USITC Releases Report Evaluating the Effectiveness of Import Relief for Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Products

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC or Commission) released a report on August 5, 2026, evaluating the effectiveness of the import relief measures imposed on crystalline silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) products that became effective on February 7, 2018, and ended on February 6, 2026.

The report, Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Partially or Fully Assembled Into Other Products: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Import Relief (Investigation No. TA-201-075 (Evaluation), USITC Publication 5773, August 2026), is available on the USITC website.

Background

Section 204(d) of the Trade Act of 1974 requires the Commission, upon termination of a safeguard measure, to evaluate the effectiveness of the action in facilitating positive adjustment by the domestic industry to import competition, consistent with the reasons set out by the President in a report submitted to the Congress under section 203(b) of the Act. The Commission must submit the report on the evaluation to the President and the Congress no later than 180 days after the day on which the relief action was terminated on February 6, 2026. The report was submitted on August 5, 2026, 180 days after the date of termination.

The President imposed the measure on certain CSPV products on February 7, 2018, after receiving a USITC determination (under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974) that CSPV products were being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury to the domestic industry. The measure was in the form of (a) a tariff-rate quota on imports of CSPV cells not partially or fully assembled into other products and (b) additional duties on imports of CSPV modules that were phased down over a period of four years. See Proclamation 9693 of January 23, 2018.

On February 4, 2022, the President extended the measure by an additional four years after the USITC determined that action under section 203 of the Trade Act with respect to imports of CSPV products continued to be necessary to prevent or remedy serious injury and that there was evidence that the domestic industry was making a positive adjustment to import competition. See Proclamation 10339(link is external).