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News Release 11-089
Inv. No(s). 332-525
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has launched an investigation into trade in remanufactured goods.
The investigation, Remanufactured Goods: An Overview of the U.S. and Global Industries, Markets, and Trade, was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in a letter received June 28, 2011.
The request letter states: "Remanufacturing is an industrial process that restores end-of-life goods to original working condition and occurs across a range of sectors, such as heavy machinery, automotive parts, medical equipment, office equipment, information and communications technology equipment, and precision instruments."
It further notes that the data and analysis the USITC will provide could "help remanufacturers, and in particular SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises], in growing their companies, accessing foreign markets, and responding to increasing resource scarcity" as well as "help the United States pursue discussions and negotiations on eliminating barriers to trade in remanufactured goods bilaterally and multilaterally at the World Trade Organization and at Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)."
As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will provide an overview of the U.S. remanufactured goods industries and markets, estimate U.S. and global trade in remanufactured goods to the extent practicable, and examine factors affecting trends in remanufactured goods trade. The investigation will focus on the 2009 2011 time period.
The USITC expects to deliver its report to the USTR by October 28, 2012.
The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with this report at 9:30 a.m. on February 28, 2012. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on January 31, 2012, with the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. For further information, call 202-205-2000.
The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions (one original and 14 copies) should be addressed to the Secretary of the Commission at the above address and should be submitted at the earliest practical date, but no later than May 20, 2012. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.
Further information on the scope of the investigation and appropriate submissions is available in the USITC's notice of investigation, dated July 20, 2011, which can be obtained from the USITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov) or by contacting the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.
USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subject investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigations' reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.