United States Will Investigate Aluminum Foil From Imports From China, Korea, And Thailand

The U.S. Department of Commerce has self-initiated an investigation to determine whether imports of certain aluminum foil products originating from China, South Korea, and Thailand are circumventing antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders.

The inquiry is expected to take around 12 months to complete. As part of the investigation, the department will issue questionnaires to suspected duty evaders and provide opportunities for interested parties to submit information pertinent to the investigation.

The merchandise covered by the orders includes certain aluminum foil from China, “having a thickness of 0.2 mm or less, in reels exceeding 25 pounds, regardless of width.” All aluminum foil is covered by the orders regardless of specification. Excluded from the scope is “aluminum foil that is backed with paper, paperboard, plastics, or similar backing materials on one side or both sides of the aluminum foil, as well as etched capacitor foil and aluminum foil that is cut to shape.”

The circumvention inquiries cover aluminum foil assembled and completed in South Korea and Thailand, using Chinese-origin aluminum foil and/or sheet, that is subsequently exported from South Korea and Thailand to the United States.

The department intends to determine as part of this circumvention inquiry whether or not that further processing in Korea and Thailand is minor or insignificant and otherwise meets the circumvention criteria set forth in U.S. law.

Click here to read the Commerce Department’s full announcement.