ITC to update U.S. import restraints report

   The U.S. International Trade Commission has begun to update its report on the effects of significant U.S. import restraints.
   The report will also examine the contribution of services to U.S. manufacturing, the non-partisan, fact-finding agency said.
   The report, The Economic Effects of Significant U.S. Import Restraints: Eighth Update Special Topic: Services’ Contribution to Manufacturing, was requested by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Nov. 2.
   In the letter, the USTR noted that rapid growth and technological change in services are affecting economic activity throughout the world and that “a thoughtful review of the contributions of services (both U.S. and global) to U.S. manufacturing that is accessible to a wide audience would be a useful special topic in the report.”
   The eighth update will contain two parts. The first part will assess the economic effects of significant import restraints on U.S. consumers, workers, and firms. As in the past, and further requested by the USTR, the ITC will not assess import restraints resulting from antidumping or countervailing duty investigations, section 337 and 406 investigations, or section 301 actions.
   The second part of the report will provide an overview of the contribution of both U.S. and global services to U.S. manufacturing. It will also describe recent trends in U.S. sourcing of services and their effect on manufacturing output and productivity, and it will identify sectors that have experienced the biggest changes. “To the extent practicable, the report will also discuss the indirect contribution of services to merchandise exports,” ITC said.
   The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation at its Washington headquarters on March 19. For more details, access the ITC Website.