Last Week, the Federal authorities have declined to investigate allegations made by a U.S. manufacturers that Chinese makers of steel pipe used in solar racking are evading import tariffs. Later, this large US steel pipe maker has expresses its sincere disappointment that CBP has decided NOT to investigate its allegation of duty evasion of imports of Chinese structural steel pipe. This type of structural steel pipe is being used in solar projects, which may receive Federal tax breaks.
According to CBP, the US steel pipe maker's "allegation reasonably suggests that Company "X" imported merchandise from China that may be subject to AD/CVD order. But the allegation does not reasonably suggest that merchandise was entered through evasion. Evidence of importation, without more, is not sufficient to raise a reasonable suspicion of evasion."
This large US steel maker argued that "At the very least, we would like CBP to use the data that they have already collected regarding the importing of this product to determine if duties were properly paid".