For Immediate Release: August 31, 2006
Contact: Jennifer Scoggins (202) 482-3809
COMMERCE FINDS UNFAIR TRADE IN PAPER FROM CHINA
Imposes Tariff on Dumped Paper Products
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Commerce today announced its final decision in the antidumping duty investigation of lined paper products from China.
The Department found that Chinese companies are selling lined paper products at 76.70 percent to 258.21 percent less than fair market value, which for Chinese companies is based on their production inputs valued at market-economy costs. From 2004 to 2005, imports of lined paper products from China increased by 25 percent in volume, and were valued at an estimated $345 million in 2005.
“Unjust foreign pricing and government subsides distort the free flow of goods and adversely affect American business in the global marketplace,” said Commerce Assistant Secretary David Spooner. “The Department of Commerce will continue to vigorously enforce our trade laws to safeguard jobs and the competitive strength of American industry.”
The petition for this investigation was filed by MeadWestvaco Corp, Norcom, Inc. and Top Flight, Inc., collectively the Association of American School Paper Suppliers, in September 2005. The Department initiated this investigation on Sept. 29, 2005, after determining the petition met the statutory requirements under the Tariff Act of 1930.
Lined paper products are typically school supplies that feature straight horizontal or vertical lines on 10 or more paper sheets, including single- and multi-subject notebooks, composition books, wireless notebooks, loose-leaf or glued filler paper, graph paper, and laboratory notebooks.
If the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issues a final affirmative injury determination, the Department of Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit from importers of lined paper from China. If the ITC makes a negative final injury determination, the investigation will be terminated. The ITC is scheduled to issue its final injury determination on or about Sept. 13, 2006.
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 (“home market”), or its cost of production. The difference between the price (or cost) in the foreign market and the price in the U.S. market is called the dumping margin. Unless the conduct falls within the legal definition of dumping as specified in U.S. law, a foreign producer selling imports at prices below those of American products is not necessarily dumping.
For more information about Import Administration or for the fact sheet on today’s final decision on lined paper products from China please visit www.trade.gov/ia