By Irina Tsukerman & Anis El Okbani
US President Joe Biden’s administration has dealt a major blow to OCP Group by its decision to impose countervailing duties on fertilizer imports from Morocco.
The ruling brings to a close an investigation initiated during Donald Trump’s tenure
OCP loses its standoff against Mosaic
In the end, the arrival of a new administration US did not change the outcome of the proceedings.
the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) announced on 11 March 2021 that it would place countervailing duties of 19.97% on phosphate fertilizer imports to the US from the OCP Group.
the outcome is still a major blow for the group headed by Terrab.
An economic battle, tinged with political considerations, the epilogue of which came in March 2021.
Washington Outsider has learned that the OCP group has decided to appeal to the United States Federal Court of International Trade.
Three lobbying firms recruited
As proof of the importance of the conflict, the group of Mostafa Terrab, this technocrat graduated from (MIT) had recruited three lobbying firms, Cornerstone Government Affairs, FleishmanHillard and CCO, to defend their group.
If OCP goes to such lengths, it’s because Mosaic’s complaint halted its conquest of an American market.
The political unknown
To this economic question is added a last unknown, political this one.
What impact can the change in the American presidency and the recent diplomatic rapprochement between the United States and Morocco on the Moroccan Sahara, where there are phosphates, have on this battle?
Does Terrab lack “political culture” and his supervising minister Aziz Rabbah in all of this?