--Commerce department acknowledges late-2011 surge in Chinese solar-panel imports
--Department says it made preliminary finding of "critical circumstances"
--Finding could affect outcome of an investigation into allegations of dumping filed by SolarWorld
(Adds comment from Suntech in the eighth paragraph.)
The U.S. Department of Commerce said Monday that a late-2011 surge in Chinese solar-panel imports could affect the agency's pending decision on a dumping complaint filed by SolarWorld AG .
SolarWorld's U.S. unit and six other firms have accused Chinese suppliers of solar panels and solar cells made from crystalline silicon of receiving unfair government subsidies and selling their products in the U.S. at prices below the cost of production in an effort to dominate the U.S. market. The companies have asked the government to impose antidumping and countervailing duties on such imports.
The Commerce Department has been investigating the case, in tandem with a separate but related investigation at the International Trade Commission.
The department found that China-based solar-panel makers, including Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (STP, K3ND.SG) and Trina Solar Ltd. TSL -0.76% , shipped large volumes of panels to the U.S. near the end of 2011 that were "substantially" more than 15% above volumes shipped earlier in the year, according to a notice dated Friday and signed by Commerce Department Assistant Secretary for Import Administration Paul Piquado.
The department made a preliminary finding Monday that the case includes "critical circumstances," due in part to a finding that importers, exporters or producers knew one month in advance that SolarWorld planned to file its petition last October.
The department will finalize its determination when it makes a final decision on the dumping allegations. If the department imposes antidumping tariffs on Chinese solar panels and finds that there were critical circumstances, it could order that the tariffs be placed 90 days prior to the date that the tariffs would ordinarily be effective.
SolarWorld and its supporters "greatly appreciate the Department of Commerce's finding that importers of Chinese products have mounted a massive surge in product to evade accountability to U.S. and international trade law," Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld Industries America Inc. said in a statement.
Suntech said in a statement that it was "greatly concerned about the dangers this process poses to the U.S. solar industry."
A trade group that represents Suntech and other Chinese solar-panel makers and some of their U.S. clients said Monday that antidumping tariffs on Chinese solar panels could result in financial losses for some U.S. consumers and thousands of job losses for workers in the solar-power industry.
SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/china-solar-import-surge-may-hit-us-trade-case-2012-01-30?reflink=MW_news_stmp
--Department says it made preliminary finding of "critical circumstances"
--Finding could affect outcome of an investigation into allegations of dumping filed by SolarWorld
(Adds comment from Suntech in the eighth paragraph.)
The U.S. Department of Commerce said Monday that a late-2011 surge in Chinese solar-panel imports could affect the agency's pending decision on a dumping complaint filed by SolarWorld AG .
SolarWorld's U.S. unit and six other firms have accused Chinese suppliers of solar panels and solar cells made from crystalline silicon of receiving unfair government subsidies and selling their products in the U.S. at prices below the cost of production in an effort to dominate the U.S. market. The companies have asked the government to impose antidumping and countervailing duties on such imports.
The Commerce Department has been investigating the case, in tandem with a separate but related investigation at the International Trade Commission.
The department found that China-based solar-panel makers, including Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (STP, K3ND.SG) and Trina Solar Ltd. TSL -0.76% , shipped large volumes of panels to the U.S. near the end of 2011 that were "substantially" more than 15% above volumes shipped earlier in the year, according to a notice dated Friday and signed by Commerce Department Assistant Secretary for Import Administration Paul Piquado.
The department made a preliminary finding Monday that the case includes "critical circumstances," due in part to a finding that importers, exporters or producers knew one month in advance that SolarWorld planned to file its petition last October.
The department will finalize its determination when it makes a final decision on the dumping allegations. If the department imposes antidumping tariffs on Chinese solar panels and finds that there were critical circumstances, it could order that the tariffs be placed 90 days prior to the date that the tariffs would ordinarily be effective.
SolarWorld and its supporters "greatly appreciate the Department of Commerce's finding that importers of Chinese products have mounted a massive surge in product to evade accountability to U.S. and international trade law," Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld Industries America Inc. said in a statement.
Suntech said in a statement that it was "greatly concerned about the dangers this process poses to the U.S. solar industry."
A trade group that represents Suntech and other Chinese solar-panel makers and some of their U.S. clients said Monday that antidumping tariffs on Chinese solar panels could result in financial losses for some U.S. consumers and thousands of job losses for workers in the solar-power industry.
SOURCE: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/china-solar-import-surge-may-hit-us-trade-case-2012-01-30?reflink=MW_news_stmp
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