Global Geopolitical Series: U.S. Commerce department initiates AD/CVD investigation on imports of Laminated Woven Sacks from Vietnam

Last night, the U.S. Commerce Department announced the initiation of investigation into imports of Laminated Woven Sacks from Vietnam. The investigations was initiated based on petition filed by Laminated Woven Sacks Fair Trade Coalition and its individual members, Polytex Fibers Corporation (Houston, TX) and ProAmpac Holdings Inc. (Cincinnati, OH) on March 7, 2018.

According to the preliminary estimate based on the petition, Vietnam is dumping the above-mentioned products at price which is 101.73 – 292.61 percent lower than their fair value. The petition also suggests the existence of 19 subsidy programs alleged for Vietnam. In the CVD investigations, the Commerce Department will determine whether Vietnamese producers of rubber bands are receiving government subsidies.

According to Commerce Department’s calculations the imports of laminated woven sacks from Vietnam were valued at an estimated $21.1 million, in 2017.

Under the leadership of Secretary Wilbur Ross, the U.S. Commerce department has followed through President Trump’s promise to cut down malpractices that tend to rob the United States of manufacturing jobs. From January 20, 2017, through February 21, 2018, the Commerce department has initiated 104 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, a 100 percent increase from the previous year.

A statement on Commerce department quoted Secretary Wilbur Ross saying, “With the doubling of the number of trade cases initiated since this same period last year, this Administration has made it clear that we will vigorously administer antidumping and countervailing duty laws…….When initiating a trade investigation, the Department of Commerce begins an open and transparent process that allows American companies and workers to gain relief from the market-distorting effects of injurious dumping and subsidization of imports.”