USITC Okays Unfair-Trade Action on India, Turkey Quartz Surfaces

WASHINGTON — The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) ruled yesterday that quartz surfaces from India and Turkey received unfair-trade treatment and affected U.S. producers.

However, the resulting tariffs against the products from the two countries will be less than 10%, based on an investigation by the U.S. Commerce Department.

The USITC – an independent federal board – voted 5-0 that U.S. producers are “materially injured” by Indian and Turkish quartz products by selling under market value and receiving government-subsidized (or countervailing) assistance.

The action is a final result of a petition filed by U.S. manufacturer Cambria Company LLC

The ruling – officially a “affirmative determination” – will now lead to tariffs to offset gains due to under-market sales and subsidies that will take effect after the USITC files its final report by July 1.

Nothing in the vote, nor a USITC staff report, indicated any change from tariffs recommended by the Commerce Department on April 28. Those rates range from 7.56% for most materials from Turkey to below 3% for one producer each from the two countries.

The USITC also ruled against “critical circumstances” on Indian and Turkish quartz surfaces, as requested by Cambria. The action would’ve placed a retroactive tariff on imports received at U.S. ports-of-entry up to 90 days before the Commerce Department’s recommendations.

The USITC Staff Report PDF is available here.

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