ITC votes for duties, not quotas, on Chinese-made tyres

Washington DC -- The majority of US International Trade Commission commissioners have voted to impose duties, rather than quotas, on passenger and light truck tyres made in China and imported into the US.

The commissioners voted to recommend to President Obama that the following duties be imposed ad valorem, or based on the value of the item:

* 55 percent for the first year;

* 45 percent for the second year; and

* 35 percent for the third year.

Two of the commissioners-Vice Chairman Daniel Pearson and Commissioner Deanna Tanner Okun-said they would recommend to President Obama that no trade-restricting actions be taken. Okun read a statement representing her and Pearson in which she said that “implementing a trade restriction would be far more likely to cause market disruption than to alleviate it.”

All of the panel's commissioners recommended that trade adjustment assistance be provided to domestic tyre workers who have lost their jobs because of foreign competition.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)