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US Finalizes Steep AD/CVD Tariffs on Solar Imports from Southeast Asia

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The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has unanimously voted to impose antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) tariffs on solar cells imported from four Southeast Asian countriesMalaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia.

 

This ruling confirms the U.S. Department of Commerces (DOC) earlier determination to implement significant tariffs on crystalline silicon solar cells from these nations. The ITC concluded that imports from the investigated companies caused material injury to domestic solar manufacturers.

 

The trade case was initiated in April 2024 by the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, a coalition of solar producers operating in the U.S. The group includes Qcells and Mission Solar (both Korean-owned with U.S. operations), Swiss-based Meyer Burger, REC Silicon, and First Solar, a leading U.S. manufacturer of cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film solar panels.

 

The AD/CVD tariffs address two distinct trade practices. Antidumping duties target products sold in the U.S. at unfairly low pricesallegedly by Chinese-backed manufacturersaimed at undercutting domestic competition. Countervailing duties address foreign government subsidies that benefit exporters, distorting fair trade conditions in the U.S. market.

 

The DOC is scheduled to issue formal AD and CVD orders on June 9, with the tariffs taking effect on June 16. From that date, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will begin collecting duties on applicable imports.