The US International Trade Commission on October 31 on the import of photovoltaic cells and components to the United States President Trump proposed trade remedy measures to limit the import of related products. The US solar industry generally agreed that restrictions on imports of photovoltaic products is likely to lead to 'double lose' results The
The US International Trade Commission in September made a ruling that a large number of cheap imported photovoltaic cells and components to the US domestic industry caused serious damage.This decision is based on the United States, "Trade Act of 1974," Article 201, also known as' 201 Survey "or" global safeguards investigation. "This provision provides that when a number of commodity imports surge, causing serious damage to the US industry or serious damage to the threat, the US president can pass tariffs, quotas and other measures to limit imports, protect their industries The
It is reported that four members of the US International Trade Commission to Trump proposed three different trade remedy measures, including through quotas, tariffs and permits and other forms to limit the import of photovoltaic products.
Among them, Linda Schmidt, the chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission, proposed to introduce quotas and tariffs to limit imports at the same time, and suggested that a quota should be set for imported PV cells and a 10% tariff on imported products within quotas at a later date The annual reduction to 8.5%; additional imported merchandise with 30% tariff, the tax rate decreased to 27% year after year in 2013. In addition, import tariffs on PV modules levied 35%, the tax rate in the next 3 years gradually decreased to 32 %.
The United States International Trade Commission Vice Chairman David Johansson and the commissioner Owen Williamson co-submitted the program, also proposed to take two kinds of quota and tariff relief measures, but in the specific figures and the program is different. · Brodbent is advised to set import quotas, while taking a public auction to sell import licenses, and the income used to support the development of related domestic enterprises.
Trump will eventually decide whether to take trade remedies and what trade remedies are to be used.
As the US solar energy industry is heavily dependent on imports of cheap solar cells, analysts believe that the ruling may lead to the US solar power prices rise, a large number of workers unemployed, solar energy industry development blocked.
Market research firm GTM said the restrictions on imported photovoltaic cells and components could cause a 'devastating' blow to the US solar market, which could cause two-thirds of the solar panels to be canceled in the next five years.
"The US International Trade Commission 's ruling has disappointed nearly 9,000 solar companies and 260,000 employees," said Abe Gailhoff, chairman of the American Association of Solar Energy Industries, after the announcement of the ruling.
According to SPV Market Research, US solar cell production accounted for a quarter of global production before 2001, but since then, due to lower prices for Asian solar cells, US domestic production gradually declined, imports increased last year, the US market 95% of the sales of solar cells from the import.
According to the United States International Trade Commission statistics, the current US solar cell products, the largest source of imports from Malaysia, followed by South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand from China's solar cell products accounted for about 8% of US imports.
The lawsuit was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission for Suniva, a solar-based photovoltaic company in southern Georgia, which filed a bankruptcy filing in April of this year.Other companies involved in the prosecution were the equally bankrupt German solar company SolarWorld American branch.
Wang Hejun, director of the Trade Remedy Investigation Bureau of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said earlier that the free flow of PV products is conducive to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the global climate. It is a common responsibility of all countries to maintain free trade in this area and it is in the common interest of all parties. U.S. investigation agencies strictly abide by the relevant WTO rules and used trade restrictions with caution.
