US commission okays trade investigation vs Chinese manufacturers

The US International Trade Commission approved the investigation  against unfair trading practices by Chinese c-Si cell and module manufacturers.

This could lead to the introduction of US trade duties.

The decision – a unanimous vote of 6–0 in favour of the investigation – decrees that there is reason to believe that SolarWorld and its six co-members of  Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing – and US manufacturers and industry in general – have been harmed or stand to be harmed directly by the imports of Chinese-made cells and modules into the US.

The ITC has published its response on its website.

"The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that there is a reasonable indication that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules from China that are allegedly subsidized and sold in the United States at less than fair value," said the ITC.

All six Commissioners voted in the affirmative.

The vote will give the go-ahead to the US Commerce Department to proceed with the full-scale investigation into the allegations made by the SolarWorld-led CASM.