International Trade Commission Begins Investigation of
Injury from Dumped and Subsidized Cold-Rolled Steel

Bethlehem Steel Corporation
Gulf States Steel
Ispat Inland Inc.
LTV Steel Company, Inc.
National Steel Corp.
Steel Dynamics, Inc.
Weirton Steel Corp.

For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON, D.C.,July 19, 1999 -- The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) today, by a unanimous vote, found that there is a reasonable indication that the domestic cold-rolled carbon steel industry is materially injured or threatened with material injury due to dumped and/or subsidized imports from Argentina, Brazil, China, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and Venezuela. The Commission, by a divided vote, decided not to proceed with its countervailing duty injury investigations of subsidized imports from Indonesia, Thailand and Venezuela. The ITC's affirmative vote reaffirms that the steel import crisis continues, and will allow the U.S. Department of Commerce to calculate preliminary antidumping and countervailing duty margins. In its initiation of these cases, the Commerce Department has determined that petitioners' allegations may support dumping and countervailing duty margins ranging to levels in excess of 100 percent.

The ITC's affirmative preliminary finding of injury or threat of material injury to domestic steel companies and workers underscores the need for vigorous enforcement of the U.S. trade laws. The flood of dumped and heavily subsidized steel still remains at historically high levels. Unfairly traded steel imports are still depressing prices, forcing production cut-backs and the loss of jobs.

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