US releases preliminary conclusion on anti-subsidy probe into Vietnamese shrimp

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has issued a preliminary conclusion on the anti-subsidy investigation into frozen warm water shrimp originating in Vietnam, according to the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam (TRAV).

The investigation, initiated on November 14, 2023, was conducted by the DOC at the request of the American Shrimp Processors Association with the investigated period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

Workers produce frozen shrimp for export at a factory of the Minh Phu Seafood Corp. (Photo: VNA)

The DOC selected two businesses posting the biggest volumes of the targeted products exported to the US during the investigated period as mandatory defendants.

Considering information from the Vietnamese Government and exporting businesses as well as the US plaintiff, the DOC decided to impose a preliminary anti-subsidy tax rate of 2.84% on a mandatory defendant enterprise and the remaining firms. However, a rate of up to 196.41% was levied on the other mandatory defendant that withdrew from the investigation on January 4, 2024.

TRAV said the DOC will verify information provided by the Government and businesses of Vietnam to use as a basis for issuing the final conclusion and official tax rates.

The parties concerned can submit their comments on the preliminary conclusion or viewpoints on the case no later than seven days after the final verification report is released. Feedback on other parties’ comments should be submitted no later than five days since the first comment submission deadline.

Relevant sides can also send a written request to the DOC for a hearing on the issues mentioned in the comments and feedback within 30 days since the preliminary conclusion was issued.

The DOC is expected to release the final conclusion on August 5 this year at the latest. After that, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) will issue the final conclusion on damage within 45 days since the DOC’s final conclusion issuance.

TRAV noted that the DOC initially probed into 40 programmes/policies of the Vietnamese Government. On February 5 and 23 this year, it continued to enquire into some others at the request of the US plaintiff, raising the number of programmes/policies investigated in this case to nearly 50 – the biggest among anti-subsidy investigations into Vietnamese exports so far.

TRAV recommended businesses to prepare for and cooperate with the DOC during the coming verification while raising their viewpoints and comments on the preliminary conclusion because their engagement and comments will direct affect the final conclusion.

source NDO