USITC to launch lobster investigation

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) on Monday announced an investigation into possible negative effects of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) on the U.S. lobster industry and the volume of U.S. exports of lobster.

The investigation, “Lobsters: Effects of the Canada-EU Trade Agreement on the U.S. Industry,” was requested by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in a letter on July 29.

The USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, said it will:

▪ Provide an overview of the U.S. and Canadian lobster industries, including information on production and catch levels, employment, processing capacity, supply chains, prices, domestic consumption, and key factors that affect industry competitiveness;

▪ Provide a description of trends in lobster exports from the U.S. and Canada to the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK), as well as other major destination markets, including but not limited to China, over the last five years;

▪ Provide information on the tariff treatment of U.S. and Canadian exports of lobster to the EU, the UK and other major destination markets, including but not limited to China, since the implementation of CETA; and

▪ Provide a quantitative analysis of the economic effects of the CETA on the volume of U.S. exports of lobster to the EU and the UK.

▪ The USITC expects to deliver the report to the USTR by January 29, 2021.

The USITC will hold a virtual public hearing in connection with the investigation at 9:30 a.m. on October 1. Information about how to participate in the hearing will be posted on the commission’s website no later than September 4.

–The Hagstrom Report