U.S Department of Commerce rejects a petition to extend anti-dumping and countervailing duties across Southeast Asia

The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a letter rejecting a request for circumvention tariffs on solar products from three countries in Southeast Asia.

The refusal letter — issued by the Department of Commerce — lays its reasoning on the ongoing anonymity of those behind the member companies that tabled the petition; American Solar Manufacturers Against Chinese Circumvention (A-SMACC).

Commerce said, “not disclosing A-SMACC members’ names publicly hampers interested parties from fully commenting on the requests for circumvention inquiries and may hamper them from commenting on certain issues that could arise if Commerce were to initiate circumvention inquiries.”

The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) hailed the decision; saying if the circumvention tariffs were imposed, they would have led to the loss of 46,000 solar jobs in the space of two years.

“As we’ve seen before, trade restrictions can cause irreparable harm to the solar industry. The circumvention petitions were one of many trade actions roiling the solar industry and some damage has already been done,” said SEIA president and CEO, Abigail Ross Hopper; on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision.