Legal

Capitalism prevailed over party politics this week, as the U.S. Congress moved swiftly to pass legislation that would enable the Department of Commerce to continue applying countervailing duty (CVD) law to non-market economies (NMEs), such as China and Vietnam.

This week, the waiting game continued for U.S. and Chinese solar industry leaders. Citing the “extraordinarily complicated” nature of its investigation, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) again postponed the date for its preliminary determination in the countervailing duty (CVD) petition brought by SolarWorld against China’s manufacturers of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules.

The controversy surrounding the U.S.-China trade debate looks set to continue well into 2012. Having already twice delayed the deadline for its preliminary decision on Chinese solar import duties into the U.S., the Department of Commerce has now introduced a “critical-circumstances” ruling, meaning that retroactive duties could be applied.

According to various reports, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has once again moved back the deadline for its decision regarding the SolarWorld-led U.S.-China trade dispute.

Jeffries organized another conference call with trade law expert Ed Lebow on January 18 and Lebow’s clear message to the PV industry in the U.S. was that “you just don’t want to be an importer of record” of Chinese crystalline silicon cells and panels.

The U.S. Department of Commerce has postponed its preliminary decision on the PV trade dispute with China to February 13, 2012. The original deadline was January 12, 2012.

According to various media, India is considering following in the footsteps of the U.S. and launching its own investigation into Chinese solar imports.

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) voted unanimously (6-0) on Friday, December 2, to go forward with an investigation into whether “dumped and subsidized” imports from China have materially injured the U.S. domestic solar industry.

In the latest development of the U.S.-China trade dispute, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) has issued a statement on behalf of the country’s photovoltaic companies. In it, it said there is “no intention” of starting a trade war, but that the Chinese solar companies will fight those who have petitioned against them.

The U.S. may be launching an investigation into the alleged illegal dumping and subsidies of photovoltaic cells and modules from China into the U.S., but now it seems that China is conducting its very own inquiry into illegal polysilicon dumping and subsidies into the country by the U.S.