Bombardier refusing to cooperate in probe: Boeing

The Boeing Co. has accused Bombardier Inc. of withholding information in an ongoing anti-dumping investigation and asked the U. S. Department of Commerce for an “upward adjustment” that is nearly double the current proposed 79.82 per cent dumping margin.

In a document filed with the U.S. Department of Commerce in early September, Boeing said its Montrealbased aerospace rival’s alleged refusal to co- operate has impeded the anti-dumping investigation it initiated earlier this year, calling Bombardier’s conduct “egregious.” Boeing alleges in the document that, as a result of Bombardier’s alleged non-compliance, the government should apply an adverse facts available ( AFA) margin of 143.35 per cent.

Bombardier filed a document in response on Wednesday, disputing Boeing’s assertions, saying the company has responded to “each and every request for information by the Department, and provided the Department with thousands of pages of evidence.” Bombardier said the 143.35 per cent margin should be rejected “because it cannot be corroborated” and that the Commerce Department should either terminate the investigation or issue a negative dumping determination.

The latest development in the ongoing trade spat comes as the Department of Commerce prepares to announce a preliminary determination on Tuesday in its countervailing duty investigation.

A preliminary determination in the anti- dumping investigation is expected to be issued on Oct. 4, although that deadline can be extended.

The Chicago- based aerospace giant first filed a petition with the U. S. International Trade Commission and the Department of Commerce in April, alleging that massive government subsidies have allowed Bombardier to embark on “an aggressive campaign to dump its C Series aircraft in the United States.” Bombardier has repeatedly rejected Boeing’s claims.

In the document, which was filed by Boeing as a response to Bombardier’s supplemental questionnaire, the company alleges that Bombardier has not reported any of the sales or cost information requested by the government in order to make its dumping calculations.

“It has been energetic in trying to dispute the existence of sales in this investigation, filing voluminous submissions on the topic it wants to discuss. But when asked to provide information the Department considers relevant, it has either dissembled, professed ignorance, or, more recently, outright refused to comply,” Boeing said in its submission.

“At each step, Bombardier’s non- compliance has been blatant, and consisted of transparent attempts to impede the Department’s important work and hide the true magnitude of its dumping.”