KUALA LUMPUR (June 24): The US International Trade Commission (USITC) has determined that there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the US is threatened by the imports of paper shopping bags from Malaysia, Cambodia, China, Colombia, India, Portugal, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

In a statement on June 21, the USITC said the products are allegedly sold in the US at less-than-fair value and subsidised by the governments of China and India.

Chair Amy A Karpel and Commissioners David S Johanson, Rhonda K Schmidtlein, and Jason E Kearns voted in the affirmative.

As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determination, USITC will issue countervailing duty orders on imports of this product from China and India and anti-dumping duty orders on products imported from Malaysia, Cambodia, China, Colombia, India, Portugal, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

The Commission also made negative findings concerning critical circumstances with regard to imports of these products from Cambodia, China, India, Taiwan, and Vietnam. As a result, imports of paper shopping bags from these countries will not be subject to retroactive anti-dumping or countervailing duties.