"USITC decided that imports of CLPSS from Indonesia have caused no injuries to the US industries."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The United States has announced its final decision cancelling anti dumping import duty and countervailing duty on paper products from Indonesia.

The decision on August 2 was a result of "sunset review" of dumping charges against Certain Lined Paper School Supplies (CLPSS) from Indonesia.

"The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) decided that imports of CLPSS from Indonesia have caused no injuries to the US industries," Ernawati, the director of trade security at the trade ministry, said .

The USITC, however, maintained the sanctions against CLPSS products from China and India on allegedly causing potential material losses to the US industries.

The "sunset review" of CLPSS products by the US Department of Commerce (USDOC) began on August 1 in 2011 but investigations into dumping and subsidy charges already began on October 7 in 2005.

The petition demanding the slapping of Anti Dumping (AD) import duties and Countervailing Duties (CVDs) on CLPSS products came from the Association of American School Paper Suppliers, with Sinar Mas Group (Pabrik Tjiwi Kimia) as the target in Indonesia.

After conducting investigations for several months, USDOC finally announced Preliminary Determination on 7 February, 2006 imposing preliminary AD import duty of 97.85 percent to 118.63 percent on CLPSS products from the three countries - Indonesia, China and India.

"At that time we immediately took steps such as creating coordination with various related agencies such as the forestry ministry, the Capital Investment Coordinating Board, PT. Perusahaan Pengelola Aset and the companies involved to answer questionnaire from USDOC," Ernawati recalled.

The Indonesian government has also submitted a note to USDOC on 24 February 2006 denying the subsidy allegation with explanation about the Indonesian policy in the forestry, financial and investment sectors.

Ernawati said the import duty slapped by the US authorities were high as they unilaterally used data and information from USDOC (Total Adverse Fact Available) that it was difficult for Indonesian CLPSS products to enter and compete in the US market.

"However, we continued efforts to convince the US authorities by producing a number of proofs that the dumping and subsidy charges were false." she said.

Finally the US government was convinced that imports of CLPSS products from Indonesia caused no injuries to the US industries, she added.

According to data at USITC, Indonesia`s exports of CPLSS products to the United States were valued at US$91.3 in 2003 , down to US$79.9 million in 2004 before rising again to US$98.5 million in 2005.

In 2006, there was no exports but in 2010 and 2011, Indonesia began exports of CLPSS products to that country with much smaller value of US$16,000 in 2010 and US$58,000 in 2011.
(Uu.AS/H-ASG/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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