WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration has postponed its preliminary determination on an antidumping duty investigation against Chinese passenger and light truck tires.
The new deadline for the decision is Jan. 20, 2015, changed from the original date of Dec. 1, 2014, according to a notice published in the Oct. 9 Federal Register.
“Because of the extraordinary complexity of this case and the number of firms we must investigate, including over 80 separate rate applications, it is not practicable to complete the preliminary determination by the current deadline,” the agency said in the notice.
The United Steelworkers union petitioned Commerce and the International Trade Commission June 3, seeking countervailing and antidumping duties against Chinese tire makers under Sections 701 and 731 of the Trade Act.
The union sought relief similar but not identical to the three years of high tariffs against Chinese tire makers it won in September 2009 under Section 421 of the Trade Act. Countervailing and antidumping duties would constitute more permanent relief against Chinese tire imports.
The ITC ruled Aug. 15 that there was a reasonable indication of material injury against the U.S. tire industry because of Chinese imports. The USW petitioned the Commerce Department Sept. 12 asking for expedited action on its countervailing duty decision.