US Partially Lifts Duties on Indian Aluminum Can Stock
Washington — The United States has partially lifted antidumping and countervailing duties on certain aluminum can stock imported from India, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.
The department announced the final results of its changed-circumstances reviews in a notice effective September 24.
The decision applies to qualifying aluminum can stock from India and several other countries but does not revoke the broader trade-remedy orders covering common alloy aluminum sheet.
The exemption applies to aluminum stock suitable for manufacturing beverage cans, can lids and the tabs used to open cans.
Commerce said eligibility for the exclusion will be determined by the written description of the qualifying products, regardless of how the merchandise is classified under the U.S. tariff schedule.
The decision affects aluminum 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 portion of the action applies to existing orders on Chinese aluminum sheet.
The reviews were launched after members of the U.S. aluminum industry sought clarification over the treatment of can stock.
Domestic producers told the Commerce Department that qualifying aluminum can stock had always been intended to remain outside the scope of the duties regardless of its tariff classification.
Commerce subsequently amended the scope language and formally excluded the specified can stock from the antidumping and countervailing-duty orders.
The relief will apply retroactively to qualifying entries that have not yet been finally assessed by U.S. customs authorities.
The Commerce Department said the partial revocation will apply from the date the suspension of liquidation began. U.S. 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 major producer and exporter of aluminum products, including flat-rolled materials used in the packaging, transportation and manufacturing industries. Access to the U.S. market remains subject to product-specific trade-remedy proceedings as well as broader American policies governing metals imports. (Source: IANS)
