In 2019, the U.S. imported $24 billion worth of steel products from 80 countries.
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