Commerce Department Finds Imports of Paper Shopping Bags Unfairly Traded
The Coalition for Fair Trade in Shopping Bags (the "Coalition") applauds the final determinations announced today by the United States Department of Commerce ("Commerce") that imports of paper shopping bags into the United States from Cambodia, China, Colombia, India, Malaysia, Portugal, Taiwan, and Vietnam are being sold at less than fair value (commonly termed "dumping") and that imports from China and India also are being subsidized. This follows an affirmative final finding of dumping announced in March with respect to imports of paper shopping bags from Turkey. Commerce's investigations concerning these nine countries cover paper shopping bags with handles of any type, whether printed or unprinted. In its final determinations, Commerce concluded that imports of paper shopping bags from each of the nine countries are being unfairly traded. In particular, Commerce found combined dumping margins and subsidy rates of up to 308.13 percent. This means that U.S. importers of paper shopping bags from these countries will have to pay cash deposits to U.S. Customs and Border Protection ("Customs") based on the value of their future imports.