The United States has opened a trade investigation into Norway and a number of Asian economies, Office of the United States Trade Representative reports.
Washington wants to find out whether these countries are producing so many manufactured goods that it harms U.S. industry.
The probe was announced by Jamieson Greer from the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
According to the U.S. government, some countries may have created excess production capacity in manufacturing. This means they produce more goods than their own markets can absorb.
When those goods are exported, they can push prices down globally and make it harder for American manufacturers to compete.
Along with Norway, the investigation includes several Asian economies such as Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
The investigation is launched under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows the United States to respond to trade practices it considers unfair.
The U.S. will now hold consultations with the governments involved. Public comments open March 17 and hearings are expected to start on May 5.
If the investigation concludes that the policies harm U.S. industry, Washington could respond with new tariffs or other trade restrictions against the countries involved.
