Hanoi (VNA) –  The US’s decision not to impose anti-dumping tariffs on frozenshrimp products of the Minh Phu Seafood Joint Stock Company exported tothe US is objective and fair, said the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT).

According to the ministry, the USCustoms and Border Protection (CBP) on February 11 issued adecision, saying that there was no evidence to conclude that the Minh Phu company evadesanti-dumping taxes that the US has imposed on shrimpimports from India.

The CBP then cancelledthe decision it issued on October 13, 2020 on the imposition of anti-dumpingtariffs on the Minh Phu company’s frozen shrimp products exported to the US.

The MoIT applauds the conclusion and believes that this is adecision that fully considers information and efforts of the Minh Phu company andrelated parties in the process of handling the case, helping to create fair competitionbetween US shrimp producers and foreign exporters.

The ministry said since the CBP initiated theinvestigation, it has worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP)and the Minh Phu company to clarify the case.

The Minh Phu company was requested to coordinate with and provide maximum informationfor the US side.

The MoIT suggested the US side conduct an objectiveand transparent investigation to ensure theinterests of genuine enterprises.

In the time to come, the ministry will continue to discusswith relevant US agencies to clarify information, thus ensuring legitimaterights and interests of Vietnam's shrimp farming, processing and exportingindustry.

It also recommended domestic enterprises to study, develop andimplement an origin traceabilitymechanism to satisfy requirements of import countries.

On January 14, 2020, the CBP announced theinitiation of an investigation into anti-dumping tax evasion that is currentlyapplied to Indian shrimp imports.

The CBP had applied the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) to conclude that frozenshrimp products exported by Minh Phu to the US should be subject to duties inaccordance with the anti-dumping order imposed on shrimp from India. It saidthe company did not provide sufficient evidence as requested by the CBP toprove that it was not using shrimp originating from India for export to the US.

The Minh Phu company decided to send an administrativecomplaint to the CBP’s senior agency, because the decision ignored key evidencethat it had an effective traceability system and was not using raw shrimp fromIndia for exports to the US.

In fact, Minh Phu clearly demonstrated itsseparation and traceability method approved by the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the US Department of Commerce, based onits requirements for the Seafood Import Monitoring Programme./.