*EPF503 07/07/00
Commerce Rules Stainless Steel Pipes, Tubes From Japan Dumped
(USITC injury determination expected in August) (180)

Washington -- The U.S. Department of Commerce has ruled that seamless stainless steel pipes and tubes and similar products from Japan were dumped on the U.S. market.

In a final determination announced July 6, the department calculated the dumping margins at 156.81 percent for Sanyo Special Tube and Sumitomo Metal Industries and 62.14 percent for all others.

Imposition of antidumping duties requires affirmative final determinations both from Commerce that dumping occurred and from the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) that the imports injured U.S. industry.

The final USITC determination is expected in August. In the meantime, the U.S. Customs Service will collect a cash deposit or bond on the imports under investigation.

The products under investigation include pipes, tubes, redraw hollows and hollow bars.

According to USITC, U.S. imports of these products from Japan in 1998 amounted to $90 million.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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