November 24, 2021
News Release 21-134
Inv. No(s). TA-201-075 (Extension)
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
USITC Says Relief Continues to be Necessary for U.S. Industry Producing Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Partially or Fully Assembled into Other Products

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) today determined that import relief provided beginning in 2018 to the U.S. industry producing crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not partially or fully assembled into other products, continues to be necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury to the U.S. industry, and that there is evidence that the domestic industry is making a positive adjustment to import competition.

The Commission will forward its report on its investigation and determination to the President by December 8, 2021.  The President will make the final decision on whether to extend the import relief. 

Chair Jason E. Kearns, Vice Chair Randolph J. Stayin, and Commissioners David S. Johanson, Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the affirmative.

The Commission’s public report Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Partially or Fully Assembled into Other Products, (Inv. No. TA-201-075 (Extension), USITC Publication 5266, December 2021) will include the Commission’s findings.  

The report will be available by December 29, 2021; when available, it may be accessed on the USITC website at: https://www.usitc.gov/commission_publications_library.

Background

On January 23, 2018, following an affirmative injury determination by the Commission under the global safeguard law, the President imposed (a) a tariff-rate quota on imports of solar cells not partially or fully assembled into other products and (b) an increase in duties on imports of modules.  The remedy took effect on February 7, 2018, for a period of four years.

Unless extended, the relief action will terminate on February 6, 2022.  On August 6, 2021, the Commission instituted this investigation, following receipt of petitions requesting an extension of the relief action filed by Auxin Solar Inc. and Suniva, Inc., on August 2, 2021, and by Hanwha Q CELLS USA, Inc., LG Electronics USA, Inc., and Mission Solar Energy on August 4, 2021.

In accordance with the safeguard law, the Commission conducted an investigation to determine whether the relief provided by the President continues to be necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury and whether there is evidence that the industry is making a positive adjustment to import competition.

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