Clemson, S.C.—The Coalition for Fair Trade in Ceramic Tile (Coalition) filed with the U.S. Court of International Trade its appeal of the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determination that ceramic tile from India is not being, or is not likely to be, sold in the United States at less-than-fair-value, as provided in section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended.
While Commerce did find that countervailable subsidies are being provided to Indian producers and exporters of ceramic tile by the government of India, the Coalition is also appealing Commerce’s determination of the amount of those tariffs. The Coalition, pursuant to the Court’s rules, will file a complaint detailing its rationale in the coming weeks.
“Frankly, we are sympathetic to the challenges Commerce investigators faced in evaluating Indian exporters of ceramic tile, as we will later detail, with those challenges impacting the investigation,” said Eric Astrachan, executive director of the Coalition for Fair Trade in Ceramic Tile. “By statute, Commerce is time-limited in its investigation, at a time when we understand more trade remedy actions have been launched than at any time in Commerce’s history since the Tariff Act of 1930 became law. Hopefully, our appeal will give Commerce the time it needs to reevaluate the information they received.”
The filing before the Court follows the May 19, 2025, affirmative and unanimous determination from the United States International Trade Commission that “U.S. industry is threatened with material injury by reason of imports of ceramic tile from India.”
“The prices we are tracking on imports from India defy credulity and can be deeply injurious to American ceramic tile manufacturing and the many thousands of families that rely on their good jobs at U.S. tile facilities,” said Andrew Whitmire, trade data analyst for the Tile Council of North America (TCNA).
According to Michael Kephart, president of the U.S. Tile Collaborative, “With appropriate tariffs to level the playing field and offset dumping and subsidies, tile manufacturers from all over the world want to build in America where we have plentiful raw materials, inexpensive natural gas, and an eager, talented and growing workforce. The action today by the Coalition supports further investment and manufacturing in America.”