The U.S. International Trade Commission voted to maintain trade protections for crystalline silicon photovoltaic products. The targeted trade sanctions “counter foreign market distortions” by applying anti-dumping duties on underpriced imports and countervailing duties to offset foreign government subsidies.
The initial duties established in the original 2014 investigations reached rates as high as 165% for certain Chinese entities and 44% for Taiwanese exporters, although annual administrative investigations often adjust the exact assessment margins for individual manufacturers.
Members of the Commission determined that repealing these current anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Chinese solar imports, in addition to the anti-dumping duty on Taiwanese imports, would cause significant injury to domestic manufacturers that would continue or recur.
Chairman Amy A. Karpel and Commissioners David S. Johanson and Jason E. Kearns voted in favor of the continuation during an accelerated five-year review at sunset. The regulatory history of this mechanism requires the Commerce Department to lift trade sanctions after five years unless both agencies conclude that termination would harm the domestic industry.
The Uruguay Round Agreements Act requires this five-year review process to ensure that trade protection remains necessary. Federal officials instituted this specific review cycle on August 1, 2025. On December 22, 2025, the committee voted to expedite the timeline review after determining that responses from domestic manufacturers were sufficient, while participation from foreign respondents was insufficient to warrant full hearings.
During that December session, President Karpel and Commissioner Kearns voted to expedite the process for both countries due to the imbalance in participation. Commissioner Johanson recorded a dissenting vote on the procedural format, choosing to support full reviews for both target markets.
The investigation covers crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, modules, laminates and panels under investigation numbers 701-TA-511 and 731-TA-1246-1247. The continuation maintains the dual anti-dumping and countervailing duty framework for Chinese shipments, which addresses both product dumping and foreign state subsidies, as well as the unique anti-dumping framework applied to Taiwanese shipments.
The regulatory body plans to publish its report containing the underlying evidence and staff findings by July 6, 2026 under publication number 5748.
