The U.S. International Trade Commission determined by a 4-1 vote on May 10 there is not a reasonable indication that U.S. producers are materially injured by imports of oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from Austria allegedly subsidized by 13 countries and sold in the U.S. for less than full value. Countries accused were Austria, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and Venezuela. An original petition also named Colombia, but was withdrawn on April 11, and Commerce did not investigate this country.
OCTG imports were not covered under Section 201 steel import relief granted by the Bush Administration.
Charges were filed March 29 by major U.S. producers of OCTG, including U.S. Steel, IPSCO Tubulars, Lone Star Steel, Maverick Tube, Newport Steel and Koppel Steel. (Lone Star did not join the petition against Romania.) The petitioners said imports from the countries named had increased more than 390% from 1999 through last year, and charged that almost all of the increase was due to unfair trade practices that significantly undersold the domestic product.
As a result of the Commission's negative determination, all the cases will end. The Commission's public report covered Investigations Nos. 701-TA-428 and 731-TA-992-994 and 996-1005 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 3511, May 2002. Copies of the report are available by calling 202-205-1809 or faxing 202-205-2104.
