'Overwhelming support for Agoa in US'

The department of trade and industry (dti) has had “overwhelming support” from United States (US) constituencies in current US Congressional hearings regarding the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) and retaining South Africa as one of the beneficiaries in the “interests of regional integration and sustainable development”. So said Xavier Carim, deputy director general of the dti, in response to the FTW article ‘SA’s Agoa inclusion under threat’ (January 24, 2014). In a written statement to FTW Carim noted that only the poultry industry had raised concerns about South Africa’s future inclusion. “We do not foresee other anti-dumping problems arising in the context of Agoa inclusion,” he said. Carim also defended the procedures followed by the International Trade Commission of South Africa (Itac) when it initiated an investigation into the alleged dumping of frozen bonein chicken portions imported from the US, following an application by the local industry. “South Africa’s judicial system is robust and comparable to the highest international standards and its policies, regulations and procedures are entirely consistent with the country’s obligations to the World Trade Organisation (WTO),” he remarked. The dti said the methodology Itac used in calculating the antidumping duties was “fully in line” with the legal requirements of the WTO’s Antidumping Agreement. “The US chicken producers failed to provide information on dumping in the original antidumping investigation conducted by Itac’s predecessor, the Board on Tariff and Trade (BTT), and in the subsequent sunset reviews undertaken by Itac,” Carim said, adding that both bodies used the best information available to determine the dumping margin. Itac completed the last review of the anti-dumping duties on chicken pieces in 2012 and the duties were extended for a further five years. Carim reiterated that South Africa and the US “continue to enjoy cordial and mutually beneficial relations” as evidenced by growing and balanced trade between the two countries. “A number of forums exist to address any bilateral trade concerns, notably through the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (Tifa) Council led by the Minister of Trade and Industry on the side of South Africa and the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on the side of the United States of America,” he said. INSERT & CAPTION The methodology Itac used in calculating the anti-dumping duties is fully in line with the legal requirements of the WTO’s Anti-dumping Agreement. – Xavier Carim