Tariff Rules Shift Into Effect
Two previously previewed duty changes are now operative, while textile sourcing, company rates and a DRAM case line up for September 25.
September 24 brings a change in legal status for Chinese Tris and Korean OCTG entries, four new CAFTA-DR commercial-availability determinations, two company-specific antidumping review results, targeted OFAC changes and a new Section 337 DRAM investigation. Publication date—not the earlier public-inspection date—controls the deposit changes described below.
Two deposit schedules move from preview to operative status
China Tris: Commerce’s preliminary countervailing-duty determination is now applicable. Cash deposits are 117.39% for Changzhou Peicheng, 20.63% for Suzhou Yacoo and its named cross-owned companies, and 20.63% for all others. The preliminary critical-circumstances look-back applies only to still-unliquidated subject entries produced and/or exported by Changzhou Peicheng; Commerce found no critical circumstances for Yacoo or all others.
Korean OCTG: Final antidumping review deposit rates are now 29.94% for NEXTEEL, 9.80% for SeAH Steel and 19.87% for the 16 non-examined companies listed in the notice. Other firms do not automatically receive 19.87%; the general all-others rate remains 5.24% where the notice’s hierarchy directs.
Published sources: China Tris preliminary CVD determination and Korean OCTG final AD review.
Four lining fabrics enter the commercial-availability list
CITA has determined that four precisely specified twill lining fabrics are not commercially available in a timely manner in CAFTA-DR countries. Each will be added in unrestricted quantities to Annex 3.25 when its notice is published on September 25. That can support preferential treatment for otherwise qualifying apparel, but it is not a blanket duty-free rule for every fabric entered under the cited headings.
| Fabric added | HTS | Key written specifications |
|---|---|---|
| Polyester/cuprammonium dyed twill lining | 5407.92.10 | 52–60% polyester; 40–48% cuprammonium; 72–82 g/m²; width 132.08–137.16 cm |
| Polyester/cuprammonium yarn-dyed twill lining | 5407.93.20 | Same fiber, weight and width ranges; yarn-dyed construction |
| Viscose printed twill lining | 5408.24.90 | 100% viscose rayon; 70–80 g/m²; width 137.16–139.70 cm |
| Polyester/viscose dyed twill lining | 5515.11.00 | 48–56% polyester; 44–52% viscose; 81–90 g/m²; width 127.00–142.24 cm |
The HTS numbers are only part of the specification. Fiber percentages, construction, finishing, weight and width must all match the applicable determination, and the finished good must satisfy the rest of the CAFTA-DR origin rules and claim requirements.
Primary sources: dyed polyester/cuprammonium fabric; yarn-dyed polyester/cuprammonium fabric; printed viscose fabric; and dyed polyester/viscose fabric (public-inspection PDFs).
A zero rate for LG Chem; 1.89% for two Turkish pipe companies
Korean superabsorbent polymers: Commerce’s final 2023–24 review margin for LG Chem is 0.00%. Upon September 25 publication, LG Chem’s cash-deposit rate becomes zero and Commerce says appropriate review-period entries will be liquidated without antidumping duties. The result is company-specific: firms outside this review follow the notice’s deposit hierarchy, and the residual all-others rate remains 26.05% when that hierarchy reaches it.
Turkish large-diameter welded pipe: Final 2024–25 review margins are 1.89% for HDM Celik and 1.89% for Cimtas. Those company rates take effect on September 25 publication; the order’s all-others rate continues at 1.57% for producers and exporters not otherwise covered by a more specific rate.
Primary sources: Korean SAP final review and Turkish welded-pipe final review (public-inspection PDFs).
Targeted DRC delistings; an obsolete Syria license is removed
On September 23, OFAC removed François Olenga and Safari Club—including the listed Centre de Loisir Safari Club and Safari Beach aliases—from the SDN List under the Democratic Republic of the Congo program. The same update’s Cuban-address edit was expressly administrative and created no new sanction.
A separate final rule scheduled for September 25 removes and reserves the Syria-specific general license in 31 CFR 596.505. OFAC says the license is no longer needed because Syria’s State Sponsor of Terrorism designation was rescinded effective August 24 and Part 596 no longer applies to the Syrian government on that basis. This regulatory cleanup is not a blanket removal of all Syria-related restrictions; transactions must still be screened against other programs, lists and export controls.
Primary sources: OFAC DRC-related removals and Part 596 Syria amendment (public-inspection PDF).
DRAM patent investigation opens—without an import remedy
The USITC instituted investigation 337-TA-1523 on September 22 after a Netlist complaint alleging patent infringement involving certain DDR5-generation DIMMs and products containing them, including servers, computing systems and storage systems. Named respondents include Micron entities, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lenovo entities and Super Micro Computer.
Institution starts the investigation; it does not establish infringement and does not itself impose a limited exclusion order, cease-and-desist order or import ban. The complainant requested those remedies, but the Commission has not issued them.
Primary source: USITC institution notice (public-inspection PDF).
Importer FAQ
Are the four CAFTA-DR fabric additions effective on September 24?
No. The determinations were filed for public inspection on September 24 and state that they become applicable on Federal Register publication, scheduled for September 25.
Does LG Chem’s 0.00% rate apply to all Korean superabsorbent polymers?
No. It is the company-specific result for LG Chem in the reviewed period. Other producer/exporter combinations follow the rate hierarchy in the notice.
Do all Chinese Tris entries face a 90-day look-back?
No. The preliminary critical-circumstances finding applies only to still-unliquidated subject entries produced and/or exported by Changzhou Peicheng. Yacoo and all others received negative findings on that issue.
Does opening the DRAM Section 337 case block imports now?
No. Institution is procedural. No exclusion or cease-and-desist order has been issued, and the Commission has not determined a violation.
Did the DRC delisting terminate the entire sanctions program?
No. OFAC removed the named individual and entity records only. Other designated persons, blocked ownership interests and applicable program rules remain subject to screening.
Primary documents and publication status
Published September 24 sources are labeled as such. The remaining Federal Register documents were filed for public inspection on September 24 and are scheduled for publication September 25, 2026.