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Title 19 — Customs DutiesRelease 119-73

§4551 USMCA article impact in import relief cases under Trade Act of 1974

Title 19 › Chapter CHAPTER 29— - UNITED STATES–MEXICO–CANADA AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - APPLICATION OF USMCA TO SECTORS AND SERVICES › Part Part A— - Relief From Injury Caused by Import Competition › § 4551

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

When the International Trade Commission finds that imports are causing serious harm in a Trade Act investigation, it must also tell the President whether imports from a USMCA country make up a large share of total imports and whether those imports play an important part in causing the harm. The Commission will look at imports from each USMCA country by itself, or in rare cases at several USMCA countries together. To decide, the Commission normally won’t call a country a large supplier unless it is one of the top 5 suppliers by import share over the most recent 3-year period. To decide if those imports play an important part, the Commission will review how import shares and import levels changed. If a country’s import growth during the injury period is much lower than the growth of total imports, it normally won’t be treated as playing an important part. “Contribute importantly” means an important cause, but not necessarily the main one.

Full Legal Text

Title 19, §4551

Customs Duties — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)If, in any investigation initiated under chapter 1 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 [19 U.S.C. 2251 et seq.], the International Trade Commission makes an affirmative determination (or a determination which the President may treat as an affirmative determination under such chapter by reason of section 1330(d) of this title), the International Trade Commission shall also find (and report to the President at the time such injury determination is submitted to the President) whether—
(1)imports of the article from a USMCA country, considered individually, account for a substantial share of total imports; and
(2)imports of the article from a USMCA country, considered individually or, in exceptional circumstances, imports from USMCA countries considered collectively, contribute importantly to the serious injury, or threat thereof, caused by imports.
(b)(1)In determining whether imports from a USMCA country, considered individually, account for a substantial share of total imports, such imports normally shall not be considered to account for a substantial share of total imports if that country is not among the top 5 suppliers of the article subject to the investigation, measured in terms of import share during the most recent 3-year period.
(2)In determining whether imports from a USMCA country or countries contribute importantly to the serious injury, or threat thereof, the International Trade Commission shall consider such factors as the change in the import share of the USMCA country or countries, and the level and change in the level of imports of such country or countries. In applying the preceding sentence, imports from a USMCA country or countries normally shall not be considered to contribute importantly to serious injury, or the threat thereof, if the growth rate of imports from such country or countries during the period in which an injurious increase in imports occurred is appreciably lower than the growth rate of total imports from all sources over the same period.
(c)For purposes of this section and section 4552(a) of this title, the term “contribute importantly” refers to an important cause, but not necessarily the most important cause.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Trade Act of 1974, referred to in subsec. (a), is Pub. L. 93–618, Jan. 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 1978. Chapter 1 of title II of the Act is classified generally to part 1 (§ 2251 et seq.) of subchapter II of chapter 12 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 2101 of this title and Tables. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 3371 of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 116–113.

Amendments

2020—Pub. L. 116–113, § 502(b)(4)(A), (C), substituted “USMCA” for “NAFTA” in section catchline and wherever appearing in text. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–113, § 502(b)(4)(B), substituted “section 4552(a) of this title” for “section 3372(a) of this title”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2020 Amendment Pub. L. 116–113, title V, § 502(e), Jan. 29, 2020, 134 Stat. 70, provided that: “(1) In general.—Each transfer, redesignation, and amendment made by this section [transferring section 3371 and 3372 of this title, respectively, to and amending this section and section 4552 of this title] shall—“(A) take effect on the date on which the USMCA enters into force [July 1, 2020]; and “(B) apply with respect to an investigation under chapter 1 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2251 et seq.) initiated on or after that date. “(2) Transition from nafta.—In the case of an investigation under chapter 1 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974 initiated before the date on which the USMCA enters into force—“(A) the transfers, redesignations, and

Amendments

made by this section shall not apply with respect to the investigation; and “(B) section 311 and 312 of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3371 and 3372), as in effect on the day before that date, shall continue to apply on and after that date with respect to the investigation.” [For definition of “USMCA” as used in section 502(e) of Pub. L. 116–113, set out above, see section 4502 of this title.]

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

19 U.S.C. § 4551

Title 19 — Customs Duties

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73