1: Import Injury Investigations

Facilitate a rules-based international trading system and ensure that the United States fully benefits from that system by producing high quality and timely import injury determinations based on: - an effective exchange of information between the Commission and interested persons, - an appropriate investigative record, and - fair and equitably-implemented procedures.

Other Information:

Stable Mission. As part of its mission, the Commission produces high-quality, well-reasoned determinations in a variety of import injury investigations, including antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) investigations concerning the effects of unfairly traded imports on a U.S. industry, as well as safeguards and market disruption investigations. The Commission provides a fair and transparent mechanism for investigating allegations of injury to domestic industries. The Commission thereby facilitates a rules-based international trading system and carries out U.S. law. While changes in the statutory regimes governing import injury investigations have occurred in the past and can be expected to occur in the future, the fundamental mission of the Commission in conducting import injury investigations is expected to continue. The investigations are conducted fairly and objectively and provide interested parties withmeaningful opportunities to participate in and influence the investigative proceedings. The Commission regularly assesses the procedural requirements for investigations to identify costs incurred by the Commission and private litigants that could be reduced consistent with the provision of a fair and thorough investigative process. The determinations issued by the Commission conform to applicable deadlines and required procedures. The Commission expertly defends its AD/CVD determinations in litigation before courts and dispute resolution panels. Dynamic Workload. The Commission faced a substantial workload in 1998-2001 resulting from the new requirement to conduct sunset reviews of all orders at least 5 years old (“transition reviews”). The Commission faces a permanent increase in workload due to other reviews, and will again face a substantial increase in its sunset review caseload starting in 2004 when it reviews anew remaining transition orders. Safeguard investigations have increased in number in recent years, and the law authorizing the extension of permanent normal trade relations to the People’s Republic of China has resulted in the conduct of a new form of import injury investigation addressing market disruption and may result in new investigations addressing trade diversion. The Commission maintains high standards in the conduct of import injury investigations while accommodating increases in workload. Resource Requirements: New tools. The Commission seeks to ensure adequate resources for the conduct of investigations, including five-year reviews. This effort includes providing effective analytical and other research tools to the Commission staff such as document imaging and Internet access, as well as appropriate hardware, software, telecommunications, and library resources. Technical expertise. Commission staff provide high-quality support, including fact-gathering and analysis, for Commission decision-making. Operation No. 1 involves the efforts of Commissioners and their staffs, and investigative teams made up of investigators, financial analysts, and statisticians from the Commission’s Office of Investigations, attorneys from the Office of the General Counsel, economists in the Office of Economics, industry analysts in the Office of Industries, and attorneys and nomenclature analysts in the Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements. The Secretary and her staff maintain the administrative record and provide other support. The Office of the Chief Information Officer provides support for automated data and information systems, the Office of External Relations provides media relations and other support, and the Office of Administration provides administrative support. Enhanced skills. The effort also includes maintaining staff currency in analytical methods by such means as participation in outside and in-house academic conferences and other professional fora.

Objective(s):

1.1: Timely Reviews

1.2: Records

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