Commerce Completes First Review of Vietnam Import Data

For Immediate Release: October 26, 2007
Contact: Brittany Eck (202) 482-3809

COMMERCE COMPLETES FIRST REVIEW OF VIETNAM IMPORT DATA

Commerce Finds Insufficient Evidence of Dumping

Washington – Today,U.S. Department of Commerce officials announced that, after reviewing the first six months of data from the monitoring program of apparel imports from Vietnam, there is insufficient evidence to warrant self-initiating an antidumping investigation.

“After a fair and objective analysis of the data, Commerce found insufficient evidence of dumping from Vietnam,” said Assistant Secretary for Import Administration David Spooner. “The Department will continue to monitor apparel imports from Vietnam until the end of the Administration and work with all stakeholders to ensure an open and transparent monitoring process.”

Commerce examined import data for five different textile product groups – trousers, shirts, underwear, swimwear and sweaters – from Vietnam during the six-month period, January to July 2007. Of the 486 total 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) lines for the five groups, 317 had no imports from Vietnam. Commerce then determined that of the remaining 10-digit HTS lines, many even had rising unit values.

Commerce then compared trends in unit values and import levels to other suppliers of these products to the United States, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, DR-CAFTA (Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua), and other large suppliers of these goods, such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Macau and Cambodia. Based on this comparison of unit values and import levels, Commerce concluded that there was insufficient evidence of dumping to self-initiate an investigation. Commerce will continue to monitor trade in these categories during the next six-month review that will begin in March 2008, after receipt of the January 2008 data.

The Commerce Department will continue to post import data for these product groups on the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Import Monitoring Program web site at http://ia.ita.doc.gov/download/vietnam-textile-monitoring/vtm-index.html.

Background

Dumping occurs when a foreign producer sells a product in the United States at a price that is less than fair value, which is often the producer’s sales price in the country of origin, or its cost of production.

On September 28, 2006, Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez and United States Trade Representative Schwab announced the initiation of an import-monitoring program covering certain textile and apparel products from Vietnam. As part of this program, which commenced upon entry of Vietnam into the WTO and continues for the duration of this Administration, Commerce will complete a review every six months as to whether there is sufficient evidence to self-initiate an antidumping investigation of any textile or apparel goods from Vietnam pursuant to section 732 (a) of the Trade Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. and 1673a(a)).

For more information regarding the Vietnam Textile Monitoring Program, please visit http://ia.ita.doc.gov/download/vietnam-textile-monitoring/vtm-index.html.

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