[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 68 (Friday, April 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8474]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 8, 1994]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigations Nos. 701-TA-359 and 731-TA-686-687 (Preliminary)]

 

Certain Steel Wire Rod From Belgium and Germany

Determinations

    On the basis of the record1 developed in the subject 
investigations, the Commission determines,2 pursuant to section 
733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1673b(a)), that there is a 
reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is 
threatened with material injury by reason of imports from Belgium of 
certain steel wire rod,3 provided for in subheadings 7213.31.30, 
7213.31.60, 7213.39.00, 7213.41.30, 7213.41.60, 7213.49.00, 7213.50.00, 
7227.20.00, and 7227.90.60 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States, that are alleged to be sold in the United States at less 
than fair value (LTFV).
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    \1\The record is defined in sec. 207.2(f) of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 207.2(f)).
    \2\Vice Chairman Watson and Commissioner Crawford dissenting.
    \3\For purposes of these investigations, certain steel wire rod 
is defined as hot-rolled carbon steel and alloy steel wire rod, in 
irregularly wound coils, of approximately round cross section, 
between 5.08 mm (0.20 inch) and 19.0 mm (0.75 inch) in diameter. The 
following products are excluded from the scope of these 
investigations:
    --Steel wire rod 5.5 mm or less in diameter, with tensile 
strength greater than or equal to 1040 MPa, and having the following 
chemical content, by weight: carbon greater than or equal to 0.79 
percent, aluminum less than or equal to 0.005 percent, phosphorus 
plus sulfur less than or equal to 0.04 percent, and nitrogen less 
than or equal to 0.006 percent (termed ``1080 tire cord'' quality 
wire rod);
    --Free-machining steel containing 0.03 percent or more of lead, 
0.05 percent or more of bismuth, 0.08 percent or more of sulfur, 
more than 0.4 percent of phosphorus, more than 0.05 percent of 
selenium, and/or more than 0.01 percent of tellurium;
    --Stainless steel rods, tool steel rods, free-cutting steel 
rods, resulfurized steel rods, ball bearing steel rods, high-nickel 
steel rods, and concrete reinforcing bars and rods; and
    --Wire rod 7.9 to 18 mm in diameter, containing 0.48 to 0.73 
percent carbon by weight, and having partial decarburization and 
seams no more than 0.075 mm in depth (termed valve spring quality 
wire rod).
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    Further, the Commission determines,4 pursuant to sections 
703(a) and 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671b(a) and 
1673b(a)), that there is no reasonable indication that an industry in 
the United States is materially injured or threatened with material 
injury, or that the establishment of an industry in the United States 
is materially retarded, by reason of imports from Germany of certain 
steel wire rod, that are alleged to be subsidized by the Government of 
Germany and sold in the United States at LTFV.
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    \4\Chairman Newquist dissenting.
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Background

    On February 14, 1994, a petition was filed with the Commission and 
the Department of Commerce by Connecticut Steel Corp., Wallingford, CT; 
Georgetown Steel Corp., Georgetown, SC; North Star Steel Texas, Inc., 
Beaumont, TX; Co-Steel Raritan River Steel Co., Perth Amboy, NJ; 
Keystone Steel & Wire Corp., Peoria, IL; and Northwestern Steel & Wire 
Co., Sterling, IL, alleging that an industry in the United States is 
materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of 
subsidized imports of certain steel wire rod from Germany and LTFV 
imports from Belgium and Germany. Accordingly, effective February 14, 
1994, the Commission instituted countervailing duty investigation No. 
701-TA-359 (Preliminary) and antidumping investigations Nos. 731-TA-
686-687 (Preliminary).
    Notice of the institution of the Commission's investigations and of 
a public conference to be held in connection therewith was given by 
posting copies of the notice in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. 
International Trade Commission, Washington, DC, and by publishing the 
notice in the Federal Register of February 22, 1994 (59 FR 8483). The 
conference was held in Washington, DC, on March 4, 1994, and all 
persons who requested the opportunity were permitted to appear in 
person or by counsel.
    The Commission transmitted its determinations in these 
investigations to the Secretary of Commerce on March 31, 1994. The 
views of the Commission are contained in USITC Publication 2760 (March 
1994), entitled ``Certain Steel Wire Rod from Belgium and Germany: 
Investigations Nos. 701-TA-359 and 731-TA-686-687 (Preliminary).''

    Issued: April 4, 1994.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 94-8474 Filed 4-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P