ITC Rules That Certain Uncoated Paper Imports Are Being ‘Dumped’; Import Duties Coming

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of certain uncoated paper from Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia and Portugal that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value and subsidized by the governments of China and Indonesia.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

The Commission also made a negative finding with respect to critical circumstances with regard to imports of this product from Australia. As a result, goods that entered the United States from Australia prior to Aug. 26, 2015, the date of the Department of Commerce’s affirmative preliminary determination, will not be subject to retroactive duties.

As a result of the USITC’s affirmative determinations, the Department of Commerce will issue countervailing duty orders on imports of this product from China and Indonesia and antidumping duty orders on imports of this product from Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia and Portugal.

The Commission’s public report Certain Uncoated Paper from Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia and Portugal (Investigation Nos. 701-TA-528-529 and 731-TA-1264-1268 (Final), USITC Publication 4592, February 2016) will contain the views of the Commissioners and information developed during the investigations.

The report will be available by March 14, 2016; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: http://pubapps.usitc.gov/applications/publogs/qry_publication_loglist.asp.

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United States International Trade Commission
Office of Industries
Washington, DC 20436

Factual Highlights

Certain Uncoated Paper from Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia and Portugal
Investigation Nos. 701-TA-528-529 and 731-TA-1264-1268 (Final)

Product Description: Certain uncoated paper covered by these investigations includes uncoated paper in sheet form; weighing at least 40 grams per square meter but not more than 150 grams per square meter; that either is a white paper with a GE brightness level of 85 or higher or is a colored paper; whether or not surface-decorated, printed, embossed, perforated, or punched; irrespective of the smoothness of the surface; and irrespective of dimensions. Certain uncoated paper is generally used for office reprographics (copy and printer paper), books, instruction manuals, inserts, business forms, flyers, maps and brochures.

Status of Proceedings:

1. Type of investigations: Final antidumping and countervailing duty.
2. Petitioners: United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, Pittsburgh; Domtar Corp., Ft. Mill, S.C.; Finch Paper, Glen Falls, N.Y.; P. H. Glatfelter Co., York, Pa.; and Packaging Corp. of America, Lake Forest, Ill.
3. Investigations instituted by USITC: Jan. 21, 2015.
4. USITC hearing: Jan. 7, 2016.
5. USITC vote: Feb. 9, 2016.
6. USITC notification of Department of Commerce: Feb. 22, 2016.

U.S. Industry:

1. Number of producers in 2014: Ten.
2. Location of producers’ plants: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin.
3. Employment of production and related workers in 2014: [1]
4. Apparent U.S. consumption in 2014: $4.5 billion
5. Ratio of the value of total U.S. imports to total U.S. consumption in 2014: 19.5 percent.

U.S. Imports:

1. From the subject countries during 2014: 1
2. From other countries during 2014: 1
3. Leading sources during 2014: Indonesia, Brazil, Portugal, Canada, China and Australia (in terms of total value).

[1] Withheld to avoid disclosure of business proprietary information.

Source: United States International Trade Commission.