The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today determined that a U.S. industry is materially injured by reason of imports of certain tissue paper products from China that the U.S. Department of Commerce has determined are sold in the United States at less than fair value.

Chairman Stephen Koplan and Commissioners Jennifer A. Hillman and Charlotte R. Lane voted in the affirmative. Vice Chairman Deanna Tanner Okun and Commissioners Marcia E. Miller and Daniel R. Pearson found two like products in this investigation. They voted in the affirmative with respect to bulk tissue paper and in the negative with respect to consumer tissue paper.

As a result of the Commission's affirmative determination, the U.S. Department of Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order on imports of certain tissue paper products from China.

The Commerce Department previously made an affirmative critical circumstances determination with regard to certain of these imports. Therefore, the Commissioners who made an affirmative injury determination today are required to determine whether the imports are likely to undermine seriously the remedial effect of the antidumping duty order Commerce will issue. All six Commissioners made negative determinations with regard to critical circumstances in this investigation. As a result, the antidumping duty order concerning these imports will not apply to goods that entered the United States prior to September 21, 2004, the date of the Department of Commerce's affirmative preliminary determination.

The Commission's public report Certain Tissue Paper Products from China (Investigation No. 731- TA-1070B (Final), USITC Publication 3758, March 2005) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

Copies may be obtained after April 1, 2005, by calling 202-205-1809 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

Product Description: Subject tissue paper products are cut-to-length sheets of tissue paper having a width equal to or greater than one-half (0.5) inch and a basis weight not exceeding 29 grams per square meter. The sheets may be white, colored, and/or decorated in a variety of ways. Subject tissue paper may be flat or folded and packaged in paper or plastic and/or in boxes for distribution. Packages may consist of one color and/or style or may contain multiple colors and/or styles of tissue paper. Excluded are: coated tissue paper products for floral and food service use; sanitary covers for toilet seats; toilet/facial tissue; and towel/napkin tissue. The subject product does not have distinct tariff categories and appears to be imported under the following Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States headings and subheadings that cover a range of paper goods : 4802.30; 4802.54; 4802.61; 4802.62; 4802.69; 4804.39; 4806.40; 4808.30; 4808.90; 4811.90; 4823.90; 4820.50.00; 4802.90.00; 4805.91.90; and 9505.90.40.

Status of Proceedings:
1. Type of investigation: Final antidumping.
2. Petitioners:  Seaman Paper Company of Massachusetts, Inc.; American Crepe Corporation;
   Eagle Tissue LLC; Flower City Tissue Mills Co.; Garlock Printing & Converting, Inc.;
   Paper Service Ltd.; Putney Paper Co., Ltd.; and the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and
   Energy Workers International Union AFL-CIO, CLC 
3. Investigation instituted by USITC:  February 17, 2004.
4. Hearing:  December 9, 2004.
5. USITC vote:  March 8, 2005.
6. USITC notification of Department of Commerce:  March 18, 2005.

U.S. Industry:
1. Number of U.S. producers in 2004:  Twelve established producers.
2. Employment of production and related workers in 2003:  428.
3. U.S. producers' shipments in 2003:  1.7 billion square meters.
4. Apparent U.S. consumption in 2003:  2.4 billion square meters (valued at $130.7 million).
5. Ratio of quantity of total imports to apparent U.S. consumption in 2003:  All countries,
   29.1 percent.

U.S. Imports:
1. Quantity of subject imports in 2003: 751.4 million square meters.
2. Value of subject imports in 2003: $30.1 million.