G/SG/N/8/USA/10  
 
13 October  2017 
(17-5519) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Safeguards  Original: English  
 
 NOTIFICATION UNDER A RTICLE 12.1(B) OF TH E AGREEMENT ON  
SAFEGUARDS ON FINDIN G A SERIOUS INJURY O R THREAT  
THEREOF CAUSED BY IN CREASED IMPORTS  
UNITED STATES  
Large Residential W ashers  
The following communication dated 12 October 2017 , is being circulated at the request of the 
Delegation of the United States . 
 
_______________  
Pursuant to Article 12.1(b) of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards (Safeguards Agreement), the 
United States notifies that there has been a finding of serious injury or threat thereof caused by 
increased imports.  
1. Provide evidence, citing relevant data and the applicable period of investigation of 
serious injury or threat ther eof caused by increased imports  
On 5 October 2017, the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) determined that large 
residential washers are being imported in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of 
serious injury to the domestic industry.  
The initiation that led to this determination was notified to the Committee on Safeguards in 
G/SG/N/6/USA/12 (dated 12 June 2017).1   
The Commission is now considering the appropriate remedy to recommend to the President, and 
will forward its injury findings and remedy recommendations to the President by 
4 December  2017.  This report will include the Commission 's injury determination, remedy 
recommendations, certain additional findings, and the basis for its injury determination, remedy 
recommendations, and findings as well as the factual information compiled in the Commission 's 
posthearing injury report . The Unite d States will provide a copy of this report, excluding 
confidential business information, to the Committee on Safeguards shortly after it is submitted to 
the President.  
2. Provide information on whether there is an absolute increase in imports or an 
increase in imports relative to domestic production  
The Commission 's report described above in item 1 will contain information regarding increased 
imports.  
3. Provide precise desc ription of the product involved  
The products covered by this finding are all large reside ntial washers (LRWs) and certain parts 
thereof.  For purposes of the investigation, the term LRWs denotes all automatic clothes washing 
machines, regardless of the orientation of the rotational axis, with a cabinet width (measured from 
its widest point) of at least 24.5 inches (62.23 cm) and no more than 32.0 inches (81.28 cm), 
except as noted below.  
                                                
1 See also  G/SG/N/6/USA/12/Suppl.1 (dated 15 June 2017).  G/SG/N/8/USA/10  
 
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  Also covered are certain parts used in LRWs, namely: (1) all cabinets, or portions thereof, 
designed for use in large residential washers; (2) all assembled tub s2 designed for use in LRWs 
which incorporate, at a minimum: (a) a tub; and (b) a seal; (3) all assembled baskets3 designed 
for use in large residential washers which incorporate, at a minimum: (a) a side wrapper;4 (b) a 
base; and (c) a drive hub;5 and (4)  any combination of the foregoing parts or subassemblies.  
 
Excluded from the scope are stacked washer -dryers and commercial wa shers. The term "stacked 
washer -dryers " denotes distinct washing and drying machines that are built on a unitary frame and 
share a  common console that controls both the washer and the dryer. The terms "commercial 
washer " denotes an automatic clothes washing machine designed for the "pay per use " segment 
meeting either of the following two definitions:  
 
(1)(a) it contains payment syst em electronics;6 (b) it is configured with an 
externally mounted steel frame at least six inches high that is designed to house a 
coin/token operated payment system (whether or not the actual coin/token 
operated payment system is installed at the time of i mportation); (c) it contains a 
push button user interface with a maximum of six manually selectable wash cycle 
settings, with no ability of the end user to otherwise modify water temperature, 
water level, or spin speed for a selected wash cycle setting; an d (d) the console 
containing the user interface is made of steel and is assembled with security 
fasteners;7 or 
 
(2)(a) it contains payment system electronics; (b) the payment system electronics 
are enabled (whether or not the payment acceptance device has been installed at 
the time of importation) such that, in normal operation,8 the unit cannot begin a 
wash cycle without first receiving a signal from a bona fide payment acceptance 
device such as an electronic credit card reader; (c) it contains a push butt on user 
interface with a maximum of six manually selectable wash cycle settings, with no 
ability of the end user to otherwise modify water temperature, water level, or spin 
speed for a selected wash cycle setting; and (d) the console containing the user 
interface is made of steel and is assembled with security fasteners.  
 
Also excluded from the scope are automatic clothes washing machines that meet all of the 
following conditions: (1) have a vertical rotational axis; (2) are top loading;9 (3) have a drive t rain 
consisting, inter alia, of (a) a permanent split capacitor (PSC) motor,10 (b) a belt drive,11 and (c) a 
flat wrap spring clutch.12 
 
Also excluded from the scope are automatic clothes washing machines that meet all of the 
following conditions: (1) have a horizontal rotational axis; (2) are front loading;13 and (3) have a 
drive train consisting, inter alia, of (a) a controlled induction motor (CIM),14 and (b) a belt drive.  
                                                
2 A "tub" is the part of the washer designed to hold water.  
3 A "basket " (sometimes referred to as a "drum ") is the par t of the washer designed to hold clothing or 
other fabrics.  
4 A "side wrapper " is the cylindrical part of the basket that actually holds the clothing or other fabrics.  
5 A "drive hub " is the hub at the center of the base that bears the load from the motor.  
6 "Payment system electronics " denotes a circuit board designed to receive signals from a payment 
acceptance device and to display payment amount, selected settings, an d cycle status. Such electronics also 
capture cycles and payment history and provide fo r transmission to a reader.  
7 A "security fastener " is a screw with a non -standard head that requires a non -standard driver.  
Examples include those with a pin in the center of the head as a "center pin reject " feature to prevent standard 
Allen wrenches or Torx drivers from working.  
8 "Normal operation " refers to the operating mode( s) available to end users (i.e.  not a mode designed 
for testing or repair by a technician).  
9 "Top loading " means that access to the basket is from the top of the washer.  
10 A "PSC motor " is an asynchronous, alternating current (AC), single phase induction motor that 
employs split phase capacitor technology.  
11 A "belt drive " refers to a drive system that includes a belt and pulleys.  
12 A "flat wrap spring clutch " is a flat metal spri ng that, when engaged, links abutted cylindrical pieces 
on the input shaft with the end of the concentric output shaft that connects to the drive hub.  
13 "Front loading " means that access to the basket is from the front of the washer.  
14 A "controlled induct ion motor " is an asynchronous, alternating current (AC), polyphase induction 
motor.  G/SG/N/8/USA/10  
 
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  Also excluded from the scope are automatic clothes washing machines that meet all of th e 
following conditions: (1) have a horizontal rotational axis; (2) are front loading; and (3) have 
cabinet width (measured from its widest point) of more than 28.5 inches (72.39 cm).  
 
For Customs purposes, the LRWs covered by the investigation are provide d for under Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading 8450.20.00.  LRWs and certain parts 
thereof subject to this investigation may also be imported under HTSUS subheadings 8450.11.00, 
8450.90.20, and 8450.90.60.  Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and 
customs purposes, the written description of the scope is dispositive.   
 
4. If the final measure replaces a provisional measure, or if a final measure is 
extended, provide a written description of any part of the i mported product that will 
no longer be subject to the measure and the Harmonized System numbers under 
which it enters at least at the 6 -digit level, and at a sub -national level (e.g., 8 -digit, 
9-digit, or  10-digit level) if practicable  
 
Not applicable.  
 
5. Provide precise desc ription of the proposed measure  
 
The Commission has not yet proposed measures in response to the Commission 's determination of 
serious injury. The Commission is now considering recommendations as to the appropriate 
measures, which the Pre sident will consider after receipt of the Commission 's report described in 
item 1.  
 
6. Provide proposed date of introduction of the measure  
 
See response to item 5 above.  
 
7. Provide e xpected duration of the measure  
 
See response to item 5 above.  
 
8. For a measure  with a duration of more than three years, provide the proposed date 
for the review (under Article 7.4) to be held not later than the mid -term of the 
measure, if such a date for the re view has already been scheduled  
 
See response to item 5 above.  
 
9. If the e xpected duration is over one year, provide expected timetable for progressive 
liberalization of the measur e 
 
See response to item 5 above.  
 
10. If the notification relates only to a finding of serious injury or threat thereof, and 
does not relate to a decision  to appl y or extend a safeguard measure  
 
(i) provide the deadline for interested parties to comment or any other procedures 
relevant to the decision to apply the measures, and  
 
(ii) provide information regarding procedures for prior consultation with those 
Members having a substantial interest as exporters of the product concerned.  
 
Information regarding the procedures and relevant deadlines with regard to the investigation is 
contained in the notice of initiation.   
 
As the Commission has not yet made a recommendati on as to the proposed measure in response 
to the Commission 's determination of serious injury, the United States has not established 
procedures for prior consultations.  Once the Commission 's recommendation to the President has 
been made, the United States will provide further information regarding the consultation process.  
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