RV Industry Association Files Comments On Department Of Commerce Section 232 Investigation

On June 27, the RV Industry Association filed comments with the Department of Commerce regarding the Department’s Section 232 Automobile and Automotive Parts Imports Investigation. Commerce initiated this investigation on May 23, 2018, to determine the effects of imports of automobiles and automotive parts on United States national security. Depending on the findings, the investigation will allow the president to impose tariffs, quotas or other measures to protect U.S. national security.

RV Industry Associaition’s comments emphasized support for the administration’s efforts to ensure a fair and level playing field for American manufacturing, while also expressing concerns regarding whether increased barriers to trade that could be imposed following this investigation will achieve that goal. Specifically, the comments stressed two points: (1) that the RV industry already faces cost increases due to the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs and the Section 301 tariffs on Chinese imports; and (2) that any action taken on imports of automobiles and parts will not only affect that industry directly, but also related industries such as suppliers, and will disrupt carefully crafted global supply chains.

Commerce is holding public hearings on this investigation on July 19 and 20, 2018. Comments were due on June 29, 2018, rebuttal comments are due July 13.