UNITED STATES The US Department of Commerce agreed on 28 December to begin an investigation of charges that European companies are selling low-enriched uranium in the United States at below fair market value.
In early December, USEC Inc. of Bethesda, Maryland, filed an anti-dumping complaint alleging that Eurodif, the French company, and Urenco, the British-Dutch-German consortium, are pricing enriched uranium below their cost of production and, in the case of Eurodif, below prices charged in its home market. Both are illegal under US law.
A spokesperson for USEC welcomed the Commerce Department decision, saying the company believes it has presented a strong, compelling case. The US International Trade Commission is also investigating USEC’s charges and will determine whether the US company has suffered any material injury as a result of unfair trade. If both the DOC and ITC issue findings against the European companies, punitive trade duties could be imposed.
