b'INDUSTRIAL TARIFFSTariffs, CVD and ADD subsidy rates impact Chinese tile importsBy Lesley Goddin, EditorOne of the realities of life in the U.S. right now is theChina, on September 9, the U.S. Commerce Department imposition of tariffs on goods that are being imported(Commerce) found that imports of ceramic tile from the from China. This politico-economic move on the part ofPeoples Republic of China are being unfairly subsidized. thecurrentadministrationhasthedeclaredintentofCommerce assigned preliminary subsidy rates of 103.77% leveling the playing field when trading with China. At thisto Foshan Sanfi Imp & Exp Co., Ltd., 222.24% to Temgoo writing in September, tariffs on Chinese ceramic tile (andInternational Trading Limited, and 103.77% for all other other goods in a range of sectors) are set at 25%, and areChinese tile producers and exporters. expected to rise to 30% in October. In early November, Commerce will issue its preliminary decisionontheanti-dumping(ADD)/anti-subsidyinves-tigation,whichwasopenedinMayafteritreceiveda TariffsonChineseceramictilepetition from a coalition of eight U.S. tile producers who (andothergoodsinarangeclaimed injury. The members of Coalition for Fair Trade inCeramicTileconsistsofAmericanWonderPorcelain of sectors) are set at 25%, and(Lebanon, Tenn.), Crossville, Inc. (Crossville, Tenn.), Dal-Tile areexpectedtoriseto30%inCorporation (Dallas, Texas), Del Conca USA, Inc. (Loudon, October. Tenn.),FloridaTile,Inc.(Lexington,Ky.),FlorimUSA (Clarksville, Tenn.), Landmark Ceramics (Mount Pleasant, Tenn.), and StonePeak Ceramics (Chicago, Ill.). Commerce will make a preliminary decision around November 6, 2019, Along with these tariffs, which are basically a tax U.S.with a final determination coming on or about January 22, companies and consumers pay on goods purchased from2020. If this is affirmative, and the U.S. International Trade 282019|TECH'