US presses forward with Israeli magnesium case

The US International Trade Commission (USITC) voted today to continue investigations into antidumping and countervailing duties against magnesium imports from Israel.

The commission determined that there was reasonable indication that US industry was harmed by alleged subsidizes and sales of Israeli magnesium at less than fair value.

In the next phase, the US Department of Commerce is expected to hand down its preliminary countervailing determination by 17 January and antidumping determination by 2 April.

US Magnesium alleged in its late October petition that Dead Sea Magnesium benefited from construction funds and grants from the regional development program, Law of Encouragement of Capital Investments (ECIL).

Commerce also received letters of support for the investigation by MagPro, Advanced Magnesium Alloys, and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union.

The US imported 8,902t of metal from Israel in 2017, accounting for 54pc of total global imports for the year. In addition, imports of alloy magnesium and scrap and powders totaled 2,548t, or 32pc of total volumes.