The US International Trade Commission (USITC) has voted for comprehensive consideration of anti-dumping tax on frozen shrimp imported from five countries including Vietnam, according to the Department of Competition Management under the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Within 95 days, USITC will base on feedbacks to decide whether it should consider a thorough repeal of the anti-dumping tax. So far, the information provided by Vietnamese organisations and defendants to USITC was sufficient, according to the USITC council.

Earlier in February this year, Vietnam brought a lawsuit to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) protesting against the US imposition of anti-dumping taxes on the country's frozen shrimp. Vietnam was free to propose that the WTO set up an arbitration committee to settle the dispute if the two countries failed reach an agreement on the issue within 60 days.

This was the first time Vietnam has brought an action since it joined the WTO in January 2007.

The US Department of Commerce separated Vietnam and China from other shrimp exporters in November, 2004 and classified the two countries as non-market economies. Vietnam's shrimp exporters are suffering from tariffs ranging from 4.13 - 25.76%