Empires of Collusion

8/6/2019 Empires of Collusion

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globalprosperi tyCONSUMERS ALLIANCE FOR

EMPIRES OFCOLLUSION

September 2010


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Globally green non-government organizations, domestic

paper-based industries and unions representing workers are

colluding to promote green protectionism they have

formed an empire of collusion.

In the United States they are colluding to stop the

importation of pulp, paper and timber imports from Asian

developing countries.

The cost of this collusion will be worn by U.S. industries

reliant on pulp, paper and timber imports to remain

competitive internationally like the printing industry and

consumers who will ultimately foot the bill with higher prices.

These groups are colluding to accuse major Asian-based

pulp, paper and timber producers of being engaged in illegal

logging. They are using attacks against Chinese andIndonesian exporters of engaging in, or supplying, products

from illegally logged forests to justify trade barriers.

U.S. paper companies Appleton Coated, NewPage and

Sappi, with the support of the Alliance for American

Manufacturing and the United Steelworkers Union have

colluded and sought a dumping and subsidies complaint

against Chinese and Indonesian imports. The final decision

of the International Trade Commission to permanently

establish tariffs is set to be announced shortly.

To support their application for tariffs unions, industry and

the union-backed research group, the Economic Policy

Institute, have lobbied to have trade barriers introduced that

would cut competition from producers, particularly from

China.

Meanwhile the Dogwood Alliance, Greenpeace, the

Rainforest Action Network and the World Wildlife Fund have

colluded with industry and targeted big box store stationary

retailers Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples to cease

sourcing paper products from Asia.

Democrats in Congress who are seeking to protect jobs in

their districts passedamendments to the Lacey Act requiring

imports to declare their origin on arrival into the United States.

The amendments will add costs on imports to protect

domestic industry.

Collusion is not just occurring in the United States. Similar

collusion is occurring in Australia between industry, unions

and green groups who are seeking to protect Australias

local industry and lock out imports from Asia.

Collusion by green groups, unions and industry will not

protect jobs. But it will increase costs for American

businesses and for consumers.

SUMMARY

Attacks on imported paper products from labor unions,

environmental nongovernment organizations, industry and

politicians are at fever pitch. They are the Empires of Collusion.

The industry faces increasing competitive pressure from lower-

cost producers like China and Indonesia.

In response labor unions, environmental NGOs, industry and

politicians are employing two strategies.

The first is to limit supply by imposing trade barriers that will

make imports less competitive against U.S. paper products.

The second is to claim imports are being sourced through

illegal logging with the objective of harming demand for

imports from major retailers and consumers.

This paper will look at the increasing various claims and tacticsbeing used by these groups and the seemingly convenient

consistency in their messages and strategies.

In particular this paper will assess the behavior of these groups,

analyze the environment in which the U.S. paper industry

operates in and the justification for attacking imports as well

as looking at equivalent events internationally.

Most importantly this paper will assess the consequences of

the campaign to oppose paper imports and the potential costs

on the U.S.s economic and trade interests and its impact on

consumers.

INTRODUCTION


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EMPIRES

OF

COLLUSION

It is clear that the mutually-reinforcing activities of industry,

labor unions, green NGOs and politicians are not an accident.

They point to a concerted effort of vested interests in an

Empire of Collusion to stop both the supply and demand for

low-cost imported paper products from developing countries

that consumers demand.

But until the evidence is brought together it is hard to see the

proverbial individual activist trees from the collusion of vested

interests forest.

That is until this report.

There has been a longstanding campaign by green groups to

oppose imports. While China has emerged as a major exporter,

it currently has a limited domestic production capacity andrelies on pulp imports from other countries, especially

Indonesia. They have targeted Indonesias largest pro-ducer,

Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) of Sinar Mas accusing and pillaging

the company in the global media for sourcing their products

from forests claimed to be illegally logged. The accusations

are green lies.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Greenpeace have been at the

forefront of these attacks. The Forestry Stewardship Council

(FSC), which counts WWF and Greenpeace as members, is

also involved. FSC is a Mafioso type organization which shakes

down developing world industry with no regard for the impact it

has on people.

Take for example their cooperation with APP whereby they

previously certified APP's products but later APP was forced to

end this agree-ment after FSC continually moved the goal

posts and changed the obligations to achieve certification.

EMPIRES OF COLLLUSION

Trade barriers and tariffs help

labor officials and their members,

and environmentalists would justas soon we all play with hemp

dolls, but they have very little

care for the real hardships of

others less fortunate.

ANDREW LANGER, WASHINGTON TIMES, SEPTEMBER 3, 2010


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Ever since relations broke down, WWF and FSC have

maliciously attacked APP and any industry and manufacturer

that does business with them. WWF and FSCs attacks have

now been picked up by other groups like the Rainforest Action

Network, the United Steelworkers and the U.S. Congress who

have developed the arguments further claiming Indonesian and

Chinese imports receive subsidies or are dumped in the U.S.

market. These arguments are now being used to justify

blocking paper imports from APP and Indonesia and China

more generally.

Failing to get consumers to adopt their agenda, the collusion of

vested interests is using legal instruments to force it on them.

Paper manufacturers, green groups, labor unions and

politicians successfully lobbied for amendments to the century-

old Lacey Act. These amendments require the recording and

disclosure of the origin of wood products through their wholesupply chain adding costs onto imports to cut competition for

domestic producers.

A similar collusion of vested interests are now pushing to have

the Lacey Act's anti-competitive regulations into Australian law.

But these vested interests have not stopped with the Lacey Act.

Domestic paper manufacturers including Appleton Coated,

NewPage and Sappi, with the specific support of the United

Steelworkers, applied to the International Trade Commission

(ITC) and the Department of Commerce to impose tariffs on

Chinese and Indonesian paper imports. The ITC's initial finding

concluded that temporary tariffs should be imposed to help

protect the U.S.s domestic industry and jobs. Now this

collusion of vested interests is actively lobbying the

government to make them permanent.

Green groups including Greenpeace, WWF, Friends of the

Earth, the Rainforest Action Network and the Dogwood

Alliance have actively supported, and engaged in, publiclyholding hostage retailers Staples, OfficeMax and Office Depot

to stop stocking low-cost paper imports. Unfortunately these

Heres the deal. Labor groups and

a few scheming companies tired

of the rigors of a competitive

marketplace have increasingly

been turning to green groups for

cover and to push overlapping

agendas.

ANDREW LANGER, INSTITUTE FOR LIBERTY, WASHINGTON,

EXAMINER, SEPTEMBER 3, 2010


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companies have gone along with this greenmail. And

unsurprisingly these campaigns are supported by U.S.

paper companies and labor unions.

The tactics of these green groups demonstrate a clear

objective to end paper imports from the market-place.

These green groups have engaged in the environmental

equivalent of blackmail greenmail by hounding

these companies, and seeking to destroy their customer

base publicly, until they adopt their preferred green

procurement policies that would result in them ceasing

stocking and selling of low-cost paper imports.

But these retailers have not learned the lessons of

these campaigns and are now working with these

green groups to push a green agenda. However

doing so clearly suits their commercial interests asgreenmailing reduces competition enables these

stores to secure fatter profit margins.

It is certainly the motivation of these players who

will commercially gain from protectionism. U.S.

paper companies will secure bigger profits through

tariffs and regulations that cut competitive pressure,

while labor unions will protect their members high-paying

jobs and from the pressure of productivity gains. Both will

be at the expense of consumers who will have to pay more

for paper products to protect the profits of an industry

clearly in desperate need of reform if it is to survive.

Companies many of us have never

heard of Sappi, NewPage,

Appleton have teamed up with

the Steelworkers to get temporary

tariffs of as much as 135 percent

slapped on foreign paper products

ahead of a decision this month on

whether to impose permanent

protectionist costs.

ANDREW LANGER, THE DAILY CALLER, SEPTEMBER 8, 2010

Now the Department of Commerce

is set to decide the fate of protec-

tionist policies being requested

by the United Steelworkers, its

newly acquired allies in the

environmentalist movement,

and a couple corporate cronies

who seeking tariffs on paperproducts.

ANDREW LANGER, WASHINGTON TIMES, SEPTEMBER 3, 2010


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The U.S. paper industry is an incredibly important contributor

to the national economy. The American forestry section

contributes significantly to the U.S. economy accounting for

5% of manufacturing GDP, employing 900,000 workers and

producing $175 billion in product.1The industry is as important

as the automotive industry. Alone the paper and packaging

industry has sales of roughly $115 billion annually and isresponsible for the employment of 400,000 people.

However, it is an industry that faces many challenges. Like all

industries it has struggled through the current recession. In

2009 total production of paper and paperboard fell by 10.6

percent from 2008, and exports fell by roughly the same amount

by 10.9 percent.2

But the problems for the U.S. industry existed before the

current recession. Graphs 1 and 2 illustrate that U.S.

production has progressively declined in the past decade. The

U.S. has faced a steeper decline in production than in its

decline in imports. Graph 2 shows the particularly noticeable

drop off in production of U.S. pulp for paper.

Meanwhile a large portion of U.S. imports in paper and

paperboard, as well as pulp and waste paper imports has

come from China. As graphs 3 and 4 show, the share of U.S.

imports from China has increased significantly in comparison to

imports overall. This data illustrating the comparative

advantage that China has in paper production and imports

underscores certain U.S. paper manufacturers and labor

unions tendency towards protectionism.

THE UNITED STATES PAPER INDUSTRY

There are entire organizations

now, going by names like the

BlueGreen Alliance and the

Apollo Alliance. Different

names but the same goal: Ineach case, green groups get

to dictate what consumers con-

sume, and labor bosses dictate

who makes the products and

for which (inflated) prices.

GEORGE LANDRITH, FRONTIERS OF FREEDOM,

TOWNHALL.COM, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010


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As a consequence of these trends many U.S. paper companies

have actively criticized Chinese imports arguing that subsidies

are responsible for the big increase in imports because China

does not have a comparative advantage in paper.3

But Chinahas a comparative advantage in paper production forest

plantations in fact, exceeding those of the U.S.

The questionable claims of the unfair competition for the U.S.

paper industry also appears to be dubious based on evidence

closer to home. Americans spend $6 billion a year on toilet

tissue alone, and according to Tissue World North American

demand for tissue paper has increased steadily at 2% per year

since the year 2000 and only slowed to 0.6% as a result of the

recession. And because of the strength of the industry it is one

of the few paper industry segments that has seen new asset

build up over the past years.4

And despite facing similar competitive pressures the U.S.

tissue paper industry is continuing to produce equivalent

volumes of product to meet American consumption. There

continues to be an increase in tissue demand from consumers

matching the increased production from the U.S. industry.

As a consequence there appears to be little wrong with the

marketplace in which American paper operates, despite the

complaints of the paper industry about competitive pressure

from China and others. Instead the behavior of the industry

appears to demonstrate an unwillingness to adapt to changing

competitive pressures and the preservation of their profit

margins.

In response policy makers should consider proposals to

introduce trade restrictions against imports with caution.

Evidence does not demonstrate there is a justification for them,

and instead the impact could be to harm significantly competitive

sections of the American paper industry, such as the tissue

sector and thus unfairly increasing prices for consumers.

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The end goal of each group is to make foreign

products based on natural resources so expensive

(through tariffs, taxes, subsidies, and regulation)

that consumers will be driven to stick with the

groups costlier alternatives.

ANDREW LANGER, WASHINGTON EXAMINER, SEPTEMBER 3, 2010

Government action in the form of trade barriers

is the wrong solution. More regulation and US

corporate welfare do not benefit American

consumers, Asian companies or those in SoutheastAsia who desperately need employment.

ANDREW LANGER, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST, SEPTEMBER 15, 2010


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There is no doubt that Chinese companies directly, or indirectly,

receive some subsidy support from the government. But U.S.

industry complaining about subsidies is utterly hypocritical

based on their own track record of behavior as demonstrated

by their exploitation of black liquor to attract billions of dollars

of taxpayer subsidies.

Black liquor is a by-product of the kraft process when turning

pulpwood into paper pulp to extract cellulose fibres. Black

liquor is the black liquid that remains after this process and can

subsequently be used as a form of biofuel. Because of the

capacity for black liquor to be used as a fuel and the cost to

industry to dispose safely of black liquor industry has long used

it as a form of fuel for pulp mills.5

In 2007 the Congress passed legislation encouraging the use

of alternative fuels as a replacement for fossil fuels through theavailability of tax credits. Not intended to cover black liquor or

to support the U.S. pulp mill industry, an Internal Revenue

Service (IRS) ruling sought by the U.S. pulp mill industry

included black liquor as an eligible fuel for the tax credit, thus

providing billions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies to pulp mills.

According to industry media the tax credit was particularly

helpful ... because many mills have been running with very low,

if any, profit margins.6 Reportedly the credit would deliver a tax

credit of $90 million to the average U.S. pulp mill.7 Similarly,

industry data shows that a major pulp producer, International

Paper received $516 million in tax credits under the scheme inthe 4th quarter of 2009 despite losing $101 million in the same

quarter ensuring it could turn a $415 million taxpayer- subsidized

profit.8

Despite the egregious nature of the subsidy, support for black

liquor wasnt rescinded and it only ceased at the end of 2009

as a result of the expiration of the subsidy program.

But following another IRS ruling sought by the industry in the

middle of 2010, tax credits were made available

again for the pulp mill industry turning black

liquor into black gold. This time the credits

increased in value from the previous tax credit of

$0.50 per gallon of black liquor to $1.01 per

gallon. Furthermore the 2010 ruling allowed pulp

mills to retroactively apply for the subsidy for 2009.

While the actual cost is not known, it is expected

to deliver a $10 billion subsidy to the industry.9

As an interesting point of comparison by the

left-wing Economic Policy

Institutes (EPI) policy paper,

No Paper Tiger(2010), the

Chinese government

subsidized its paperindustry with $33.1 billion

from 2002 to 2009

averaging slightly more

than $4 billion a year.

BIG PAPERS HYPOCRISY


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Despite attracting dubious subsidies the U.S. industry continues

to complain about competition from imports. Rather than

adjust to competition the industry is increasingly looking at

ways to impose trade barriers to protect their profits. This is

not a new occurrence.

In 2006, the Ohio-based paper company NewPage applied to

the International Trade Commission (ITC) for tariffs to be imposed

on coated paper imports from China, Indonesia and South

Korea to cut competition. NewPage claimed that their imports

were subsidized and it was harming its business. But after

reviewing the application the ITC rejected the request because

the imports were not materially harming NewPages interests.

Paper manufacturers NewPage, Sappi and Appleton Coated

were dissatisfied with the result. In September 2009 they jointly

filed a petition with the Department of Commerce and theInternational Trade Commission to introduce tariffs in response

to claims of subsidies and dumping by Chinese and Indonesian

coated paper producers.

Claims against coated paper imports resulted from a rapid

increase of imports of nearly 40% in the first half of 2009

compared to the previous year. Meanwhile the market share

for domestic producers declined by 38%.10

The United Steelworkers Union also joined the application by

Appleton Coated, NewPage and Sappi. The action by the

United Steelworkers Union is unsurprising. They are seeking toprotect the roughly six thousand unionized workers that work

in NewPage, Appleton Coated and Sappis plants.

After consideration the ITC voted to support the investigation.

The decision received strong support from industry who

argued fair competition requires all companies, both domestic

and international, to abide by the trade laws and to make

investments in sustainable practices,11 and that it is

important that we offset the dumping and subsidies which are

benefiting the Chinese and Indonesian paper

companies at the cost of American jobs.12

The United Steelworkers Union also supported the

decision arguing we have seen thousands of job

losses by multiple plant shutdowns in coated paper

manufacturing caused by imports since the period in the

last petition to enforce fair trade rules.13

By March 2010 the Department of Commerce ruled in

favor of industry and union complaints that there had

been subsidies provided, and by April, that dumping

had occurred. In response the Department imposed

temporary countervailing duties.14

In response Asian paper makers have highlighted

the serious risk to U.S. jobs by imposing tariffs, especially onthe U.S. printing industry which relies on a competitive paper

stock to keep its costs down for exports. Other

reports have highlighted that the tariffs will push

printing jobs to Mexico or Canada where they do

not exist for brochures, catalogues and

viewbooks.15

The U.S. printing industry has also come out

swinging with the Printing Industry Association of Southern

California arguing if their request [for tariffs] is granted, our

work will become more expensive and less competitive.

America doesnt need to lose more jobs.16

The Chinese government is also considering lodging an appeal

to the World Trade Organization.17 Indonesias Sinar Mas, a

company heavily affected by the U.S. decision is also seeking

for the Indonesian government to do the same.18

Of concern, the level of support for the decision to impose

tariffs demonstrates how extensive the support for

protectionism in the U.S. now is.

SEEKING PROTECTION


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In response to the decision Wisconsin Democratic

Congressman, Steve Kagen, said he will continue to work

hard to level the playing field for companies like Appleton

Coated, and ... keep these higher wage jobs.19

Similar calls were made by numerous other Congressmen,

including Wisconsin Democrat Senator, Herb Kohl, who said

he would continue efforts to support this vital industry, and will

work with the next Administration to ensure that anti-dumping

laws are vigorously enforced on behalf of American workers.20

Republican Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins stated

the ruling was good news for Maines paper industry,

particularly NewPage and Sappi.21

Now the Department of Commerce is considering whether to

permanently impose countervailing duties.

In the lead up to this decision 108 Congressmen signed a letter

to President Obama calling for the President to carefully

examine the practices employed by the Chinese government

to provide its paper industry with artificial and unfair advantage

in the U.S. market, and determine the extent to which these

practices cause or threaten to cause harm to American

producers.

The letter was strongly supported by the United Steelworkers

Union who argued too many jobs and too many companies

are being destroyed.22

And the impact on industry from these tariffs is already being

felt. An industry poll found that 40% of printers were paying up

to 20% more for coated paper and 34% said it was higher.23

These price rises are being realized at the same time that pulp

prices are increasing as a result of the earthquake in Chile.

Industry reports that the price of pulp has increased from

$800 to $1,000 per metric ton.24

Each member of this cabal (which

includes groups like Greenpeace

and the United Steel workers)

hopes to make paper products

more expensive for U.S. con-

sumers.

ANDREW LANGER, THE DAILY CALLER, SEPTEMBER 8, 2010


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American labor unions working with paper companies are

clearly seeking to impose trade barriers through the introduction

of permanent tariffs against paper imports using subsidies and

claims of illegal logging as justification. It is a campaign that

builds on their earlier success to amend the century-old Lacey

Act that seeks to limit the trade of illegally poached animal

species.

Following strong campaigns from labor unions and green

NGOs claiming that wood and wood product imports were

entering into the U.S., Congress amended the Lacey Act to

introduce expensive regulations on imports.

In 2008 the Lacey Act was amended and its coverage was

expanded to include plant and plant products by:

Prohibiting all trade in plant and plant products ... that are

illegally sourced from any U.S. state or any other foreigncountry.

Requires importers to declare the country of origin of

harvest and species name of all plants contained in their

product.

Establishes penalties for violation of the Act, including

forfeiture of goods and vessels, fines and jail time.25

In supporting the passage of the Lacey Act Oregon Democrat

Senator Ron Wyden stated this legislation will go a long way

towards not only leveling the playing field for American

manufacturers, but to protecting jobs.26

To achieve the objectives of the Lacey Act, importers of wood

products must sign a declaration that identifies the name of the

species included, the country of origin, the quantity and value

and the value of the product.27

Armed with claims of illegally logged timber entering the U.S.,

the Lacey Act was supported by U.S. congressmen and a

coalition of environmental groups, labor unions and vested

interest industry groups. According to the Environmental

Investigation Agency, one of the green groups represented the

groups that supported the Lacey Acts introduction included:

American Forest and Paper Association Amazon Watch

Center for International Environmental Law

Conservation International

Defenders of Wildlife

Dogwood Alliance

Environmental Investigation Agency

ForestEthics

Friends of the Earth

Global Witness

Greenpeace

Hardwood Federation

International Brotherhood of Teamsters National Wildlife Federation

Natural Resources Defense Council

Rainforest Alliance

Sierra Club

Society of American Foresters

Sustainable Furniture Council

The Nature Conservancy

Tropical Forest Trust

United Steelworkers

Wildlife Conservation Society

World Wildlife Fund

Senator Wyden reiterated this point stating the Lacey Act

represents hundred(s) of hours of collective work by an

unprecedented coalition of industry, labor and environment

groups.28

THE LACEY ACT


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12 BLOCKING MARKET ACCESS

Amendments to the Lacey Act sought to limit the supply of

imported timber, but green groups have also colluded with

industry and unions to cut demand for imports.

One of the most vocal advocates for limiting wood productimports is the Dogwood Alliance. The Dogwood Alliance is a

Southern-based green NGO that emerged from fighting

Southern State chip mills and now focuses its campaigns in

the marketplace.29The Dogwood Alliance has a number of

partners and members who support its work. Dogwood

Alliances partners and members are made up of other individual

green NGOs and alliances of Green NGOs, as well as

environment-dependent businesses.

The Dogwood Alliance is shockingly candid about its efforts

to greenmail businesses. Greenmailing is the equivalent of

environmental blackmail by threatening businesses withcriticism, bad publicity or undermining their customer base

unless they meet certain environmental objective.

According to the Dogwood Alliance large corporate

customers [of paper products] (such as Staples and Office

Depot) can influence directly the paper producers ... by

organizing high profile campaigns focused on these large

corporate customers Dogwood Alliance educates the public

about the impact of industrial paper production on our forests

and increase demand in the marketplace for sustainably

produced paper products.30

And the Dogwood Alliance also identifies its targets arguing

big box office supply retailers have become one of the worlds

largest retailers of paper ... for many people, familiar companies

like Staples, Office Depot and OfficeMax represent this link

from the forest to the paper mill producing the paper on the

shelves of Staples, Office Depot and OfficeMax.

And that is precisely what the Dogwood Alliance has done.

Teaming up with Californias ForestEthics they have targeted

Staples, Office Depot and OfficeMax and greenmailed them

into adopting procurement policies consistent with their values.

Similar campaigns have also been waged against fast food

companies, especially Kentucky Fried Chicken, to adopt green

policies in the purchasing of their paper products.31

But despite adopting green procurement policies the Dogwood

Alliance and Forest Ethics are continuing to greenmail companies

by producing Green Grades report cards arguing these

companies can do more.32 Similar tactics have been employed

by the World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace.

By 2003 Office Depot caved to environmental campaigns using

products from parts of Asia on environmental grounds. By

2008 Staples had done the same arguing that sourcing paper

from Asia Pulp and Paper was at great peril to our brand.33

In response to attacks these companies adopted procurement

policies consistent with the objectives of the Dogwood Alliance,

Greenpeace and WWF. But while these policies are consistent

with the demands of non-government organizations, they

ignore the consequences of their policies on economic

development for the worlds poor whose interests have been

discarded.

A BlueGreen Alliance report correctly highlights the enormous

importance of the timber industry to Indonesia and its economic

development stating forestry itself comprises a small sliver of

the nations total gross domestic product (0.8 percent), butwood-processing industries and trade of timber and timber

products are a large part of the Indonesian economy.34

The BlueGreen Alliance is an alliance of green NGOs and labor

unions advocating for tight environmentally-inspired regulations

to promote the greening of the American economy. It is a

union and green project meant to promote their mutual

interests of stopping imports from developing countries that

would harm American jobs. The Alliance is made up of the

Sierra Club, the United Steel Workers Union, the Rainforest

Action Network and the National Resources Defense Council.

And despite being greenmailed Staples have now teamed up

with the Dogwood Alliance, Columbia Forest Products, the

Rainforest Alliance, Green Press Initiative, Domtar, the Home

Depot, Environmental Defense, the Forestland Group and the

Keystone Center in a Carbon Canopy program that assesses

the carbon footprint of wood products.35


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13PLAIN OLD COLLUSION

The application to the ITC for tariffs by industry, unions and

congressman indicates the level of cooperation that now

exists between vested interests in the industry. But to

provide ammunition to their arguments union-backed

research institutes and green NGOs have also beenworking to attack Chinese and Indonesian imports and

justify their positions.

Recently the union-backed Economic Policy Institute

(EPI) completed a research paper into Chinese subsidies

in the paper industry titled No Paper Tiger: Subsidies to

Chinas Paper Industry From 2002-09.36The paper

was designed to argue that Chinese paper manufacturers

have indirectly received subsidies of up to $33.1 billion

between 2002 and 2009 resulting in unfair competition for

the American industry.

According to their report China has overtaken the U.S. to

become the worlds largest producer of paper and paper

products. Furthermore that exports have led the

development of Chinas paper industry with detrimental

effects on the United States.37

The report argues that cheap, subsidized Chinese paper

exports have affected the U.S. paper industry ... Despite

comparable cost structures, high efficiencies, and plentiful

natural resources, U.S. paper companies have failed to

compete globally or nationally on price against much-

cheaper Chinese imports.38

EPI consistently argues that China has no comparative

advantage in paper manufacturing despite the strong

expansion of the industry and that labor inputs can be

half that of the U.S. industry. While Chinas labor

contribution may only be 4% in smaller companies

compared to 8% in U.S. companies, the difference is

significant in an industry with tight profit margins.

Following its release, the EPI report has been heavily relied

upon by numerous union, industry and green groups to justify

their positions in public statements and reports. The report was

also used to justify the arguments of the 108 Congressmen in

their letter to President Obama.

A similar tone of hostility to imported paper products was

released by the Rainforest Action Network. The Rainforest

Action Network has targeted the Indonesian industry accusing

it of supplying illegally logged timber that is used to produce

childrens books through China. Their report, Turning the Page

on Rainforest Destruction, claims nine out of ten publishers

are selling books with paper that threatens Indonesias

rainforests.39

A report by the BlueGreen Alliance was also launched directly

attacking the Indonesian timber industry.

The report argues that the Alliance of American Manufacturers

is struggling to compete.40


14/19

14 THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE

Concern of collusion between big business, big unions and big

green groups to promote green protectionism may appear

fantastic, but the same has been occurring in Australia. 41

The Australian tissue paper industry is dominated by threemajor producers KCA (a division of Kimberly-Clark), SCA (a

division of Swedish firm, Svenska Celulosa Aktiebolaget) and

ABC Tissue. KCA and SCA have traditionally dominated the

market and come under heavy pressure as a result of high cost

structures, unionized labor and the emergence of the non-

unionized ABC Tissue and discount private brands through

Australias supermarket providers, Coles and Woolworths.

According to the Bureau of Agricultural and Resource

Economics data Australian consumption of paper-based

household and sanitary products has increased considerably

in the past fifteen years.42

The primary forestry union, the Construction, Forestry, Mining

and Energy Union (CFMEU) is also threatened by the non-

unionized ABC Tissue and imports from Asia.

As a result KCA and SCA applied to the Australian government

for tariffs to be imposed on toilet tissue to protect their markets

from claims of dumping that were causing a material injury to

the Australian industry.

An initial investigation by the Australian government concluded

that dumping was occurring and tariffs were imposed onimports. But a subsequent investigation found that while

dumping was occurring the material injury to KCA and SCA

was from domestic competition including private brands and

ABC Tissue. As a result the tariffs were removed.

Now both KCA and SCA have appealed to the courts to have

them reinstated. The CFMEU has backed the legal action.

The CFMEU has had more success. The CFMEU primarily

funded a campaign targeting Australias major supermarket

chain, Woolworths, to stop using imported toilet tissue in its

private brand, Select. The 2008 Wake Up Woolworths!

campaign attacked imports from Asia Pulp and Paper on

environmental grounds and because of their impact on

Australian unionized labor. The campaign was run by a public

relations firm with known connections to the union. Links

between the Wake Up Woolworths! campaign and KCA and

SCA have not been exposed.

Greenpeace also supported the campaign which referenced

WWF and Friends of the Earth reports to justify their

arguments.

After considerable pressure and greenmailing, Woolworths

agreed to stock only toilet tissue sourced from certified

sources, but they did not secure any guarantees for Australian

union labor.

The union, KCA and SCA recently secured a big boost in their

efforts to lock out competition that would undermine their

profits. During Australias recent national election Minister for

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, committed a

re-elected Labor government to imposing a ban on all illegaltimber imports. The intent of Minister Burkes announcement is

to copy the Lacey Act into Australian law.

The policy was first announced by then Leader of the Opposition

and later Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, who committed a Labor

government to the greater policing and enforcement of an

effective national ban on the sale of illegally logged timber

imports.43 Rudds announcement followed calls for bans by

industry and unions and large donations from the union to the

Labor Party.

Prime Minister Rudd failed to introduce the policy before beingdeposed in mid-2010. The stumbling block for Rudd was a

report commissioned by his government arguing against the

policy. According to the Centre for International Economics

report Australia imports 0.034 percent of global timber

production and 0.34 percent of products with illegally logged

timber.44

However industry, unions and green groups colluded to push

for the introduction of an Australian Lacey Act.

Australia recently had its Federal election delivering a hung

Parliament and the formation of a rainbow coalition made upof Labor Party, Greens Party and non-aligned Parliamentarians

in the House of Representatives. Critically, from July 1, 2011

the second chamber of the Parliament will be controlled by the

Labor and Greens parties alone.

As a result it is likely that the government will seek to introduce

an Australian Lacey Act equivalent with the support of

government, unions and industry.


15/19

15

Its clear that labor unions, industry and green non-government

organizations are colluding to promote protection for Americas

ailing paper industries. They represent the Empires of Collusion.

But the cost of doing so is already harming other U.S. industriesdependent on paper imports to remain competitive. And the

cost of protectionism always falls on consumers who have to

pay higher prices.

The Australian experience is instructive and provides an

interesting point of comparison.

In Australia the same tactics are being used by industry and

unions to attack imports and seek legislative and regulatory

protection. To date neither has been successful once

investigations have been conducted. The only successful

campaign has been one by green groups and unions designed

to tarnish the image of businesses who import paper products.

The real concern is that the Department of Commercepermanently introduces tariff barriers against Chinese and

Indonesian imports. Doing so would dramatically increase the

price of imports and cut competition for domestic producers.

Like the introduction of the Lacey Act, the cost of these tariffs

will be passed onto export industries that will be less

competitive, like the printing industry, and consumers.

The domestic U.S. industry is also hypocritical. While they

are seeking trade barriers against Chinese and Indonesia

exporters claiming they receive subsidies, the U.S. industry

has successfully exploited taxpayer-funded subsidy programs

at a rate far in excess of the rates they claim Chinese and

Indonesian companies are receiving.

The domestic industrys behavior demonstrates that their efforthas nothing to do with a level playing field and everything to do

with cutting competition so they can make bigger profits and

exploit consumers.

In the U.S. Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples have had

similar experiences and have been aggressively pursued by

environmental non-government organizations until they stop

sourcing imported paper products. Despite having caved in to

their demands these companies are still being pursued by

green groups.

CONCLUSIONS


16/19

16 GRAPH 2:

UNITED STATES PRODUCTION VERSUS IMPORTS OF PULP FOR PAPER (METRIC TONS)SOURCE: FORESSTAT

GRAPH 1:

UNITED STATES PRODUCTION VERSUS IMPORTS OF PAPER AND PAPERBOARD (METRIC TONS)SOURCE: FORESSTAT

90,000,000

88,000,000

86,000,000

84,000,000

82,000,000

80,000,000

78,000,000

76,000,000

74,000,000

72,000,000

70,000,000

18,000,000

17,000,000

16,000,000

15,000,000

14,000,000

13,000,000

12,000,000

11,000,000

10,000,000

1990 1995 2000 2005 2009

PRODUCTION IMPORTS 70,000,000

65,000,000

60,000,000

55,000,000

50,000,000

45,000,000

7,000,000

6,500,000

6,000,000

5,500,000

5,000,000

4,500,000

4,000,000

1990 1995 2000 2005 2009

PRODUCTION IMPORTS

GRAPH 4:

UNITED STATES PULP AND WASTE PAPER IMPORTS ($000S)SOURCE: USITC

GRAPH 3:

UNITED STATES PAPER AND PAPERBOARD IMPORTS ($000s)SOURCE: USITC

$4,500,000

$4,000,000

$3,500,000

$3,000,000

$2,500,000

$2,000,000

$1,500,000

$1,000,000

$500,000

$6,000,000

$5,000,000

$4,000,000

$3,000,000

$2,000,000

$1,000,000

$0

1996 97 98 99 00 01 02 0403 2009 05 06 07 08

WORLD CHINA $4,500,000

$4,000,000

$3,500,000

$3,000,000

$2,500,000

$2,000,000

$1,500,000

$1,000,000

$500,000

$0

$7,000,000

$6,500,000

$6,000,000

$5,500,000

$5,000,000

$4,500,000

$4,000,000

$4,500,000

$4,000,000

1996 97 98 99 00 01 02 0403 2009 05 06 07 08

WORLD CHINA


17/19

17

21 Harlow, D. 2010.U.S. imposes tariffs on imported paper, The Portland Press Herald, athttp://www.pressherald.com/news/u_s_-imposes-tariffs-on-imported-paper_2010-05-02.html

22 US W. 20 10. USW Cites Congressional Effort Asking Obama Administration to AddressChinese Subsidies of Paper Industry Threatening U.S. Jobs , Press Release, athttp://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/usw-cites-congressional-effort-asking-

obama-administration-to-address-chinese-subsidies-of-paper-industry-threatening-us-jobs-99492569.html

23 Morris, H. 2010. Trying to follow the paper trail, Print Week, athttp://www.printweek.com/paper/news/1017700/Trying-follow-paper-trail/

24 Sunday Telegraph. 2010.Price of toilet roll to rocket as pulp jumps in value, athttp://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/sunday-telegraph-the-london-uk/mi_8064/is_20100411/price-toilet-roll-rocket-pulp/ai_n53106641/

25 EIA. 2008. The U.S. Lacey Act: Frequently asked questions about the worlds first banon trade in illegal wood, District of Columbia, United States of America

26 Environmental News Network. 2008.The Lacey Act: Protecting American Wildlife, athttp://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/37222

27 EIA E IA. 20 08. The U.S. Lacey Act: Frequently asked questions about the worlds firstban on trade in illegal wood, District of Columbia, United States of America

28 Environmental News Network. 2008.The Lacey Act: Protecting American Wildlife, athttp://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/37222

29 Dogwood All iance, Our History, http://www.dogwoodalliance.org/content/view/23/38/

30 Dogwood All iance, Campaigns, http://www.dogwoodalliance.org/content/view/13/42/

31 Motavalli , J. 2010. KFC busted for where it gets material for its buckets , WalletPop, athttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/06/29/kfc-busted-for-where-it-gets-material-for-its-buckets/

32 Dogwood All iance, Office supply industry, athttp://www.dogwoodalliance.org/content/view/52/113/

33 Wright, T. 2008. Staples cuts off paper supplier, Wall Street Journal, athttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB120240874246651263.html

34 BlueGreen Alliance. 2010.Illegal logging in Indonesia: The environmental economic andsocial costs, District of Columbia, United States of America

35 Motavalli , J. 2010. KFC busted for where it gets material for its buckets , WalletPop, athttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/06/29/kfc-busted-for-where-it-gets-material-for-its-buckets/

36 EPI. 2010. No Paper Tiger: Subsidies to Chinas Paper Industry From 2002-09 , Districtof Columbia, United States of America

37 Ibid.

38 Ibid.

39 Rainforest Action Network. 2010. Turning the page on rainforest destruction: Childrensbooks and the future of Indonesias rainforest, San Francisco, United States of America,

at http://ran.org/sites/default/files/Turning_The_Page_on_Rainforest_Destruction.pdf

40 BlueGreen Alliance. 2010.Illegal logging in Indonesia: The environmental economic andsocial costs, District of Columbia, United States of America

41 Wilson, T. 2010. Green Excuses: Collusion to Promote Protectionism, Institute of PublicAffairs, Melbourne, Australia

42 Ibid.

43 ABC. 201 0. Timber Politics, Background Briefing, Radio National, Ultimo, Australia

44 CIE. 201 0.A final report to inform a regulation impact statement for the proposed newpolicy on illegally logged timber, Canberra, Australia

1 AF&PA, at http://www.AFandPA.org

2 AF&PA. 2010. Statistical Summary of Paper, Paperboard and Wood Pulp, District of Co-lumbia, United States of America

3 EPI. 2010. No Paper Tiger: Subsidies to Chinas Paper Industry From 2002-09 , Districtof Columbia, U.S.A

4 Tissue World Magazine. 2010. Market report: Made in North America, athttp://www.tis-sueworldmagazine.com/10JunJul/market-report.php

5 WhatTheyThink. 2010. Going Green, at http://blogs.whattheythink.com/going-green/2010/07/why-tax-credits-for-black-liquor-don%E2%80%99t-add-up-imho

6 World Resources International. 2009. The Black Liquor Tax Credit in the US has Limitedthe Fall of Wood Chop and Pulpwood Prices, Press Release, athttp://www.prlog.org/10274341-the-black-liquor-tax-credit-in-the-us-has-limited-the-fall-of-wood-chip-and-pulpwood-prices.html

7 Mufson, S. 200 9. Papermakers dig deep in highway bill to hit gold , Washington Post, athttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/27/AR2009032703116.html

8 AccuVal Associates. 2010. Black Liquor Tax Credits: The End of a Loophole for the Pulp& Paper Industry, Press Release, at http://www.prlog.org/10604836-black-liquor-tax-credits-the-end-of-loophole-for-the-pulp-paper-industry.html

9 Dead Tree Edition. 2010. IRS Brings Son of Black Liquor Back from the Dead; RulingMay Be Worth Billions to U.S. Pulp Makers , athttp://deadtreeedition.blogspot.com/2010/07/irs-brings-son-of-black-liquor-back.html

10 USW, Appleton Coated, SAPPI & NewPage. 2009. International Trade Commission Is-sues Preliminary Determination of Injury to US Coated Paper Industry in Unfair TradeCase Against China and Indonesia, Press Release, athttp://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/international-trade-commission-issues-pre-liminary-determination-of-injury-to-us-coated-paper-industry-in-unfair-trade-case-against-china-and-indonesia-69387407.html

11 Business Journal of Milwaukee. 2009. Trade agency presses ahead with paper importsprobe, at http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/11/02/daily94.html

12 Cook, C . 2009. US coated papermakers file antidumping complaint seeking import du-ties on Chinese, Indonesian sheet market imports , RISI, at http://www.risiinfo.com/tech-nology/pulping/U.S.-coated-papermakers-file-antidumping-complaint-seeking-import-duties-on-Chinese-Indonesian-sheet-market-imports.html

13 Business Journal of Milwaukee. 2009. Trade agency launches coated paper importsprobe, at http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/10/12/daily85.html

14 International Trade Administration. 2010.Fact sheet: Commerce preliminary findsdumping of certain coated paper suitable for high-quality print graphics using sheet-fedpresses from the Peoples Republic of China and Indonesia, Department of Commerce,at http://ia.ita.doc.gov/download/factsheets/factsheet-coated-paper-ad-prelim-042910.pdf

15 Alberts, H. R. 2010. The Asian Paper Chase, Forbes.com, athttp://www.forbes.com/2010/03/09/china-indonesia-asia-pulp-paper-markets-econ-omy-tariff-trade.html

16 SavePrinterJobs.com. 2010. Stop the Presses! Paper Trade Dispute Could Shut DownU.S. Print Jobs, at http://www.saveprinterjobs.com/docs/PaperCaseThreaten-sPrintingIndustry.pdf

17 China Daily. 2010. WTO ruling on coated paper row sought, at http://english.peo-pledaily.com.cn/90001/90778/90861/6979827.html

18 The Jakarta Post. 2010. Sinar Mas requests WTO consultation, at http://www.thejakar-tapost.com/news/2010/05/31/sinar-mas-requests-wto-consultation.html

19 Kagen, S. 2010. Kagen hails decision against illegal imported paper, Press Release, athttp://kagen.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=522:kagen-hails-decision-against-illegal-imported-paper&catid=78:press-releases&Itemid=194

20 Kohl, H. 2010.Kohl, Feingold, Petri, Kagen applaud ITC ruling in favour of AppletonPaper Company, Press Release, athttp://kohl.senate.gov/newsroom/pressrelease.cfm?customel_dataPageID_1464=2079

ENDNOTES

ABARE Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource

Economics

ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation

AF&PA American Forest and Paper Association

CIE Centre for International Economics

CEPI Confederation of European Paper Industries

CFMEU Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union

EPI Economic Policy Institute

EU European Union

GDP Gross Domestic Product

IRS Internal Revenue Service

ITC International Trade Commission

KCA Kimberly-Clark Australia

NGOs Non-government organizations

SCA Svenska Celulosa Aktiebolaget

U.S. United States

USW United Steelworkers

WWF World Wildlife Fund

ABBREVIATIONS


18/19

18

ABARE. 2010. Australian forest and wood products: statistical tables , Canberra, Australia

ABC. 2010. Timber Politics, Background Briefing, Radio National, Ultimo, Australia

AccuVal Associates. 2010. Black Liquor Tax Credits: The End of a Loophole for the Pulp &Paper Industry, Press Release, at http://www.prlog.org/10604836-black-liquor-tax-credits-the-end-of-loophole-for-the-pulp-paper-industry.html

Alberts, H. R. 2010. The Asian Paper Chase, Forbes.com, athttp://www.forbes.com/2010/03/09/china-indonesia-asia-pulp-paper-markets-economy-tar-iff-trade.html

AF&PA. 2010. Statistical Summary of Paper, Paperboard and Wood Pulp, District of Colum-bia, United States of America

BlueGreen Alliance. 2010. Illegal logging in Indonesia: The environmental economic and so-cial costs, District of Columbia, United States of America

Business Journal of Milwaukee. 2009. Trade agency presses ahead with paper importsprobe, at http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/11/02/daily94.html

China Daily. 2010. WTO ruling on coated paper row sought, athttp://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90778/90861/6979827.html

CIE. 2010.A final report to inform a regulation impact statement for the proposed new pol-icy on illegally logged timber, Canberra, Australia

Cook, C. 2009. US coated papermakers file antidumping complaint seeking import dutieson Chinese, Indonesian sheet market imports, RISI, at http://www.risiinfo.com/technol-ogy/pulping/U.S.-coated-papermakers-file-antidumping-complaint-seeking-import-duties-on-Chinese-Indonesian-sheet-market-imports.html

Dead Tree Edition. 2010. IRS Brings Son of Black Liquor Back from the Dead; Ruling MayBe Worth Billions to U.S. Pulp Makers, at http://deadtreeedition.blogspot.com/2010/07/irs-brings-son-of-black-liquor-back.html

EIA. 2008. The U.S. Lacey Act: Frequently asked questions about the worlds first ban ontrade in illegal wood, District of Columbia, United States of America

Environmental News Network. 2008. The Lacey Act: Protecting American Wildlife, athttp://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/37222

EPI. 2010. No Paper Tiger: Subsidies to Chinas Paper Industry From 2002-09, District ofColumbia, United States of America

Harlow, D. 2010. U.S. imposes tariffs on imported paper, The Portland Press Herald, athttp://www.pressherald.com/news/u_s_-imposes-tariffs-on-imported-paper_2010-05-02.html

International Trade Administration. 2010. Fact sheet: Commerce preliminary finds dumpingof certain coated paper suitable for high-quality print graphics using sheet-fed presses fromthe Peoples Republic of China and Indonesia, Department of Commerce, athttp://ia.ita.doc.gov/download/factsheets/factsheet-coated-paper-ad-prelim-042910.pdf

The Jakarta Post. 2010. Sinar Mas requests WTO consultation, at http://www.thejakarta-post.com/news/2010/05/31/sinar-mas-requests-wto-consultation.html

Kagen, S. 2010. Kagen hails decision against illegal imported paper, Press Release, athttp://kagen.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=522:kagen-hails-de-cision-against-illegal-imported-paper&catid=78:press-releases&Itemid=194

Kohl, H. 2010. Kohl, Feingold, Petri, Kagen applaud ITC ruling in favour of Appleton PaperCompany, Press Release, at http://kohl.senate.gov/newsroom/pressrelease.cfm?cus-tomel_dataPageID_1464=2079

Morris, H. 2010. Trying to follow the paper trail, Print Week, athttp://www.printweek.com/paper/news/1017700/Trying-follow-paper-trail/

Motavalli, J. 2010. KFC busted for where it gets material for its buckets, WalletPop, athttp://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/06/29/kfc-busted-for-where-it-gets-material-for-its-buckets/

Mufson, S. 2009. Papermakers dig deep in highway bill to hit gold, Washington Post, athttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/27/AR2009032703116.html

Rainforest Action Network. 2010. Turning the page on rainforest destruction: Childrensbooks and the future of Indonesias rainforest, San Francisco, United States of America, athttp://ran.org/sites/default/files/Turning_The_Page_on_Rainforest_Destruction.pdf

SavePrinterJobs.com. 2010. Stop the Presses! Paper Trade Dispute Could Shut Down U.S.Print Jobs, athttp://www.saveprinterjobs.com/docs/PaperCaseThreatensPrintingIndustry.pdf

Sunday Telegraph. 2010. Price of toilet roll to rocket as pulp jumps in value, at http://findar-ticles.com/p/news-articles/sunday-telegraph-the-london-uk/mi_8064/is_20100411/price-toilet-roll-rocket-pulp/ai_n53106641/

Tissue World Magazine. 2010. Market report: Made in North America, at http://www.tissue-worldmagazine.com/10JunJul/market-report.php

USW, Appleton Coated, SAPPI & NewPage. 2009. International Trade Commission IssuesPreliminary Determination of Injury to US Coated Paper Industry in Unfair Trade CaseAgainst China and Indonesia , Press Release, at http://www.prnewswire.com/news-re-leases/international-trade-commission-issues-preliminary-determination-of-injury-to-us-coated-paper-industry-in-unfair-trade-case-against-china-and-indonesia-69387407.html

USW. 2010. USW Cites Congressional Effort Asking Obama Administration to Address Chi-nese Subsidies of Paper Industry Threatening U.S. Jobs , Press Release, athttp://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/usw-cites-congressional-effort-asking-obama-administration-to-address-chinese-subsidies-of-paper-industry-threatening-us-jobs-99492569.html

WhatTheyThink. 2010. Going Green, at http://blogs.whattheythink.com/going-green/2010/07/why-tax-credits-for-black-liquor-don%E2%80%99t-add-up-imho

Wilson, T. 2010. Green Excuses: Collusion to Promote Protectionism, Institute of Public Af-fairs, Melbourne, Australia

World Resources International. 2009. The Black Liquor Tax Credit in the US has Limitedthe Fall of Wood Chop and Pulpwood Prices, Press Release, athttp://www.prlog.org/10274341-the-black-liquor-tax-credit-in-the-us-has-limited-the-fall-of-wood-chip-and-pulpwood-prices.html

Wright, T. 2008. Staples cuts off paper supplier, Wall Street Journal, athttp://online.wsj.com/article/SB120240874246651263.html

BIBLIOGRAPHY


19/19

Pulp Wars is a project of the consumer advocacy group Consumers

Alliance for Global Prosperity in response to the pulp and paper

trade war promulgated by organizations such as Greenpeace and

WWF, in collusion with domestic labor unions and pulp and paper

producers.

CAGP was created by the Institute for Liberty and the Frontiers of

Freedom Institute, non-profit think tanks dedicated to preserving

individual rights, protecting entrepreneurship worldwide, and pro-

moting prosperity both in America and abroad.

The participants in Pulp Wars share an abiding faith in liberty and

human ingenuity to resolve our problems and a belief that economic

competition through free markets provides the greatest protection

for consumers while promoting opportunity for all. September 2010

Empires of Collusion

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