[Ferro-Alloys.com] WASHINGTON, March 1， Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the affirmative final determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of silicon metal from Australia and Brazil, an AD investigation of silicon metal imports from Norway, and a CVD investigation of silicon metal imports from Kazakhstan.

“The United States will no longer sit back and watch as its domestic businesses are destroyed by unfair foreign government subsidies and dumping,” said Secretary Ross. “We will continue to take action on behalf of U.S. industry to defend American businesses, workers, and communities adversely impacted by unfair imports.”

The Commerce Department determined that exporters from Australia, Brazil, and Norway have sold silicon metal in the United States at 41.73 – 51.28 percent, 68.97 – 134.92 percent, and 3.22 percent less than fair value, respectively. Commerce also determined that Australia, Brazil, and Kazakhstan are providing countervailable subsidies to its producers of silicon metal at rates ranging from 14.78 percent, 2.44 – 52.51 percent, and 100.00 percent, respectively.

In 2016, imports of silicon metal from Australia, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and Norway were valued at an estimated $33.9 million, $60.0 million, $17.5 million, and $26.1 million, respectively.

The petitioner is Globe Specialty Metals, Inc. Its production facilities are located in Alabama, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia.

The AD and CVD laws provide U.S. businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of dumping unfairly priced and unfairly subsidized imports into the United States.

If the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue AD and CVD orders. If the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no orders will be issued.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit within the International Trade Administration is responsible for vigorously enforcing U.S. trade laws and does so through an impartial, transparent process that abides by international law and is based solely on factual evidence.

From January 20, 2017, through February 28, 2018, the Commerce Department has initiated 102 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations – a 96 percent increase from the same period in 2016-2017. The Commerce Department currently maintains 424 antidumping and countervailing duty orders which provide relief to the American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.

Foreign companies that price their products in the U.S. market below the cost of production or below prices in their home markets are subject to AD duties. Foreign companies that receive financial assistance from foreign governments that benefits the production of goods from foreign companies and is limited to specific enterprises or industries, or is contingent either upon export performance or upon the use of domestic goods over imported goods, are subject to CVD duties.

**Article from Internet for reference only