US partially lifts duties on Indian aluminium can stock

Washington:  The United States has partially lifted antidumping and countervailing-duty orders on certain aluminium can stock imported from India.

The US Commerce Department announced the final results of its changed-circumstances reviews in a notice applicable from September 24.

The decision covers qualifying aluminium can stock from India and several other countries. It does not revoke the broader trade-remedy orders on common alloy aluminium sheet.

Commerce said the partial revocation applies to aluminium stock suitable for producing beverage cans, can lids and the tabs used to open cans.

The department said the written description of the qualifying can stock would determine eligibility for the exclusion, regardless of how the merchandise was classified under the US tariff schedule.

The decision affects aluminium sheet orders covering imports from India, Bahrain, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Oman, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan and Türkiye.

A separate part of the decision applies to existing orders on Chinese aluminium sheet.

Commerce initiated the reviews after members of the US aluminium industry sought clarification of the exclusion for can stock.

The domestic industry told the department that qualifying aluminium can stock was always intended to remain outside the scope of the orders, irrespective of its tariff classification.

Commerce consequently amended the scope language and formally removed the specified can stock from the antidumping and countervailing-duty orders.

The relief will apply retroactively to all qualifying entries that have not been finally assessed by US customs authorities.

Commerce said the partial revocation would apply from the date on which the suspension of liquidation began. US Customs and Border Protection will be instructed to end the suspension for eligible shipments and process them without the duties imposed under the affected orders.

India is a significant producer and exporter of aluminium products, including flat-rolled material used by packaging, transport and manufacturing industries. Access to the US market is affected by product-specific trade-remedy proceedings as well as wider American policies governing metals imports.