Concurrently with the preliminary determination, Commerce released an initialed draft agreement suspending the investigation. Commerce received and carefully reviewed comments on the proposed agreement prior to concluding these negotiations with the Government of the Russian Federation. At the request of U.S. domestic steelmakers, both Commerce and the International Trade Commission will continue the antidumping proceeding. Because Commerce has signed an agreement suspending this investigation, all cash deposits will be refunded and bonds will be released. However, if the suspension agreement is terminated as the result of a violation, an antidumping order will be issued and antidumping duties would then be required for imports of Russian hot-rolled steel.
Date is estimated.
This comprehensive agreement, combined with the agreement suspending the hot-rolled steel dumping investigation, which was signed concurrently, and the suspension agreement on carbon steel plate signed in 1997, covers substantially all imports of Russian steel mill products into the United States and reduces such imports by approximately 64 percent compared to 1998 levels. In addition, the agreement also covers pig iron , and reduces such imports by approximately 26 percent compared to 1998 levels.