NEWS

Decorative Hardwoods Association (formerly HPVA) eNews Volume XIII, Issue XIX: U.S. Opens Investigation Into Vietnam's Trade Practices | Howlett Addresses International Trade Commission | U.S. Appeals WTO Ruling On Canadian Lumber | Dutch Authorities Block High-Risk Imports Of Chinese Plywood | Putin Demands Ban On Some Wood Exports

The U.S. Trade Representative initiated an investigation into Vietnam's trade practices on October 2. The USTR will look into two issues: how Vietnam has imported and used timber, which the USTR says was illegally harvested and traded, and whether Vietnam has undervalued its currency, making its products unfairly cheap abroad.

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On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin pushed for a ban on the export of all untrimmed conifer and certain hardwood timber, beginning in 2022. Putin stated that this is necessary for "getting rid of the criminal component of the forest business and securing more comfortable work for responsible enterprises."

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The Dutch government ordered a Dutch company to stop all imports of tropical face plywood from Jiangsu High Hope Arser, one of the largest plywood exporters in China. The Environmental Investigation Agency writes, "This decision sets an important precedent in the effort to protect European markets from the import of illegal and high-risk tropical timber hidden behind complex supply chains."

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The U.S. has appealed the ruling of a WTO panel in August that stated that U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber broke global trading rules. "This flawed report confirms [that] ... the WTO dispute settlement system is being used to shield non-market practices and harm U.S. interests," said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

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