Trade Commission to make Chinese import determination this week

The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) will determine if imported tires from China are disrupting the U.S. market this Thursday, June 18.

The determination is in reponse to a petition filed by the United Steelworkers this past April that asked the commission to limit the number of Chinese tires entering the U.S. to 21 million units.

The union contends that Chinese tire imports have led to plant closures and thousands of manufacturing job losses.

On June 2, representatives from the union as well as companies that import and/or sell Chinese-built consumer tires testified before the commission. (For more information, see U.S. International Trade Commission hears Chinese tire case, posted June 3 on www.moderntiredealer.com.)

"The commission will hold its public vote on the market disruption question" this Thursday, says a spokesperson for the ITC. If the commission reaches an "affirmative" determination, "it will schedule and hold a remedy vote near the end of June." (The date has not yet been confirmed.)

 "If the commission’s market disruption determination is negative, there will be no remedy meeting/vote. The commission’s determination and remedy recommendations, if any," will be submitted to President Barack Obama by July 9, 2009.