Paper Tariffs: A ‘Blow to Printers’

Not everyone is happy with the U.S. Commerce Department’s decision to charge penalty tariffs on glossy paper imported from China.

Michael Makin, president and CEO of Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF), had this to say:

“PIA is disappointed to learn of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s affirmative preliminary determinations in the ongoing antidumping duty investigations on Coated Free Sheet (CFS) paper imported from China, Indonesia, and Korea. Following the March announcement of affirmative preliminary determinations of tariffs in the concurrent Countervailing Duties investigation, this is yet one more blow to domestic printers sure to be impacted by pricing and supply dynamics of the CFS paper market.

“PIA remains concerned that the Commerce Department and the Administration did not adequately consider the data above (much of which was submitted in formal comments during the initial investigation proceedings) as it made the preliminary affirmative decisions, and we remain concerned that such consideration will not be made fully prior to the final determinations. We hope that this is not the case.”

“PIA is a strong supporter of free and fair trade both at home and globally. As such, we believe that striking an appropriate balance between protecting the domestic producer and the end-user of an internationally traded product is critical. We hope that the full anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations weigh seriously the impact of the printing industry as it considers the economic ramifications of imposing tariffs on foreign sources of CFS paper, and that it determines such penalties are unwarranted.”