6 February 2012

1. Zeroing in the U.S. antidumping procedures is a biased and partial methodology for calculating margins of dumping and artificially inflates antidumping duties. In response to concerns of Japanese industries that have export interests, and together with like-minded WTO Members, Japan has requested the United States to rectify the measures. Since 2004, Japan has pursued the issue under the WTO Dispute Settlement Procedures (United States Measures Relating to Zeroing and Sunset Reviews, WT/DS322).
2. I welcome that the United States took an important step by committing to amend the regulation on antidumping procedures and bringing it into compliance with the recommendations and rulings by the Dispute Settlement Body in 2007 which found the zeroing measure to be inconsistent with the WTO Agreements and requested the U.S. to bring it into conformity with the WTO Agreements.
3. Given the slowdown of the global economy and growing concerns over the recent proliferation of protectionist measures in the world, I attach a high importance to the functioning of the Dispute Settlement Mechanism under the Multilateral Trading System where WTO Members fully respect observance of the WTO rules.
4. I will continue to pay close attention to the implementation of the U.S. new regulation so as to ensure the abolishment of zeroing and the compliance with the WTO recommendations and rulings.

Office for WTO Compliance and Dispute Settlement, Multilateral Trade System Department, Trade Policy Bureau