Tariffs steel from 10 countries approved

Tariffs steel from 10 countries approved

Claude R. Marx, Associated Press, Washington

Certain steel imports from 10 additional countries, including Indonesia, are hurting U.S. steel companies, the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled unanimously on Friday.

The ruling means that tariffs on hot-rolled steel from China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Romania, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand and Ukraine can be imposed by the Commerce Department.

Friday's ruling was the second one against South Africa; in August, the commission ruled that certain steel imports from it and Argentina were hurting U.S. rivals.

Hot-rolled steel ends up in just about every steel product, from welded pipe tubes to automobile body frames.

Nine American companies and two unions filed a lawsuit with the trade commission last year alleging all 11 countries were selling hot-rolled steel at below-cost prices in violation of trade laws, a practice knows as dumping.

The 11 countries under investigation account for roughly half the 7.3 million tons imported last year.

There are 21 American companies employing 30,385 people that produce hot-rolled steel. Production is concentrated in Alabama, Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and West Virginia.

William Klinefelter, legislative director of the United Steelworkers of America, said Friday's decision is further evidence of a pattern of damages caused by imported steel.

"You can't get any better than a unanimous ruling. The commission, looking at the facts, clearly found that the American steel industry is under attack. They have been consistent in that finding so there is obviously something to it," said Klinefelter, whose Pittsburgh-based union represents 700,000 workers.

The commission's ruling comes at a time of increased scrutiny of steel imports.

Last week, the panel ruled that 12 domestic steel product lines have suffered serious injury because of cheaper imports. By December it must recommend remedies to the Bush administration. Those dozen product lines - from steel slabs to hot- and cold- rolled steel - account for 79 percent of all steel imported into the United States.

The commission acted at the request of the Bush administration which invoked a provision of U.S. trade law known as Section 201.