U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Affirmative Final Countervailing Duty Determinations on Biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia

Today, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the affirmative final determinations in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigations of imports of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia.
Commerce determined that Argentina and Indonesia are providing unfair subsidies to its producers of biodiesel at rates from 71.45 to 72.28 percent and 34.45 to 64.73 percent, respectively.
As a result of today’s decision, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to collect cash deposits from importers of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia based on the final rates.
“The unfair government subsidization of products is something the Department takes very seriously,” said Secretary Ross. “While the United States is committed to free, fair and reciprocal trade with all countries, the Trump Administration will stand up for American workers and companies being unfairly harmed.”
In 2016, imports of biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia were valued at an estimated $1.2 billion and $268 million, respectively.
The petitioner is the National Biodiesel Fair Trade Coalition, an ad hoc association composed of the National Biodiesel Board and 15 domestic producers of biodiesel.
The countervailing duty laws provide U.S. businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of unfairly subsidized imports into the United States.
Enforcement of U.S. trade law is a prime focus of the Trump administration. From January 20, 2017, through November 9, 2017, Commerce has initiated 77 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations – a 61 percent increase from 48 in the previous year.
CVD laws provide U.S. businesses and workers with an internationally accepted mechanism to seek relief from the harmful effects of unfairly subsidized imports into the United States. Commerce currently maintains 412 antidumping duty and CVD orders which provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.
If the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) makes affirmative final injury determinations, Commerce will issue CVD orders. If the ITC makes negative final determinations of injury, the investigations will be terminated and no orders will be issued.
Click HERE for a fact sheet on today’s decision(s).
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Enforcement and Compliance unit within the International Trade Administration is responsible for vigorously enforcing U.S. trade laws and does so through an impartial, transparent process that abides by international law and is based solely on factual evidence.
Foreign companies that receive financial assistance from foreign governments that benefits the production of goods from foreign companies and is limited to specific enterprises or industries, or is contingent either upon export performance or upon the use of domestic goods over imported goods, are subject to CVD duties.

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce