The United States has finally concluded the anti-subsidy investigation into frozen warm-water shrimp from Vietnam.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has issued its final conclusion in the anti-subsidy investigation into frozen warmwater shrimp imported from Vietnam.

According to the Trade Remedies Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade , on October 22, 2024, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) issued its final conclusion in the countervailing duty (CTC) investigation into frozen warmwater shrimp imported from Vietnam.

Accordingly, the final subsidy margin is determined as follows: 2.84% for the single mandatory respondent company; 221.82% for another company selected as a respondent but which declined to participate in the case; and 2.84% for all remaining companies.

The final conclusion in the anti-subsidy investigation into frozen warmwater shrimp imported from Vietnam was issued by the United States on October 22, 2024. (Photo: VNA)

Thus, the final subsidy margin for the sole mandatory respondent company from Vietnam and other companies remains unchanged from the subsidy margin determined in the previous preliminary conclusion. For the other company selected as a mandatory respondent but which declined to participate in the case, the final subsidy margin increased compared to the preliminary conclusion because the U.S. Department of Commerce identified two additional subsidy programs that could be considered countervailable compared to the preliminary conclusion.

According to the Trade Remedies Department, from the beginning of the case, the US Department of Commerce investigated 40 programs/policies of the Vietnamese Government , belonging to the following groups: Loan and guarantee programs; corporate income tax incentive programs; exemption programs for receivables; land incentive programs; and financing programs.

Notably, the Trade Remedies Department stated that the US Department of Commerce is investigating a series of programs under the Fisheries Development Strategy to 2030, Vision 2045, as stipulated in Decision No. 339/QD-TTg dated March 11, 2021, of the Prime Minister , and the Fisheries Sector Development Program for the period 2021-2030.

On February 5th and 23rd, 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce continued its investigation into several new programs, based on requests from the U.S. Plaintiff, relating to: income tax, land lease exemptions; provision of electricity, water, wastewater treatment, and telecommunications services at below-normal value; and provision of broodstock, shrimp larvae, and shrimp feed at below-normal value. This brings the total number of programs under investigation in this case to 51, the largest ever in anti-subsidy investigations against Vietnamese exports.

In its final conclusion, the U.S. Department of Commerce identified 26 out of 50 programs as countervailable subsidy programs and 10 as non-countervailable subsidy programs.

Furthermore, the DOC has not yet reached a final conclusion on five programs, including: Accelerated depreciation and increased deductible expenses; Export factoring from state-owned banks; Export guarantees from state-owned banks; Preferential loans for exporters from state-owned banks; and Loan support for organic agricultural projects from Agribank.

" The aforementioned programs will be further reviewed and concluded in the first administrative review of the case, should this case lead to the issuance of a formal tariff order," according to the Trade Remedies Department.

The Trade Remedies Department assessed that, essentially, the final anti-subsidy duty rate remained unchanged compared to the preliminary rate. Among the countries under investigation, Vietnam's duty rate was lower than that of India and Ecuador. This is an encouraging result for Vietnamese shrimp producers and exporters.

After the U.S. Department of Commerce issues its final determination on subsidies, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) will issue its final determination on injury within 45 days of the U.S. Department of Commerce's final determination. Only when the USITC concludes that the U.S. domestic industry has suffered injury due to subsidized frozen warmwater shrimp imported from Vietnam will a new tariff order be officially issued.

Therefore, the Trade Remedies Department recommends that Vietnamese manufacturing and exporting businesses continue to monitor the developments of the investigation at the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) and provide appropriate comments before the USITC issues its final Injury Assessment.

The final conclusion can be found here.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/hoa-ky-ket-luan-cuoi-cung-vu-dieu-tra-chong-tro-cap-tom-nuoc-am-dong-lanh-tu-viet-nam-354547.html