[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 165 (Friday, August 26, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-21121]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 26, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[A-588-833, and A-351-825]

 

Notice of Postponement of Final Determination of Sales at Less 
Than Fair Value: Stainless Steel Bar From Japan and Brazil

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 26, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kate Johnson or Irene Darzenta, Office 
of Antidumping Investigations, Import Administration, U.S. Department 
of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, 
D.C. 20230; telephone (202) 482-4929 or (202) 482-6320, respectively.

Postponement

    On July 28, 1994, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
issued affirmative preliminary determinations in the antidumping duty 
investigations of stainless steel bar (SSB) from Japan (59 FR 39739, 
August 4, 1994) and Brazil (59 FR 39732, August 4, 1994).
    On July 26, 1994, Daido Steel Co., Ltd. (Daido); Aichi Steel Works, 
Ltd. (Aichi); Sanyo Special Steel Co., Ltd. (Sanyo) (the three 
respondents in the Japanese investigation); Abe Bright Shaft Mfg. Co., 
Ltd.; Pacific Metals Co., Ltd.; Tohoku Steel Co., Ltd.; Yamashin Steel 
Co., Ltd.; and Kansai Metal Industry Co., Ltd. (other Japanese 
exporters), requested that the Department postpone the final 
determination in the Japanese investigation until 135 days after the 
publication date of the preliminary determination in the Federal 
Register, in accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Tariff Act of 
1930, as amended (the Act) (19 U.S.C. 1673d(a)(2)(A)). Daido, Aichi, 
and Sanyo are Japanese exporters which accounted for a significant 
portion of exports of the subject merchandise to the United States. On 
July 26, 1994, Acos Villares, S.A. (the Brazilian respondent), an 
exporter which accounted for a significant portion of exports of the 
subject merchandise to the United States, requested that the Department 
postpone the final determination in the Brazilian investigation until 
135 days after the publication date of the preliminary determination in 
the Federal Register. In both of these investigations the respondents 
requested a postponement in order to permit the Department to align all 
of the related SSB investigations on one timetable, and thereby 
alleviate the administrative burden on all the parties.
    On July 29 and August 1, 1994, petitioners submitted comments 
opposing respondents' request for a postponement of the final 
determinations. In those submissions, petitioners claimed they would be 
adversely affected by a postponement because importers would have the 
option of posting a bond in lieu of paying cash deposits of estimated 
antidumping duties. Petitioners also asserted that there is no increase 
in the level of administrative convenience for any of the parties if 
the final determinations are postponed.
    The Department's regulations provide that upon the receipt of a 
proper request, the Department will postpone the final determination 
unless there are compelling reasons to deny the request (19 CFR 
353.20(b)(1) (1994)). After considering the respondents' and 
petitioners' comments, we find that petitioners will not be adversely 
affected by a postponement of the final determinations. The preliminary 
results have already been issued and suspension of liquidation is 
already in effect. In addition, several of the SSB investigations have 
already been postponed. Given the complexity of these investigations as 
a whole, and the resulting increased burden on the Department to review 
and analyze the documents submitted in these investigations, aligning 
all the SSB investigations will ease the administrative burden on the 
Department. Therefore, in the context of these investigations, we have 
determined that the fact that respondents will be able to post a bond 
in lieu of paying an actual cash deposit for a slightly longer period 
does not rise to a compelling reason for denying the respondents' 
requests.
    Therefore, we are postponing the final determinations on Japan and 
Brazil to the full extent authorized under section 735(a)(2)(A) of the 
Tariff Act. The final determinations will be issued not later than 
December 19, 1994, which is the due date for the previously extended 
investigations of SSB from India, Spain, and Italy.
    In accordance with 19 CFR 353.38, case briefs or other written 
comments must be submitted in at least ten copies to the Assistant 
Secretary for Import Administration no later than November 8, 1994, and 
rebuttal briefs no later than November 15, 1994. In addition, a public 
version and five copies should be submitted by the appropriate date if 
the submission contains business proprietary information. In accordance 
with 19 CFR 353.38(b), we will hold a public hearing, if requested, to 
afford interested parties an opportunity to comment on arguments raised 
in case or rebuttal briefs. If requested, hearings are tentatively 
scheduled on November 17, 1994, at 2:00 p.m. for the Japanese 
investigation and on November 17 1994, at 3:00 p.m. for the Brazilian 
investigation. Both hearings will be held at the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Room 1414, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W., 
Washington D.C., 20230. Parties should confirm by telephone the time, 
date, and place of the hearing 48 hours before the scheduled time.
    This notice is published pursuant to section 735(d) of the Act (19 
U.S.C. 1673d(d)) and 19 CFR 353.20(b)(2).

    Dated: August 16, 1994.
Barbara R. Stafford,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Investigations.
[FR Doc. 94-21121 Filed 8-25-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P