U.S. Department of Commerce Finds Dumping and Countervailable Subsidization of Imports of Ceramic Tile from China
For Immediate Release
March 31, 2020
Contact: Office of Public Affairs
Phone: 202-482-3809
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced affirmative final determinations in the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of ceramic tile from China.
Commerce determined that producers and/or exporters from China have sold ceramic tile at less than fair value in the United States at rates ranging from 229.04 percent to 356.02 percent. In addition, Commerce determined that producers and/or exporters from China received countervailable subsidies at a rate of 358.81 percent.
In 2018, imports of ceramic tile from China were valued at an estimated $481.3 million.
The petitioner is the Coalition for Fair Trade in Ceramic Tile, whose members are American Wonder Porcelain (Lebanon, Tenn.); Crossville, Inc. (Crossville, Tenn.); Dal-Tile Corporation (Dallas); Del Conca USA, Inc. (Loudon, Tenn.); Florida Tile, Inc. (Lexington, Ky.); Florim USA (Clarksville, Tenn.); Landmark Ceramics (Mount Pleasant, Tenn.); and StonePeak Ceramics (Chicago).
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is currently scheduled to make its final injury determinations on or about May 14. If the 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.
Read the fact sheet for today’s decisions.
The strict enforcement of U.S. trade law is a primary focus of the Trump administration. Since the beginning of the Trump administration, Commerce has initiated 226 new AD and CVD investigations – a 197 percent increase from the comparable period in the previous administration.
AD and CVD laws provide American businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of unfair pricing of imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 519 AD and CVD orders which provide relief to 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 unfair subsidies from their governments, such as grants, loans, equity infusions, tax breaks, or production inputs, are subject to CVD duties aimed at directly countering those subsidies.
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 rules and is based on factual evidence provided on the record.
