WASHINGTON (Dec. 2, 2014) — Importers of passenger and light truck tires from China are required to pay the newly determined countervailing duties on those tires effective Dec. 1, as spelled out in the Commerce Department's notice in the Dec. 1 Federal Register.
The duty — 15.69 percent for all but three companies singled out by Commerce — is being applied retroactively 90 days from Dec. 1, in accordance with sections 703(d)(1)(B) and (d)(2) of the Tariff Act of 1930, according to the Federal Register notice.
The firms singled out — Cooper Kunshan China Tire Co. Ltd., Giti Tire Fujian Co. Ltd. and Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co. Ltd. — were given separate countervailing duties of 12.5, 17.69 and 81.29 percent, respectively.
In addition, Cooper Kunshan and Giti Tire are exempted from the 90-day retroactive assessment.
From a business practice standpoint, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is responsible for collecting the duties owed on tires imported to the U.S. from Dec. 1 forward as well as on tires covered by this action that have been withdrawn from warehouses for the 90 days prior to Dec. 1.
Commerce continues to evaluate the market for possible anti-dumping duties as well, the Federal Register notice states, and plans to issue its final determination on both the countervailing and anti-dumping duties no later than April 6, 2015.
The duties are imposed in addition to the prevailing 4-percent rate.
After Commerce publishes its final determination, the department's International Trade Commission will review the decisions and make public its separate determination within 45 days, the Federal Register notice states.
In its filing, Commerce said it intends to disclose within five days of this public announcement to interested parties the calculations it performed in connection with this preliminary determination.
Interested parties may submit case and rebuttal briefs, as well as request a hearing. For a schedule of the deadlines for filing case briefs, rebuttal briefs, and hearing requests, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.