The U.S. international Trade Commission (ITC) today ruled 4-0 in favor of the domestic industry that dumped and subsidized lumber imports from Canada continue to be a threat to the U.S. industry. This means the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on Canadian softwood lumber will remain in place, said U.S. Lumber Coalition in a statement.
The ITC examined and found that improvements in the U.S. softwood lumber industry, such as increases in production, capital investments, and employment, were related to the antidumping and the countervailing duty orders. The ITC also determined that the continuation or recurrence of dumping and subsidization would likely harm the U.S. industry if the orders against unfairly traded Canadian imports were taken away.
The U.S. Department of Commerce had previously found that if the orders were revoked Canadian dumping would resume at a margin of up to 7.28% and subsidization at a rate of up to 19.62%.
"The facts before the International Trade Commission were clear – unfairly traded imports from Canada cause real harm to U.S. producers and workers," said Andrew Miller, Chairman of the U.S. Lumber Coalition and CEO of Stimson Lumber. "The ruling by the Commission means the softwood lumber trade cases can continue to help offset Canadian lumber subsidies and dumping, allowing the domestic industry to compete against unfairly traded imports from Canada."
"The U.S. Lumber Coalition fully supports the continued full enforcement of America's trade laws against unfairly traded imports. Today's ruling was paramount for the long-term confidence in the U.S. softwood lumber sawmilling industry to continue to make the investments in employees and mill operations necessary to supply the U.S. market to build American homes," concluded Miller.
Today’s ITC action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. The Commission’s public report Certain Softwood Lumber Products from Canada will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the reviews. The report will be available by January 17, 2024; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website.
