---
kind: "section"
citation: "19 U.S.C. § 1673h"
title: "19"
title_heading: "Customs Duties"
number: "1673h"
heading: "Establishment of product categories for short life cycle merchandise"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/19/1673h"
units:
  - "Chapter 4 — Tariff Act of 1930"
  - "Subtitle IV — Countervailing and Antidumping Duties"
  - "Part II — Imposition of Antidumping Duties"
---

# §1673h. Establishment of product categories for short life cycle merchandise

- (a) **Establishment of product categories—**
  - (1) **Petitions—**
    - (A) **In general—** An eligible domestic entity may file a petition with the [Commission](/usc/19/1677.md?p=2) requesting that a product category be established with respect to short life cycle merchandise at any time after the merchandise becomes the subject of 2 or more affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determinations.
    - (B) **Contents—** A petition filed under [subparagraph (A)](#a-1-A) shall—
      - (i) identify the short life cycle merchandise that is the subject of the affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determinations,
      - (ii) specify the short life cycle merchandise that the petitioner seeks to have included in the same product category as the merchandise that is subject to the affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determinations,
      - (iii) specify any short life cycle merchandise the petitioner particularly seeks to have excluded from the product category,
      - (iv) provide reasons for the inclusions and exclusions specified under clauses [(ii)](#a-1-B-ii) and [(iii)](#a-1-B-iii), and
      - (v) identify such merchandise in terms of the designations used in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9).
  - (2) **Determinations on sufficiency of petition—** Upon receiving a petition under [paragraph (1)](#a-1), the [Commission](/usc/19/1677.md?p=2) shall—
    - (A) request the [administering authority](/usc/19/1677.md?p=1) to confirm promptly the affirmative determinations on which the petition is based, and
    - (B) upon receipt of such confirmation, determine whether the merchandise covered by the confirmed affirmative determinations is short life cycle merchandise and whether the petitioner is an eligible domestic entity.
  - (3) **Notice; hearings—** If the determinations under [paragraph (2)(B)](#a-2-B) are affirmative, the [Commission](/usc/19/1677.md?p=2) shall—
    - (A) publish notice in the Federal Register that the petition has been received, and
    - (B) provide opportunity for the presentation of views regarding the establishment of the requested product category, including a public hearing if requested by any interested [person](/usc/19/1683.md?p=8).
  - (4) **Determinations—**
    - (A) **In general—** By no later than the date that is 90 days after the date on which a petition is filed under [paragraph (1)](#a-1), the [Commission](/usc/19/1677.md?p=2) shall determine the scope of the product category into which the short life cycle merchandise that is the subject of the affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determinations identified in such petition shall be classified for purposes of this section.
    - (B) **Modifications not requested by petition—**
      - (i) **In general—** The [Commission](/usc/19/1677.md?p=2) may, on its own initiative, make a determination modifying the scope of any product category established under [subparagraph (A)](#a-4-A) at any time.
      - (ii) **Notice and hearing—** Determinations may be made under [clause (i)](#a-4-B-i) only after the [Commission](/usc/19/1677.md?p=2) has—
        - (I) published in the Federal Register notice of the proposed modification, and
        - (II) provided [interested parties](/usc/19/1677.md?p=9) an opportunity for a hearing, and a period for the submission of written comments, on the classification of merchandise into the product categories to be affected by such determination.
    - (C) **Basis of determinations—** In making determinations under subparagraph [(A)](#a-4-A) or [(B)](#a-4-B), the [Commission](/usc/19/1677.md?p=2) shall ensure that each product category consists of similar short life cycle merchandise which is produced by similar processes under similar circumstances and has similar uses.
- (b) **Definitions—** For purposes of this section—
  - (1) **Eligible domestic entity—** The term “eligible domestic entity” means a manufacturer or producer in the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9), or a certified union or recognized union or group of workers which is representative of an [industry](/usc/19/1677.md?p=4-A) in the [United States](/usc/19/1683.md?p=9), that manufactures or produces short life cycle merchandise that is—
    - (A) like or directly competitive with other merchandise that is the subject of 2 or more affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determinations, or
    - (B) is similar enough to such other merchandise as to be considered for inclusion with such merchandise in a product monitoring category established under this section.
  - (2) **Affirmative dumping determination—** The term “affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determination” means—
    - (A) any affirmative final determination made by the [administering authority](/usc/19/1677.md?p=1) under [section 1673d(a) of this title](/usc/19/1673d.md?p=a) during the 8-year period preceding the filing of the petition under this section that results in the issuance of an antidumping duty order under [section 1673e of this title](/usc/19/1673e.md) which requires the deposit of estimated antidumping duties at a rate of not less than 15 percent ad valorem, or
    - (B) any affirmative preliminary determination that—
      - (i) is made by the [administering authority](/usc/19/1677.md?p=1) under [section 1673b(b) of this title](/usc/19/1673b.md?p=b) during the 8-year period preceding the filing of the petition under this section in the course of an investigation for which no final determination is made under [section 1673d of this title](/usc/19/1673d.md) by reason of a suspension of the investigation under [section 1673c of this title](/usc/19/1673c.md), and
      - (ii) includes a determination that the estimated average amount by which the normal value of the merchandise exceeds the [export price](/usc/19/1683.md?p=5-A) (or the constructed [export price](/usc/19/1683.md?p=5-A)) of the merchandise is not less than 15 percent ad valorem.
  - (3) **Subject of affirmative dumping determination—**
    - (A) **In general—** Short life cycle merchandise of a manufacturer shall be treated as being the subject of an affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determination only if the [administering authority](/usc/19/1677.md?p=1)—
      - (i) makes a separate determination of the amount by which the normal value of such merchandise of the manufacturer exceeds the [export price](/usc/19/1683.md?p=5-A) (or the constructed [export price](/usc/19/1683.md?p=5-A)) of such merchandise of the manufacturer, and
      - (ii) specifically identifies the manufacturer by name with such amount in the affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determination or in an antidumping duty order issued as a result of the affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determination.
    - (B) **Exclusion—** Short life cycle merchandise of a manufacturer shall not be treated as being the subject of an affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determination if—
      - (i) such merchandise of the manufacturer is part of a group of merchandise to which the [administering authority](/usc/19/1677.md?p=1) assigns (in lieu of making separate determinations described in subparagraph (A)(i)(I)) an amount determined to be the amount by which the normal value of the merchandise in such group exceeds the [export price](/usc/19/1683.md?p=5-A) (or the constructed [export price](/usc/19/1683.md?p=5-A)) of the merchandise in such group, and
      - (ii) the merchandise and the manufacturer are not specified by name in the affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determination or in any antidumping duty order issued as a result of such affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determination.
  - (4) **Short life cycle merchandise—** The term “short life cycle merchandise” means any product that the [Commission](/usc/19/1677.md?p=2) determines is likely to become outmoded within 4 years, by reason of technological advances, after the product is commercially available. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “outmoded” refers to a kind of style that is no longer [state](/usc/19/2577.md?p=2)-of-the-art.
- (c) **Transitional rules—**
  - (1) For purposes of this section and [section 1673b(b)(1)(B)](/usc/19/1673b.md?p=b-1-B) and (C) of this title, all affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determinations described in [subsection (b)(2)(A)](#b-2-A) that were made after December 31, 1980, and before August 23, 1988, and all affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determinations described in [subsection (b)(2)(B)](#b-2-B) that were made after December 31, 1984, and before August 23, 1988, with respect to each category of short life cycle merchandise of the same manufacturer shall be treated as one affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determination with respect to that category for that manufacturer which was made on the date on which the latest of such determinations was made.
  - (2) No affirmative [dumping](/usc/19/1677.md?p=34) determination that—
    - (A) is described in [subsection (b)(2)(A)](#b-2-A) and was made before January 1, 1981, or
    - (B) is described in [subsection (b)(2)(B)](#b-2-B) and was made before January 1, 1985,

    may be taken into account under this section or [section 1673b(b)(1)(B)](/usc/19/1673b.md?p=b-1-B) and (C) of this title.


## Source credit

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title VII, § 739, as added Pub. L. 100–418, title I, § 1323(a), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1195; amended Pub. L. 101–382, title I, § 139(a)(2), Aug. 20, 1990, 104 Stat. 653; Pub. L. 103–465, title II, § 233(a)(1)(D), (2)(A)(v), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4898.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(B)(v), is not set out in the Code. See Publication of Harmonized Tariff Schedule note set out under section 1202 of this title.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section, act June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title VII, § 739, as added July 26, 1979, Pub. L. 96–39, title I, § 101, 93 Stat. 174, related to duties of customs officers, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 98–573, title VI, § 610(a), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 3031.

### Amendments

1994—Subsec. (b)(2)(B)(ii), (3)(A)(i), (B)(i). Pub. L. 103–465 substituted “normal value” for “foreign market value” and “export price (or the constructed export price)” for “United States price”.

1990—Subsec. (a)(1)(B)(v). Pub. L. 101–382 substituted “Harmonized Tariff Schedule” for “Tariff Schedules”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 103–465 effective, except as otherwise provided, on the date on which the WTO Agreement enters into force with respect to the United States (Jan. 1, 1995), and applicable with respect to investigations, reviews, and inquiries initiated and petitions filed under specified provisions of this chapter after such date, see section 291 of Pub. L. 103–465, set out as a note under section 1671 of this title.