It’s official – the investigation by the Australian Anti-Dumping Commissioner into the alleged dumping of some solar panels from China has been terminated – and that’s good news for households and businesses considering buying solar power systems.
It’s been an expensive exercise that has dragged on for over a year; however the Commissioner has determined “the injury to the Australian industry or the hindrance, to the Australian industry’s establishment, caused by PV modules or panels exported to Australia at dumped prices is negligible.”
According to the Anti-Dumping Commission web site, dumping is said to have occurred when an exporter sells goods to Australia at a price below the ‘normal value’ of the goods; i.e. usually the domestic price of the goods in the country of export. Where dumped or subsidised goods are found to have caused material injury to local industry , action may be taken by the Minister that may include anti-dumping tariffs and countervailing duties.
In April, the Commissioner proposed to terminate the investigation, pending the outcome of any additional submissions. That process is now complete.
The Clean Energy Council made several submissions on behalf of its members over the duration of the investigation and is happy with the outcome.
“We are very pleased that the investigation has been terminated, removing a significant source of uncertainty that has been hanging over the industry for nearly 18 months,” said CEC Policy Manager, Darren Gladman.
“Trade liberalisation is an important issue that has major benefits for local consumers. Dumping duties would make solar power more expensive for Australians, negatively affect sales and inhibit the growth of the Australian industry.”
The investigation was triggered by allegations made by Tindo Manufacturing Pty Ltd that dumped solar panels exported to Australia from China have caused material injury to the Australian industry producing like goods. The “Australian industry producing like goods” pretty much consisted of one manufacturer – Tindo.
The Commissioner’s termination report can be viewed in full here (PDF).
Elsewhere, such investigations have ended differently.
The raising of tariffs on solar panels and cells made in China and imported into the USA, which was labelled “a great moment in stupidity“, created friction between the two nations and fueled the so-called “solar trade war“.
