Multinational chemical company Mexichem Fluor requested on Oct. 22 new antidumping and countervailing duties on 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (also known as R-134a) from China. Mexichem alleges underselling and illegal subsidization by Chinese producers of R-134a is rapidly taking U.S. market share and injuring U.S. industry. R-134a is used as a refrigerant gas, mostly in vehicle air conditioning systems. It can also be used in stationary air conditioning units for commercial or residential buildings.

The International Trade Commission published notices in the Oct. 22 Federal Register on the following AD/CV injury, Section 337 patent, and other trade proceedings (any notices that warrant a more detailed summary will appear in another ITT article):

The International Trade Commission voted on Oct. 21 to begin a Section 337 investigation on allegedly patent-infringing imports of optical disc drives for products such as computers, DVD and Blu-ray players/recorders, CD players, televisions, and console gaming systems. New Hampshire-based Optical Devices requested the investigation on Sept. 3. Optical Devices is requesting limited exclusion orders and cease and desist orders banning the import and sale of patent-infringing optical devices by the following companies:

The Commerce Department published notices in the Oct. 22 Federal Register on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):

The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its antidumping duty administrative review on lined paper products from India (A-533-843). Commerce calculated an individual AD rate for Navneet, and also assigned that rate to non-individually reviewed company AR Printing. The agency ended the review for 80 other companies for which review requests were withdrawn. These preliminary results are not in effect. Commerce may modify them in the final results of this review and change the estimated AD cash deposit rate for these companies.

The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its countervailing duty administrative review on kitchen appliance shelving and racks from China (C-570-942) for New King Shan. Commerce also rescinded the review for Jiangsu Weixi Group Co., so entries of subect merchandise exported by Weixi will be liquidated at the existing cash deposit rate. The CV rate for New King Shan is not in effect. Commerce may modify it in the final results of this review and change New King Shan's estimated CV cash deposit rate.

The Commerce Department issued the final results of the antidumping duty administrative review on small diameter carbon and alloy seamless standard, line, and pressure pipe from Romania (A-485-805). The agency continued to find a zero AD rate for sole respondent ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Roman S.A., and found subject merchandise from Canadian Natural Resources Limited ((CNRL) was not sold in the U.S. As such, Commerce will direct CBP to liquidate entries of subject merchandise from ArcelorMittal and CNRL during the period of review without regard to AD duties, and will not collect a cash deposit on future entries of subject merchandise exported by ArcelorMittal until further notice. The new rate is effective Oct. 23, and will be implemented by CBP soon.

The Commerce Department is postponing the due date for its preliminary antidumping duty determinations on welded stainless pressure pipe from Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam (A-557-815, A-549-830, and A-552-816). In response to a request from domestic industry, Commerce is extending the deadline until Dec. 12. The AD duty preliminary determinations were originally due Oct. 23.

The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its countervailing duty administrative review on lined paper products from India (C-533-844) for A.R. Printing & Packaging. These CV rates are not in effect. Commerce may modify them in the final results of this review and change the estimated CV cash deposit rates for this company.

The Commerce Department’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance is extending all of its deadlines by 16 days to account for its closure during the federal government shutdown. The uniform extension applies to all antidumping and countervailing duty cases, including due dates for interested party submissions and agency determinations, as well as deadlines for proceedings related to foreign-trade zones and comments in response to Federal Register notices. If the new deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, then the deadline will be moved to the next business day, Enforcement and Compliance said.