[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 116 (Wednesday, June 17, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33092-33093]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-16130]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigations Nos. 701-TA-380-382 and 731-TA-797-804 (Preliminary)]


Certain Stainless Steel Sheet And Strip From France, Germany, 
Italy, Japan, The Republic Of Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, And The United 
Kingdom

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of countervailing duty and antidumping 
investigations, and scheduling of preliminary phase investigations.

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SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice of the institution of 
investigations and commencement of preliminary phase countervailing 
duty investigations Nos. 701-TA-380-382 (Preliminary) under section 
703(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671b(a)) (the Act) to 
determine whether there is a reasonable indication that an industry in 
the United States is materially injured or threatened with material 
injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United States is 
materially retarded, by reason of imports from France, Italy, and the 
Republic of Korea (Korea) of

[[Page 33093]]

certain stainless steel sheet and strip,\1\ that are alleged to be 
subsidized by the Governments of France, Italy, and Korea. The 
Commission also gives notice of institution of investigations and 
commencement of preliminary phase antidumping investigations Nos. 731-
TA-797-804 (Preliminary) under section 733(a) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 
1673b(a)) to determine whether there is a reasonable indication that an 
industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with 
material injury, or the establishment of an industry in the United 
States is materially retarded, by reason of imports from France, 
Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom of 
certain stainless steel sheet and strip, that are alleged to be sold in 
the United States at less than fair value. Unless the Department of 
Commerce extends the time for initiation pursuant to section 
732(c)(1)(B) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1673a(c)(1)(B)), the Commission must 
reach preliminary determinations in countervailing duty/antidumping 
investigations in 45 days, or in this case by July 27, 1998. The 
Commission's views are due at the Department of Commerce within five 
business days thereafter, or by August 3, 1998.
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    \1\ The products covered by these investigations are stainless 
steel sheet and strip in coils. Stainless steel is an alloy steel 
containing, by weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 
percent or more of chromium, with or without other elements. The 
subject sheet and strip products are flat-rolled products in coils 
that are less than 4.75 mm in thickness, and that are annealed or 
otherwise heat treated and pickled or otherwise descaled. The 
subject sheet and strip products may also be further processed 
(e.g., cold-rolled, polished, aluminized, coated, etc.) provided 
that they maintain the specified dimensions of sheet and strip 
following such processing. These products, if imported, are 
currently classified in the following subheadings of the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS): 7219.13.00, 7219.14.00, 
7219.32.00, 7219.33.00, 7219.34.00, 7219.35.00, 7219.90.00, 
7220.12.10, 7220.12.50, 7220.20.10, 7220.20.60, 7220.20.70, 
7220.20.80, 7220.20.90, and 7220.90.00.
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    For further information concerning the conduct of these 
investigations and rules of general application, consult the 
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, subparts A 
through E (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and B (19 CFR 
part 207).

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 10, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane J. Mazur (202-205-3184), Office 
of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20436. Hearing-impaired persons can obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
on 202-205-1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will need 
special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact 
the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000. General information 
concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its 
internet server (http://www.usitc.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    These investigations are being instituted in response to petitions 
filed on June 10, 1998, by counsel for Allegheny Ludlum Corporation; 
Armco, Inc.; Washington Steel Division of Bethlehem Steel Corp., the 
United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO; Butler Armco Independent 
Union; and Zanesville Armco Independent Organization, Inc.

Participation in the investigations and public service list

    Persons (other than petitioners) wishing to participate in the 
investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the 
Secretary to the Commission, as provided in sections 201.11 and 207.10 
of the Commission's rules, not later than seven days after publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register. Industrial users and (if the 
merchandise under investigation is sold at the retail level) 
representative consumer organizations have the right to appear as 
parties in Commission countervailing duty/antidumping investigations. 
The Secretary will prepare a public service list containing the names 
and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties 
to these investigations upon the expiration of the period for filing 
entries of appearance.

Limited Disclosure of Business Proprietary Information (BPI) Under 
an Administrative Protective Order (APO) and BPI Service List

    Pursuant to section 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the 
Secretary will make BPI gathered in these investigations available to 
authorized applicants representing interested parties (as defined in 19 
U.S.C. 1677(9)) who are parties to these investigations under the APO 
issued in these investigations, provided that the application is made 
not later than seven days after the publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register. A separate service list will be maintained by the 
Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.

Conference

    The Commission's Director of Operations has scheduled a conference 
in connection with these investigations for 9:30 a.m. on July 1, 1998, 
at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW., 
Washington, DC. Parties wishing to participate in the conference should 
contact Diane Mazur (202-205-3184) not later than June 29, 1998, to 
arrange for their appearance. Parties in support of the imposition of 
countervailing/antidumping duties in these investigations and parties 
in opposition to the imposition of such duties will each be 
collectively allocated one hour within which to make an oral 
presentation at the conference. A nonparty who has testimony that may 
aid the Commission's deliberations may request permission to present a 
short statement at the conference.

Written Submissions

    As provided in sections 201.8 and 207.15 of the Commission's rules, 
any person may submit to the Commission on or before July 6, 1998, a 
written brief containing information and arguments pertinent to the 
subject matter of the investigations. Parties may file written 
testimony in connection with their presentation at the conference no 
later than three days before the conference. If briefs or written 
testimony contain BPI, they must conform with the requirements of 
sections 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's rules.
    In accordance with sections 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the rules, each 
document filed by a party to the investigations must be served on all 
other parties to the investigations (as identified by either the public 
or BPI service list), and a certificate of service must be timely 
filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for filing without a 
certificate of service.

    Authority: These investigations are being conducted under 
authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended; this 
notice is published pursuant to section 207.12 of the Commission's 
rules.

    Issued: June 12, 1998.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-16130 Filed 6-16-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P