On December 27, 2024, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) of India issued a notification initiating a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation on calcium carbonate filler masterbatch originating in or imported from Vietnam.
The investigation was initiated based on a petition filed by the Indian domestic industry, represented by the Indian Compound & Masterbatch Manufacturers Association and the Masterbatch Manufacturers Association of India.
Earlier, on September 30, 2024, DGTR had initiated an anti-dumping investigation on the same product originating in or imported from Vietnam.
The product under investigation is Calcium Carbonate Filler Masterbatch, classified under HS Code: 38249900.
The petitioner alleged that the investigated product was imported into India in substantial quantities, benefitting from countervailable subsidies, and caused or threatened to cause material injury to the Indian domestic industry.
The programs under investigation fall into six groups:
(i) Corporate income tax exemptions/reductions and import duty exemptions/refunds for raw materials;
(ii) Preferential loans/loan guarantees;
(iii) Export promotion programs;
(iv) Supply of fuel and raw materials at below-market prices;
(v) Land and water surface rental exemptions/reductions; and
(vi) Industry development programs for the plastics sector.
The specific programs include:
- Supply of limestone at below-market prices
- Vietnam Plastics Industry Development Plan
- Corporate income tax exemption
- Import duty exemption/refund for raw materials
- Preferential loans for investors
- Export promotion programs
- Preferential loans for export enterprises
- Investment credit
- Support for foreign investors in small and medium-sized enterprises
- Export credit provided by the Vietnam Development Bank
- Financial guarantees by VietinBank
- Supply of gas/electricity/coal at below-market prices
- Government provision of land at below-market prices and exemptions or reductions in land and water surface rental fees.
Period of Investigation:
(i) Subsidies: April 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024
(ii) Injury: April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021; April 1, 2021 – March 31, 2022; April 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023, and the subsidy investigation period.
The petitioner proposed product classification numbers (PCNs) similar to those used in the ongoing anti-dumping investigation for the same product. DGTR has invited interested parties to submit comments, arguments, and PCN suggestions within 30 days of the investigation’s initiation date.
DGTR requires interested parties to provide comments, responses to the investigation questionnaires, and information in the prescribed format and within the stipulated time frame of 30 days from the date of notification, unless an extension is granted. If no information is received, DGTR will rely on the available facts for the investigation.
To protect their legitimate interests, related manufacturers and exporters should familiarize themselves with the procedure and actively contact Vietnamese law firms specializing in anti-dumping and trade remedy for timely assistance.
The initiation notification can be accessed here.
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