US Commerce Department imposes preliminary tariffs on aluminum extrusions

The US Commerce Department announced the imposition of preliminary countervailing duties on imports of aluminum extrusions from China, Indonesia, Mexico, and Turkey. The department stated that these imports benefit from unfair subsidies that distort fair competition.

The imposed tariffs vary significantly among the involved countries, with China facing the highest rates, ranging from 15.41% to 169.66%. Indonesia follows, with tariffs between 6.69% and 43.56%; Mexico, with rates from 1.68% to 77.80%; and Turkey, with tariffs ranging from 1.45% to 147.53%. These measures are in response to requests from the US Aluminum Extruders Coalition and the United Steelworkers International Union, who have been the petitioners in this case.

Following the publication of a preliminary determination in the Federal Register, expected approximately one week after the announcement, the Department of Commerce will instruct the US Customs and Border Protection to commence the suspension of liquidation and collection of preliminary tariffs (in the form of cash deposits) on entries of aluminum extrusions from the mentioned countries.

This action is part of a broader investigation initiated in October 2023 by the Department of Commerce into subsidy practices of these countries, which also includes anti-dumping investigations of aluminum extrusions from Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, India, Italy, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam.