U.S. continues anti-dumping duties despite WTO ruling

WASHINGTON – The United States will continue to impose duties on countries that dump their goods on the U.S. market despite a World Trade Organization (WTO) decision.
The decision authorized eight trading partners to impose sanctions against what is called the Byrd amendment to U.S. antidumping law, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Byrd to blame. An Aug. 31 U.S. Trade Representative statement responded to the WTO ruling earlier that day authorizing the trading partners to take retaliatory action based on claims of significant economic damage from the Byrd amendment.
Earlier in 2004, the WTO ruled that the Byrd amendment violated WTO obligations.
The WTO also set the level of sanctions allowed. WTO arbitrators ruled that the trading partners’ claims of damage were “exaggerated,” the USTR statement said.
Sought ruling. The WTO case was brought by the European Union, Canada, Japan, India, Brazil, Mexico, Chile and South Korea, according to press reports.
The Byrd amendment, passed in 2000, directs the U.S. government to distribute anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties directly to U.S. companies harmed by dumping and subsidies.
Before the Byrd amendment became law, such revenue went to the U.S. Treasury.