• Effective Date: Nov 13, 2024
This is an informational message. No action is required. 1. AD/CVD orders generally cover products from a particular country. In some cases, however, products from the country subject to the AD/CVD orders may undergo completion or assembly in a third country prior to export or sale to the United States. The products may remain subject to the AD/CVD orders despite the completion or assembly that occurs in the third country. However, for CBP purposes, the country of origin for such products may be the third country where the completion or assembly occurred. For technical reasons, the country of the AD/CVD case number must match the CBP country of origin in the entry summary documentation. Accordingly, Commerce establishes third country AD/CVD case numbers that match the CBP country of origin for CBP purposes. 2. The merchandise covered by the orders is fully or partially uncured epoxy resins, also known as epoxide resins, polyepoxides, oxirane resins, ethoxyline resins, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol, (chloromethyl) oxirane, or aromatic diglycidyl, which are polymers or prepolymers containing epoxy groups (i.e., three-membered ring structures comprised of two carbon atoms and one oxygen atom). Epoxy resins range in physical form from low viscosity liquids to solids. All epoxy resins are covered by the scope of this investigation irrespective of physical form, viscosity, grade, purity, molecular weight, or molecular structure, and packaging. Epoxy resins may contain modifiers or additives, such as hardeners, curatives, colorants, pigments, diluents, solvents, thickeners, fillers, plasticizers, softeners, flame retardants, toughening agents, catalysts, Bisphenol F, and ultraviolet light inhibitors, so long as the modifier or additive has not chemically reacted so as to cure the epoxy resin or convert it into a different product no longer containing epoxy groups. Such epoxy resins with modifiers or additives are included in the scope where the epoxy resin component comprises no less than 30 percent of the total weight of the product. The scope also includes blends of epoxy resins with different types of epoxy resins, with or without the inclusion of modifiers and additives, so long as the combined epoxy resin component comprises at least 30 percent of the total weight of the blend. Epoxy resins that enter as part of a system or kit with separately packaged co-reactants, such as hardeners or curing agents, are within the scope. The scope does not include any separately packaged co-reactants that would not fall within the scope if entered on their own. The scope includes merchandise matching the above description that has been processed in a third country, including by commingling, diluting, introducing, or removing modifiers or additives, or performing any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigation if performed in the subject country. The scope also includes epoxy resin that is commingled or blended with epoxy resin from sources not subject to this investigation. Only the subject component of such commingled products is covered by the scope of these orders. Excluded from the scope are phenoxy resins, which are polymers with a weight greater than 11,000 Daltons, a Melt Flow Index (MFI) at 200 °C (392 °F) no less than 4 grams and no greater than 70 grams per 10 min, Glass-Transition Temperatures (Tg) no less than 80 °C (176 °F) and no greater than 100 °C (212 °F), and which contain no epoxy groups other than at the terminal ends of the molecule. Excluded from the scope are certain paint and coating products, which are blends, mixtures, or other formulations of epoxy resin, curing agent, and pigment, in any form, packaged in one or more containers, wherein (1) the pigment represents a minimum of 10 percent of the total weight of the product, (2) the epoxy resin represents a maximum of 80 percent of the total weight of the product, and (3) the curing agent represents 5 to 40 percent of the total weight of the product. Excluded from the scope are preimpregnated fabrics or fibers, often referred to as "pre-pregs," which are composite materials consisting of fabrics or fibers (typically carbon or glass) impregnated with epoxy resin. Also excluded from the scope is Tetramethyl Bisphenol F Diglycidyl Ether epoxy resin, also known as Tetramethyl Bisphenol F -DGE Polymer (TMBPF-DGE), that (1) has the chemical name: phenol, 4, 4'-methylenebis[2,6-dimethyl-, polymer with 2-(chloromethyl)oxirane, (2) falls under Chemical Abstract Services (CAS) Registry Number 113693-69-9, and (3) has an epoxy equivalent weight (EEW), also referred to as the weight per epoxide (WPE), of no less than 200 and no greater than 230 grams of epoxy resin per epoxy equivalent (g/eq or GEW).{FN1} This merchandise is currently classifiable under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 3907.30.0000. Subject merchandise may also be entered under subheadings 3907.29.0000, 3824.99.9397, 3214.10.0020, 2910.90.9100, 2910.90.9000, 2910.90.2000, and 1518.00.4000. The HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes only; the written description of the scope is dispositive. FN1: The bracket in this sentence is part of the chemical formula and does not denote business proprietary information. 3. Effective 11/13/2024, Commerce established third-country case numbers to allow certain epoxy resins completed in Canada to be properly reported as subject to the orders on certain epoxy resins from the Republic of Korea (A-580-919; C-580-920) upon entry. Third Country: Canada Case Number: A-122-119 Producer and/or Exporter: All Others Case Number: A-122-119-000 Cash Deposit Rate: 6.33% Third Country: Canada Case Number: C-122-120 Producer and/or Exporter: All Others Case Number: C-122-120-000 Cash Deposit Rate: 1.30% The third-country AD/CVD case number above has been assigned for CBP purposes. 4. If there are any questions by the importing public regarding this message, please contact the Call Center for the Office of AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce at (202) 482-0984. CBP ports should submit their inquiries through authorized CBP channels only. (This message was generated by O#CLU:YB) 5. There are no restrictions on the release of this information. Alexander Amdur