Bangma vape world view report:
The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) has issued a notice that it will no longer review the Chief Administrative Justice’s (CALJ) Initial Determination (ID) on the termination of the 337 investigation into “Specific Disposable Electronic Cigarette Devices, Components, and Packaging” (Investigation Number: 337-TA-1381), officially terminating the investigation. This termination is based on the initiative of the complainant, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, and its subsidiary, R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company (RJR), to withdraw their appeal.
The investigation was initially initiated on October 13, 2023, when Renault Tobacco Company filed a 337 investigation application with the US ITC, claiming that the product exported, imported, and sold in the United States violated US Section 337 (false advertising, fictitious origin labeling, unfair competition), and requested the US ITC to issue a general exclusion order or limited exclusion order, prohibition order.
On December 15, 2023, based on RJR’s appeal, it was initiated. The appeal accuses multiple companies of violating Section 337 of the U.S. Tariff Act of 1930, causing substantial damage or threat to related industries in the United States. The investigation involves multiple domestic and Chinese companies in the United States.
During the investigation, RJR filed a motion on January 10, 2025, requesting the termination of the entire investigation based on the withdrawal of the appeal. Although some of the defendants did not object to termination, they requested additional conditions to alleviate their financial burden and limit RJR’s future actions, which were not supported by the Chief Administrative Justice. The Chief Administrative Justice issued a preliminary ruling (ID, Order No. 58) on March 7, 2025, approving the termination of the investigation, but clarifying that the termination was “without prejudice” and rejecting the defendant’s request for additional conditions. The defendant subsequently requested the committee to review the preliminary ruling and impose conditions, but the committee decided not to conduct a review in a vote on April 8, 2025, and upheld the preliminary ruling.
The committee stated in the notice that this termination means that the appellant may file another appeal in the future regarding the same or similar allegations. The committee stated that it is too early to determine the specific impact of this termination on potential future appeals, and has not yet decided how the records of this investigation will be used in future new investigations.
This case time sequence as following:
- The case was initiated by Renault Tobacco and its e-cigarette subsidiaries in October 2023, accusing multiple companies of false advertising, false origin labeling, and unfair competition in the sale of disposable e-cigarette products in the United States, and advocating for the issuance of exclusion and prohibition orders for related products.
- Renault filed a motion to withdraw the lawsuit in January 2025. The Chief Administrative Judge approved the withdrawal of the lawsuit in March, ruling to terminate the investigation and reject the defendant’s additional requests for economic compensation and future litigation restrictions, clarifying that the termination does not affect the right to appeal again in the future.
