The Court of International Trade on Oct. 8 remanded a Commerce Department scope ruling that importer Pitts Enterprises' chassis from Vietnam containing Chinese-origin axle and landing gear components fall under the scope of the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on chassis and subassemblies thereof from China. Judge Claire Kelly held that Commerce must adopt the "plain meaning of the word 'entered'" in the AD/CVD orders, "namely 'entered into the United States.'" Kelly also rejected the agency's claim that the plain meaning of the orders covers Chinese-origin parts that enter the U.S. as part of a chassis. She found that the orders are ambiguous as to "when components are included within the scope of the Orders." They're also unclear on when third country operations remove these parts from the orders, as well as on the meaning of "subassemblies ... whether ... assembled or unassembled." Lastly, the judge told Commerce to reconsider its decision to impose AD/CVD on the "entire value of the imported chassis" rather than just on the Chinese-origin parts.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Oct. 8 affirmed the Court of International Trade's rejection of the Commerce Department's application of its "cross-ownership regulation" to countervailing duty respondent Gujarat Fluorochemicals in the CVD investigation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin from India. In the investigation, Commerce attributed a subsidy received by Inox Wind to Gujarat, since Inox sold the respondent wind power that constituted only 1.03% of total power consumed by the company.
The following lawsuit was filed recently at the Court of International Trade:
The Commerce Department erred in deciding to "smooth" antidumping duty respondent Prolamsa's production costs in the 2022-23 administrative review of the AD order on heavy walled rectangular carbon welded steel pipes and tubes from Mexico, Prolamsa argued in an Oct. 3 complaint at the Court of International Trade (Productos Laminados de Monterrey v. United States, CIT # 25-00195).
The Commerce Department properly decided on remand not to countervail an exemption from Turkey's Banking and Insurance Transactions Tax on foreign exchange transactions, the Court of International Trade held in an Oct. 6 decision. In upholding the 2023 administrative review of the countervailing duty order on steel concrete reinforcing bar from Turkey, Judge Gary Katzmann also sustained Commerce's decision to use a report from Colliers International as the benchmark for valuing the rent-free lease of land to respondent Kaptan's affiliate Nur over a report from Cushman & Wakefield.
Court of International Trade Judge Gary Katzmann remanded Oct. 6 parts of the Commerce Department’s 2021 review of the countervailing duty order on steel rebar from Turkey, asking the department to rework its application of adverse facts available to Kaptan Demir’s use of a social security benefits law, Turkish Law 27256. He agreed the department had based its decision solely on information it had declined to add to the record.
The Commerce Department erred in using likely selling prices as facts otherwise available for antidumping duty respondent AG der Dillinger Huttenwerke's cost of production, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held on Oct. 6. Judges Alan Lourie, Timothy Dyk and Jimmie Reyna held that where there's a gap to fill on the record, "there must be a reasonable relationship between the selected facts otherwise available and the gap to be filled."
Court of International Trade Judge Gary Katzmann granted the government's stay request in various cases before him, due to the federal government shutdown. The judge gave the U.S. five days to file a status report after the shutdown ends to propose revised deadlines for the cases. Katzmann's approach differs slightly from the other judges, who largely also stayed the cases in which the U.S. had requested a pause, though the judges gave the U.S. a range of seven to 14 days to file a status report (see 2510020051). Judge Jennifer Choe-Groves extended the government's deadlines "commensurate with the duration of the lapse in appropriations," while Judge Jane Restani was the only judge to deny the stay motions, writing that the U.S. can seek specific relief if a deadline looms before the end of the shutdown.
Court of International Trade Judge Thomas Aquilino is now an inactive judge at the trade court, CIT Clerk of Court Gina Justice confirmed to Trade Law Daily. Judge Mark Barnett reassigned the cases pending before Aquilino to other CIT judges. Justice said Aquilino, who was appointed to the court in 1985 by President Ronald Reagan, is "subject to recall if needed." The judge assumed senior status in 2004.
The following lawsuit was filed recently at the Court of International Trade: