Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Sep 28: The United States has partially revoked antidumping and countervailing-duty orders on certain aluminium can stock imported from India and other countries, providing duty relief for qualifying products used in the manufacture of beverage cans.

The US Commerce Department announced the final results of its changed-circumstances reviews in a notice that took effect on September 24.

The decision covers specified aluminium can stock from India and several other countries but does not revoke the broader trade-remedy orders covering common alloy aluminium sheet.

Commerce said the partial revocation applies to aluminium stock suitable for making beverage cans, can lids and tabs used to open cans.

The department clarified that eligibility for the exclusion would be determined by the written description of the qualifying can stock, irrespective of the tariff classification assigned to the merchandise under the US tariff schedule.

The decision covers aluminium sheet orders involving 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 decision relates to existing orders covering aluminium sheet from China.

The reviews were initiated after members of the US aluminium industry sought clarification regarding the scope of the exclusion for can stock.

The US domestic aluminium industry told Commerce that qualifying aluminium can stock had always been intended to remain outside the scope of the trade-remedy orders, regardless of its tariff classification.

Following the review, Commerce amended the scope language and formally excluded the specified can stock from the antidumping and countervailing-duty orders.

The relief will apply retrospectively to all qualifying entries for which US Customs authorities have not yet completed final assessment.

Commerce said the partial revocation would be effective from the date on which suspension of liquidation began. The US Customs and Border Protection will be directed to lift the suspension for eligible shipments and process them without the duties imposed under the affected orders.

India is a major producer and exporter of aluminium products, including flat-rolled materials used in the packaging, transport and manufacturing sectors.

The US market for Indian aluminium products remains subject to product-specific trade-remedy proceedings as well as broader American policies governing metal imports.