Nov 21, 2007. /Lesprom Network/. International Trade Commission (ITC) 5-1 negative vote of a final determination for anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on coated free sheet paper imports, or glossy paper from China, Indonesia and South Korea, reported USW. “The USW is extremely disturbed with the trade commission decision, and until we get details on the rationale behind the negative determination in the next two weeks, it would be speculation to say more. “However, the reality is the U.S. Department of Commerce found on Oct. 18 that glossy paper producers in China, Indonesia and Korea are breaking our trade laws by unfairly dumping product in the U.S. and also taking illegal subsidies from their governments. “Unfortunately, today’s ITC decision means that no tariffs will be placed on the offending goods to counter the unfair trade practices that are costing American paper workers their jobs and jeopardizing the future of their manufacturing plants and the communities where they reside. “The new subsidy allegation filed this past March in the glossy paper trade case by the USW and the Sierra Club’s ‘Blue-Green Alliance’ is a source of accomplishment, resulting in the Commerce Department examining illegal logging in Indonesia as a subsidy potentially subject to countervailing duties. For the first time ever, the Commerce Department also decided it has the authority to apply tariffs to counteract government subsidies benefiting goods imported from China in the form of countervailing duties.” “Despite this negative decision by the ITC, USW paper workers will continue to seek remedies to unfair subsidies and illegal dumping. Fair trade should not mean illegal trade. We need meaningful and binding labor rights and environmental standards in all trade agreements, as well as specific prohibitions against the import of illegally harvested timber.”