U.S. Issues Duty Order on Silicon Metal from Laos
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The United States government has issued a countervailing duty order on silicon metal. This order comes from the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos).
The U.S. Department of Commerce made an affirmative final determination. It found that subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of silicon metal from Laos.
On April 6, 2026, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) confirmed this decision. It said the U.S. industry is being hurt by these imports. The order is effective from April 16, 2026.
The duty order covers all forms of silicon metal. This includes silicon metal powder. The metal in question must contain at least 85.00 percent but less than 99.99 percent silicon by actual weight.
However, silicon used in semiconductors is excluded. This specific type of silicon has at least 99.99 percent silicon by actual weight.
The U.S. will now assess countervailing duties. This applies to entries from Laos entered or taken from warehouses for consumption. This covers imports on or after September 26, 2025.
Lao Silicon Co., Ltd. has a subsidy rate of 69.10 percent. The same rate applies to all other producers or exporters from Laos.
The Department of Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation of these imports.
This action aims to protect the U.S. industry from unfair competition. It also applies cash deposit requirements on incoming silicon metal shipments described in the order.
Finally, the order will be in effect until the review for the following year. The new list for service and inquiry will be updated annually.
The Department of Commerce issues this order following the proper procedures under the Tariff Act of 1930. The government continues to enforce measures to support fair trade practices.
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