U.S. solar manufacturer says Chinese companies evading import tariffs

SolarWorld, a solar power equipment manufacturer based in Hillsboro, Oregon, wants to have a loophole in trade laws closed that allows Chinese solar manufacturers to avoid paying U.S. import duties.

On New Year’s Eve, SolarWorld filed additional anti-dumping and anti-subsidy petitions against China and Taiwan with the U.S. International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The U.S. imposed import duties in 2012 after concluding that Chinese companies had dumped solar photovoltaic cells on the US domestic market. The petitions claim that a loophole in trade laws is allowing Chinese solar manufacturers to avoid paying import duties by assembling solar modules in countries not subject to the import duties. While SolarWorld claimed to be representing the solar industry, the extent of the industry’s support for stronger trade restrictions is unclear. In particular, the Solar Energy Industries Association opposed the petitions and called instead for negotiations to end the long-running trade dispute.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2014/01/02/u-s-solar-manufacturer-says-chinese-companies-evading-import-tariffs/?ss=business%3Aenergy