The U.S. Department of Commerce has amended its countervailing duty rates for passenger vehicle and light truck tires from China to correct significant ministerial errors, according to reports.
The result is a lower anti-dumping tariff for all but one of the 68 manufacturers, importers and distributors named in the original assignment.
The DOC’s International Trade Administration indicated in a March 19 document that it amended the preliminary determination of its anti-dumping duty investigation following concerns presented by Sailun Group Co. Ltd.
The DOC considers a significant ministerial error one in which the correction results “in a change of at least 5 absolute percentage points, but not less than 25% of the weighted-average dumping margin…calculated in the original (erroneous) preliminary determination.”
Thus, the DOC reduced Sailun’s anti-dumping duty by nearly half – from 36.26% to 18.58% – which led to the lowering of anti-dumping duties for 66 other companies, from 27.72% to 18.99%.
Giti Tire Global Trading Pte. Ltd., which also alleged a significant ministerial error, did not see a reduction in its 19.17% duty “because Giti’s ministerial errors are not significant,” according to the DOC.
The lower rate for Sailun will be effective retroactively to Jan. 27, 2015, the date the original rate was published in the Federal Register. The rate for the other 66 companies will be effective retroactively to Oct. 29, 2014 – 90 days before the date of publication.
Commerce’s final determination on countervailing duties is due on or about April 6, and its final determination on anti-dumping duties on or about June 12.
