Final dumping hearing gets underway

WASHINGTON – The International Trade Commission began its final hearing on the issue of outboard engine dumping this morning, convening to hear testimony to determine whether Japanese manufacturers have harmed domestic outboard manufacturers by dumping engines in the U.S. market.

Many of the marine industry’s top executives were scheduled to testify at the hearing, although most probably won’t get the opportunity due to time constraints imposed by ITC rules.

A witness list of those scheduled to speak in favor of the imposition of antidumping duties in the case – found on the ITC Web site – included:

The witness list of those scheduled to speak against the imposition of antidumping duties in the case was equally impressive, and included:

The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a preliminary determination of “dumping” by Japanese outboard engine manufacturers in early August, and ordered a 22.52-percent import bond be posted for each Japanese engine brought into the U.S.

Although the DOC has determined that dumping took place, Mercury Marine – which initiated the dumping investigation in January by filing a complaint against Japanese engine manufacturers – must now prove to the ITC that it has been harmed by those practices.

Today’s hearing will help the six-member ITC panel decide if that harm has taken place and if duties should then be imposed on Japanese outboard engines sold in the United States. That decision is not expected until February.

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