The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that revoking the existing countervailing duty and antidumping duty orders on certain stainless steel plate from Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time. The Commission further determined that revoking the existing antidumping duty order on certain stainless steel plate from Canada would not be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determinations and the Department of Commerce's recent affirmative findings, the existing orders on imports of certain stainless steel plate from Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan will remain in place. The existing order on certain stainless steel plate from Canada will be revoked.

Chairman Stephen Koplan and Commissioner Charlotte R. Lane made affirmative determinations with respect to all six countries. Commissioner Marcia E. Miller made affirmative determinations with respect to Belgium, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan; she made a negative determination with respect to Canada. Vice Chairman Deanna Tanner Okun and Commissioners Jennifer A. Hillman and Daniel R. Pearson made negative determinations with respect to all six countries.

Today's action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. See the attached page for background on these five-year (sunset) reviews.

The Commission's public report Certain Stainless Steel Plate from Belgium, Canada, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan (Inv. Nos. 701-TA-376, 377, and 379; and 731-TA-788-793 (Review), USITC Publication 3784, June 2005) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the reviews.

Copies may be requested after July 12, 2005, by calling 202-205-1809 or by contacting the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by fax at 202-205-2104.

BACKGROUND

The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the ITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (ITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.

The Commission's institution notice in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file responses with the Commission concerning the likely effects of revoking the order under review as well as other information. Generally within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the ITC's notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.

The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determination in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission's prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the review, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.

The five-year (sunset) reviews concerning Certain Stainless Steel Plate from Belgium, Canada, Italy, Korea, South Africa, and Taiwan were instituted on April 1, 2004.

On July 6, 2004, the Commission voted to conduct full reviews. With respect to Belgium and Korea, all six Commissioners concluded that both the domestic and respondent group responses were adequate and voted for full reviews. With respect to Italy, South Africa, Canada, and Taiwan, all six Commissioners concluded that the domestic group responses were adequate and the respondent group responses were inadequate, but that circumstances warranted full reviews.

Information concerning the reasons for the Commission's votes to conduct full reviews was published in the Federal Register on July 28, 2004. That notice and a record of the Commission's votes is posted on the ITC's Internet site at www.usitc.gov (under "Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews"/"Stainless Steel Plate - Belgium (AD)," "Stainless Steel Plate - Belgium (CVD)," "Stainless Steel Plate - Canada," "Stainless Steel Plate - Italy (AD)," "Stainless Steel Plate - Italy (CVD)," "Stainless Steel Plate - Korea," "Stainless Steel Plate - South Africa (AD)," "Stainless Steel Plate - South Africa (CVD)," "Stainless Steel Plate - Taiwan (Review)").