WTO rebuke of protectionist "Byrd" amendment should cause reevaluation of U.S. antidumping policies.(World Trade Organization)(Brief Article)

The amendment, also known as the "Byrd amendment," named after Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia, allows companies that bring anti-dumping complaints against foreign competitors to collect the imposed duties if the case is found to be valid.

This not surprisingly has encouraged U.S. companies to bring even more antidumping cases. Antidumping cases generally result in higher prices for U.S. consumers. Complaints have been filed against a range of products from shrimps, furniture to steel products.

While the decision will be good news for U.S. consumers if Congress decides to remove the protectionist provision, the "logic" of trade policy means that until then consumers in countries that brought the complaint to the WTO might have to pay more for those U.S. goods that are targeted by retaliatory tariffs. The WTO decision could ...