Severstal Says Don’t Terminate CTL Plate Suspension Agreement

Severstal says the DOC should not terminate the suspension agreement on cut-to-length steel plate from Russia. In a communication to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, the Russian steel producer said there is no evidence that Russian steel imports of CTL are injurious to the U.S. domestic steel market.

In its letter Severstal writes, “Petitioner’s request attempts to present a dire picture of large volumes of Russian CTL plate surging into the U.S. market in ever-increasing amounts and undercutting and suppressing U.S. prices to the detriment of the U.S. industry and the public interest. However, once the rhetoric is set aside and the actual numbers and statistics are examined objectively, it is clear that this is not the case. Russian volumes remain low, and prices commensurate with other merchandise of the same quality. Petitioner also tries to leverage the current political climate between the United States and Russia to its own benefit – again in the name of public interest. The Department should not allow this Agreement with Russian steel companies, i.e., not the Russian government, to be politicized by petitioner.”