U.S. Commerce Department Imposes Antidumping and Countervailing Duties on Aluminum Extrusions from 14 Countries

The U.S. Commerce Department imposes antidumping and countervailing duties on aluminum extrusions from 14 countries, affecting solar and EV industries. Final determination expected in November 2024.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has made final determinations that aluminum extrusions from 14 countries, including China, India, South Korea, and Vietnam, were dumped and subsidized in violation of international trade rules. As a result, antidumping duties ranging from 2.02% to 376.85%, and countervailing duties from 1.44% to 168.81% have been imposed on these products. The affected countries also include Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

Impact on Solar and EV Industries

The ruling has significant implications for the solar and electric vehicle (EV) industries, as aluminum solar panel racking rails, mounting systems, solar tracker assemblies, and EV battery trays are now subject to these new duties. However, aluminum framing on imported solar modules remains unaffected by these trade measures.

Driving Force Behind the Case

The U.S. Aluminum Extruders Coalition, backed by the United Steelworkers (USW), filed these cases to address the harm caused by illegal dumping practices from foreign aluminum producers. Robert DeFrancesco, trade counsel for the coalition, praised the decision as a step toward remedying the damage caused by unfairly traded imports.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is set to issue its final determination in November 2024, which could further impact the duty rates. U.S. importers may face retroactive duties depending on Commerce’s final administrative review next year.