For Immediate Release: February 2, 2013
Contact: Mara Lee (202) 482-3809
Statement From Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco SÁnchez Regarding the Initialing of a Draft Suspension Agreement Governing Trade in Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Commerce Department is pleased to announce that the Department and the Mexican tomato industry have today initialed a proposed agreement suspending the antidumping duty investigation of fresh tomatoes from Mexico. The Department believes the draft agreement meets the requirements of U.S. antidumping law and provides an effective remedy for the U.S. domestic industry. The agreement establishes important mechanisms for increased coverage of Mexican tomato imports and strengthened enforcement. The proposal should thus ensure that there will be fair trade in fresh tomatoes imported from Mexico. Commerce has released a draft text of the initialed suspension agreement for comment.
“I am pleased that we were able to come to an agreement on fresh tomato imports from Mexico that restores stability and confidence to the U.S. tomato market and meets the requirements of U.S. law,” Sánchez said. “The draft agreement raises reference prices substantially, in some cases more than double the current reference price for certain products, and accounts for changes that have occurred in the tomato market since the signing of the original agreement. This solution puts in place important mechanisms to attain increased signatory coverage and robust enforcement that will allow American workers and the U.S tomato industry to compete on a level playing field.”[ Draft Agreement ]
[ Fact Sheet ]
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