US trade panel OKs final duties on China steel pipe

A US trade panel on Friday gave final approval to steep import duties on hundreds of millions of dollar of steel pipe from China to offset government subsidies and other unfair trade practices. The US International Trade Commission vote is a victory for the United States Steel Corp, V&M Star LP, TMK IPSCO and the United Steelworkers union, who filed a petition asking the Commerce Department for import relief.
The IT vote clears the way for the Commerce Department to issue final anti-dumping and countervailing duties on the pipe. Preliminary duties have already been in place. The department in September announced final anti-dumping duties ranging from 48.99 percent to 98.74 percent to offset below-market pricing by Chinese exporters. It also said it would levy final countervailing duties of 13.66 percent to 53.65 percent to offset Chinese government subsidies. The United States imported $182.3 million of the seamless steel pipe from China in 2009, down from $487.2 million in 2008, according to Commerrce Department officials said.