Lumber Trade Update - May 14, 2019

The Government of Canada initiated a NAFTA panel review in January 2018 against the United States determination that the U.S. lumber industry is materially injured by reason of imports of softwood lumber products from Canada.  Yesterday, the NAFTA injury panel conducted a one-day hearing to consider the Government of Canada's appeal of the International Trade Commission's (ITC) unanimous injury ruling.

 

Counsel for the U.S. government and the U.S. Lumber Coalition provided a strong and comprehensive defense of the ITC's affirmative injury determination, clearly demonstrating that the Canadian government's challenge of the ITC decision is without merit.

 

Yesterday's hearing proved that the ITC properly analyzed and applied the facts in the case as presented by both Canadian and U.S. parties when unanimously determining that dumped and subsidized Canadian imports injure the U.S. industry.

 

The Coalition put the case in perspective by addressing how the domestic industry was injured by unfairly traded Canadian imports. The Coalition demonstrated that the ITC was correct in making an affirmative injury determination and that it should not be overturned by the NAFTA panel.

A decision by the NAFTA panel on whether and how to remand to the ITC for more explanation, further analysis etc. is not anticipated until sometime in the Fall of 2019.

 

The U.S. Lumber Coalition remains confident in every aspect of its trade case against Canada's unfair softwood lumber trade practices.

As a result of the full enforcement of U.S. trade laws, American softwood lumber companies and their workers have been able to compete on a level playing field.  Fully enforcing the U.S. trade laws has been a win for the United States, as leveling the playing field against Canada's unfair trade practices has allowed U.S. companies and workers to make more U.S. lumber to supply the U.S. housing market.

For any questions about the panel, please call the US Lumber Coalition at (202)805-9133.