The U.S. Department of Commerce on Aug. 2 altered tariffs on uncoated groundwood paper from Canada, which includes newsprint used by newspapers and other segments of the printing and publishing industries.
Commerce revised downward its preliminary determination from between 0 to 22.16 percent to between 0 to 16.88 percent in its final determination in the antidumping duty investigation of several Canadian producers of groundwood paper.
In addition, Commerce found that Canada is providing countervailable subsidies to producers of uncoated groundwood paper ranging from 0.82 to 9.81 percent, which is a modification downward from the preliminary determination of between 4.42 to 9.93 percent. All other producers have been assigned a countervailable subsidies rate of 8.54 percent.
“This was a complicated and unique case. The department worked hard to address the arguments raised, and I am satisfied that the final determinations appropriately targets bad actors,” said Secretary Wilbur Ross. “Today’s decisions are the culmination of an open and transparent process which ensured a full and fair assessment of the specific facts of this case.”
The matter doesn’t end with the Department of Commerce’s final determination. The International Trade Commission can reverse the tariffs at the end of its investigation into whether imports have caused or threaten to cause material injury. The ITC vote is expected on August 29.
“These import duties on newsprint have already caused job losses in the printing and publishing sectors and have resulted in decreased news coverage in local communities,” said David Chavern, CEO of the News Media Alliance. “Although this is a step in the right direction, the reduced rates only lessen the pace at which the tariffs are harming the industry. We hope that the International Trade Commission will entirely reverse these misguided tariffs at the end of the month.”
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