JOC Staff | Oct 19, 2012 10:20AM EDT
The World Trade Organization Appellate Body panel ruled in favor of the U.S. in a dispute challenging China’s imposition on duties on U.S. exports of grain oriented flat-rolled electrical steel, agreeing with the U.S. that China had acted inconsistently with WTO obligations and subsequently rejecting China’s appeals, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk announced Oct. 18.
China’s unfair duties choked U.S. GOES exports to its market, so this ruling is a victory for American workers and manufacturers who can now compete on a level playing field, Ambassador Kirk said.
GOES exports are high-tech, high-value magnetic specialty steel shipments mainly used by the power generating industry in transformers, rectifiers, reactors and large electric machines.