Senators Want U.S. Action on European Commission's Antidumping Duties on U.S. Ethanol
A group of 14 Senators want the U.S. to evaluate a recent European Commission ruling imposing antidumping duties on U.S. ethanol imports, including through potential World Trade Organization action. In an April 29 letter to Acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis and Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank, the Senators called the antidumping penalty -- approved by the European Commission Feb. 18 -- a “dangerous precedent for trade and trade remedies in advance of the well-publicized start of important trade talks between the United States and the European Union.”
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The letter was signed by Senators from predominately agricultural states, including Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., Sen. Amy Klochbar, D-Minn., and Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill. “… We understand that the [European Commission] is now proposing a country-wide duty against all ethanol imports from the United States, regardless of whether that producer or marketer has engaged in any of the alleged offensive acts, or was willing or unwilling to participate in the investigation,” the letter said. The Senators also said there has not been an “adequate” finding that injury was suffered by anyone in the European ethanol industry.
The European Commission began the antidumping proceeding in November 2011 (see 11112942). In February 2013, the commission imposed a antidumping duty on Ethanol of €62.30 per net ton. Read that notice (here).