US Urea and Ammonium Nitrate Exports Face Retroactive EU AD/CV Duties

Exports of urea and ammonium nitrate from the U.S. to the European Union could eventually face antidumping and countervailing duty requirements as of March 22, after the EU published a notice the previous day directing member state customs authorities to “register” any of their imports of the product. In a procedure similar to “critical circumstances” in the U.S., EU authorities determined that U.S. exporters had been increasing exports after AD/CV duty investigations on urea and ammonium nitrate were launched in August 2018, in an effort to get in as much product as possible before duties take effect. As a result of the registration requirement, should the EU apply AD and CV duties in its final determination, any duties will be retroactive to the date the registration requirements began, i.e., March 22, 2019. The registration requirements also apply to Russia and Trinidad and Tobago.