ITC MAKES DETERMINATION IN FIVE-YEAR (SUNSET) REVIEW CONCERNING URANIUM FROM RUSSIA

 

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC or Commission) today determined that terminating the suspended investigation on imports of uranium from Russia would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.

 

As a result of the Commission’s affirmative determination and Commerce’s recent affirmative finding, the existing suspension agreement will remain in place.

 

Chairman Daniel R. Pearson, Vice Chairman Shara L. Aranoff, and Commissioners Jennifer A. Hillman, and Stephen Koplan voted in the affirmative. Commissioner Charlotte R. Lane voted in the negative. Commissioner Deanna Tanner Okun did not participate in this investigation.

 

Today’s action comes under the five-year (sunset) review process required by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. See the attached page for background on these five-year (sunset) reviews.

 

The Commission’s public report Uranium from Russia (Inv. No. 731-TA-539-C (Second Review), USITC Publication 3872, August 2006) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the review.

 

Copies may be requested after August 22, 2006, by calling 202-205-1809 or by contacting the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by fax at 202-205-2104.

 

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BACKGROUND

 

The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires the Department of Commerce to revoke an antidumping or countervailing duty order, or terminate a suspension agreement, after five years unless the Department of Commerce and the ITC determine that revoking the order or terminating the suspension agreement would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping or subsidies (Commerce) and of material injury (ITC) within a reasonably foreseeable time.

 

The Commission’s institution notice in five-year reviews requests that interested parties file responses with the Commission concerning the likely effects of revoking the order under review as well as other information. Generally within 95 days from institution, the Commission will determine whether the responses it has received reflect an adequate or inadequate level of interest in a full review. If responses to the ITC’s notice of institution are adequate, or if other circumstances warrant a full review, the Commission conducts a full review, which includes a public hearing and issuance of questionnaires.

 

The Commission generally does not hold a hearing or conduct further investigative activities in expedited reviews. Commissioners base their injury determination in expedited reviews on the facts available, including the Commission’s prior injury and review determinations, responses received to its notice of institution, data collected by staff in connection with the review, and information provided by the Department of Commerce.

 

The five-year (sunset) review concerning Uranium from Russia was instituted on July 1, 2005.

 

On October 4, 2005, the Commission voted to conduct a full review. Then-Chairman Stephen Koplan and Commissioners Jennifer A. Hillman, Charlotte R. Lane, Daniel R. Pearson, and Shara L. Aranoff concluded that the domestic group response was adequate and the respondent group response was inadequate, but that circumstances warranted a full review. Then-Vice Chairman Deanna Tanner Okun did not participate in this review.

 

Information concerning the reasons for the Commission’s vote to conduct a full review was published in the Federal Register on October 17, 2005. That notice and a record of the Commission’s vote is posted on the ITC’s Internet site at http://info.usitc.gov/oinv/sunset.NSF (under “Uranium – Russia (2nd Review)”).

 

In addition, a record of the Commission’s vote to conduct a full review is available from the Office of the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may be made by telephone by calling 202-205-1802.