According to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office, U.S. anti-dumping statutes are among the harshest in the world and anti-dumping cases are being prosecuted at an alarming rate.

Anti-dumping efforts are designed to penalize low-cost imports allegedly "dumped" on foreign markets at prices below those charged in other countries or below the cost of production.

• From 1991 to 1995, the average anti-dumping duty imposed by the U.S. was 56.8 percent -- a higher rate than any other country except Mexico.

• The average extra duty imposed has nearly tripled since the early 1980s.

• The U.S. initiated an average of 49 anti-dumping cases a year from 1991 to 1995 -- about 20 percent of the world total.

• Only five other countries averaged as many as 20 cases a year -- and just eight averaged as many as 10.

The U.S. had 294 anti-dumping measures in effect in 1995 -- more than twice as many as any other country and 35 percent of the world total. Only 87 measures were in effect against American companies at that time.

The International Trade Commission has estimated that anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders in 1991 cost the economy about $1.6 billion. Trade analysts say that while such activities serve the interests of firms by shielding them from foreign competition, they bring only harm to consumers.