[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 1 (Monday, January 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 371-374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34806]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigations Nos. 731-TA-103 (Review), 701-TA-202 (Review), 701-TA-E 
(Review), and 731-TA-514 (Review)]


Cotton Shop Towels From China, Pakistan, Peru, and Bangladesh

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of five-year reviews concerning the antidumping 
duty orders on cotton shop towels from China and Bangladesh, the 
countervailing duty order on cotton shop towels from Pakistan, and the 
suspended countervailing duty investigation on cotton shop towels from 
Peru.

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SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice that it has instituted 
reviews pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 
Sec. 1675(c)) (the Act) to determine whether revocation of the 
antidumping duty orders on cotton shop towels from China and 
Bangladesh, revocation of the countervailing duty order on cotton shop 
towels from Pakistan, and termination of the suspended countervailing 
duty investigation on cotton shop towels from Peru would be likely to 
lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury. Pursuant to 
section 751(c)(2) of the Act, interested parties are requested to 
respond to this notice by submitting the information specified below to 
the Commission; the deadline for responses is February 23, 1999. 
Comments on the adequacy of responses may be filed with the Commission 
by March 19, 1999.
    For further information concerning the conduct of these reviews 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, D, E, and F (19 CFR part 207). Recent 
amendments to the Rules of Practice and Procedure pertinent to five-
year reviews, including the text of subpart F of part 207, are 
published at 63 F.R. 30599, June 5, 1998, and may be downloaded from 
the Commission's World Wide Web site at http://www.usitc.gov/rules.htm.


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EFFECTIVE DATE: January 4, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary Messer (202-205-3193) or Vera 
Libeau (202-205-3176), 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.--On October 4, 1983, the Department of Commerce issued 
an antidumping duty order on imports of cotton shop towels from China 
(48 F.R. 45277). On March 9, 1984, the Department of Commerce issued a 
countervailing duty order on imports of cotton shop towels from 
Pakistan (49 F.R. 8974). On September 12, 1984, the Department of 
Commerce suspended a countervailing duty investigation on imports of 
cotton shop towels from Peru (49 F.R. 35835). On March 20, 1992, the 
Department of Commerce issued an antidumping duty order on imports of 
cotton shop towels from Bangladesh (57 F.R. 9688). The Commission is 
conducting reviews to determine whether revocation of the orders and/or 
termination of the suspended investigation would be likely to lead to 
continuation or recurrence of material injury to the domestic industry 
within a reasonably foreseeable time.
    Definitions.--The following definitions apply to these reviews:
    (1) Subject Merchandise is the class or kind of merchandise that is 
within the scope of the five-year reviews, as defined by the Department 
of Commerce.
    (2) The Subject Countries in these reviews are Bangladesh, China, 
Pakistan, and Peru.
    (3) The Domestic Like Product is the domestically produced product 
or products which are like, or in the absence of like, most similar in 
characteristics and uses with, the Subject Merchandise. In its original 
determinations concerning China and Pakistan, the Commission defined 
the Domestic Like Product as shop towels. In its original determination 
concerning Bangladesh, the Commission defined the Domestic Like Product 
as shop towels, whether blended or all cotton, regardless of the origin 
of the fabric. The Commission in the Bangladesh determination indicated 
that this definition was not different in substance than the definition 
used in the original determinations concerning China and Pakistan. 
There was no Commission determination concerning the suspended 
countervailing duty investigation concerning Peru. Therefore, for 
purposes of this notice concerning Peru, you should consider the 
Domestic Like Product to be shop towels, whether blended or all cotton, 
regardless of the origin of the fabric.
    (4) The Domestic Industry is the U.S. producers as a whole of the 
Domestic Like Product, or those producers whose collective output of 
the Domestic Like Product constitutes a major proportion of the total 
domestic production of the product. In its original determinations 
concerning China and Pakistan, the Commission defined the Domestic 
Industry as all producers of shop towels. In its original determination 
concerning Bangladesh, the Commission defined the Domestic Industry as 
all producers of the Domestic Like Product, including integrated 
producers, converters, and toll producers. There was no Commission 
determination concerning the suspended countervailing duty 
investigation concerning Peru. Therefore, for purposes of this notice 
concerning Peru, the Domestic Industry is all producers of the Domestic 
Like Product, including integrated producers, converters, and toll 
producers.
    (5) The Order Dates are the dates that the antidumping duty and 
countervailing duty orders under review became effective and the 
countervailing duty investigation was suspended. In the review 
concerning China, the Order Date is October 4, 1983. In the review 
concerning Pakistan, the Order Date is March 9, 1984. In the review 
concerning Peru, the Order Date is September 12, 1984. In the review 
concerning Bangladesh, the Order Date is March 20, 1992.
    (6) An Importer is any person or firm engaged, either directly or 
through a parent company or subsidiary, in importing the Subject 
Merchandise into the United States from a foreign manufacturer or 
through its selling agent.
    Participation in the reviews and public service list.--Persons, 
including industrial users of the Subject Merchandise and, if the 
merchandise is sold at the retail level, representative consumer 
organizations, wishing to participate in the reviews as parties must 
file an entry of appearance with the Secretary to the Commission, as 
provided in section 201.11(b)(4) of the Commission's rules, no later 
than 21 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register. 
The Secretary will maintain a public service list containing the names 
and addresses of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties 
to the reviews.
    Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under 
an administrative protective order (APO) and APO service list.--
Pursuant to section 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary 
will make BPI submitted in these reviews available to authorized 
applicants under the APO issued in the reviews, provided that the 
application is made no later than 21 days after publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. Authorized applicants must represent 
interested parties, as defined in 19 U.S.C. Sec. 1677(9), who are 
parties to the reviews. A separate service list will be maintained by 
the Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the 
APO.
    Certification.--Pursuant to section 207.3 of the Commission's 
rules, any person submitting information to the Commission in 
connection with these reviews must certify that the information is 
accurate and complete to the best of the submitter's knowledge. In 
making the certification, the submitter will be deemed to consent, 
unless otherwise specified, for the Commission, its employees, and 
contract personnel to use the information provided in any other reviews 
or investigations of the same or comparable products which the 
Commission conducts under Title VII of the Act, or in internal audits 
and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the 
Commission pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3.
    Written submissions.--Pursuant to section 207.61 of the 
Commission's rules, each interested party response to this notice must 
provide the information specified below. The deadline for filing such 
responses is February 23, 1999. Pursuant to section 207.62(b) of the 
Commission's rules, eligible parties (as specified in Commission rule 
207.62(b)(1)) may also file comments concerning the adequacy of 
responses to the notice of institution and whether the Commission 
should conduct expedited or full reviews. The deadline for filing such 
comments is March 19, 1999. All written submissions must conform with 
the provisions of sections 201.8 and 207.3 of the Commission's rules 
and any submissions that contain BPI must also conform with the 
requirements of sections 201.6 and 207.7 of the Commission's rules. The 
Commission's rules do not authorize filing of submissions with the 
Secretary by

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facsimile or electronic means. Also, in accordance with sections 
201.16(c) and 207.3 of the Commission's rules, each document filed by a 
party to the reviews must be served on all other parties to the reviews 
(as identified by either the public or APO service list as 
appropriate), and a certificate of service must accompany the document 
(if you are not a party to the reviews you do not need to serve your 
response).
    Inability to provide requested information.--Pursuant to section 
207.61(c) of the Commission's rules, any interested party that cannot 
furnish the information requested by this notice in the requested form 
and manner shall notify the Commission at the earliest possible time, 
provide a full explanation of why it cannot provide the requested 
information, and indicate alternative forms in which it can provide 
equivalent information. If an interested party does not provide this 
notification (or the Commission finds the explanation provided in the 
notification inadequate) and fails to provide a complete response to 
this notice, the Commission may take an adverse inference against the 
party pursuant to section 776(b) of the Act in making its 
determinations in the reviews.
    Information To Be Provided in Response to This Notice of 
Institution: If you are a domestic producer, union/worker group, or 
trade/business association; import/export Subject Merchandise from more 
than one Subject Country; or produce Subject Merchandise in more than 
one Subject Country, you may file a single response. If you do so, 
please ensure that your response to each question includes the 
information requested for each pertinent Subject Country. As used 
below, the term ``firm'' includes any related firms.
    (1) The name and address of your firm or entity (including World 
Wide Web address if available) and name, telephone number, fax number, 
and E-mail address of the certifying official.
    (2) A statement indicating whether your firm/entity is a U.S. 
producer of the Domestic Like Product, a U.S. union or worker group, a 
U.S. importer of the Subject Merchandise, a foreign producer or 
exporter of the Subject Merchandise, a U.S. or foreign trade or 
business association, or another interested party (including an 
explanation). If you are a union/worker group or trade/business 
association, identify the firms in which your workers are employed or 
which are members of your association.
    (3) A statement indicating whether your firm/entity is willing to 
participate in these reviews by providing information requested by the 
Commission.
    (4) A statement of the likely effects of the revocation of the 
antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders and termination of the 
suspended investigation on the Domestic Industry in general and/or your 
firm/entity specifically. In your response, please discuss the various 
factors specified in section 752(a) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 
Sec. 1675a(a)) including the likely volume of subject imports, likely 
price effects of subject imports, and likely impact of imports of 
Subject Merchandise on the Domestic Industry.
    (5) A list of all known and currently operating U.S. producers of 
the Domestic Like Product. Identify any known related parties and the 
nature of the relationship as defined in section 771(4)(B) of the Act 
(19 U.S.C. Sec. 1677(4)(B)).
    (6) A list of all known and currently operating U.S. importers of 
the Subject Merchandise and producers of the Subject Merchandise in the 
Subject Countries that currently export or have exported Subject 
Merchandise to the United States or other countries since the years the 
petitions were filed. The Subject Countries and the years the petitions 
were filed are listed below:

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                       Subject Countries                          Years
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China..........................................................     1982
Pakistan.......................................................     1983
Peru...........................................................     1984
Bangladesh.....................................................     1990
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    (7) If you are a U.S. producer of the Domestic Like Product, 
provide the following information on your firm's operations on that 
product during calendar year 1998 (report quantity data in thousands of 
towels and value data in thousands of U.S. dollars, f.o.b. plant). If 
you are a union/worker group or trade/business association, provide the 
information, on an aggregate basis, for the firms in which your workers 
are employed/which are members of your association.
    (a) Production (quantity) and, if known, an estimate of the 
percentage of total U.S. production of the Domestic Like Product 
accounted for by your firm's(s') production; and
    (b) the quantity and value of U.S. commercial shipments of the 
Domestic Like Product produced in your U.S. plant(s).
    (8) If you are a U.S. importer or a trade/business association of 
U.S. importers of the Subject Merchandise from the Subject Countries, 
provide the following information on your firm's(s') operations on that 
product during calendar year 1998 (report quantity data in thousands of 
towels and value data in thousands of U.S. dollars). If you are a 
trade/business association, provide the information, on an aggregate 
basis, for the firms which are members of your association.
    (a) The quantity and value (landed, duty-paid but not including 
antidumping or countervailing duties) of U.S. imports and, if known, an 
estimate of the percentage of total U.S. imports of Subject Merchandise 
from the Subject Countries accounted for by your firm's(s') imports; 
and
    (b) the quantity and value (f.o.b. U.S. port, including antidumping 
and/or countervailing duties) of U.S. commercial shipments of Subject 
Merchandise imported from the Subject Countries.
    (9) If you are a producer, an exporter, or a trade/business 
association of producers or exporters of the Subject Merchandise in the 
Subject Countries, provide the following information on your firm's(s') 
operations on that product during calendar year 1998 (report quantity 
data in thousands of towels and value data in thousands of U.S. 
dollars, landed and duty-paid at the U.S. port but not including 
antidumping or countervailing duties). If you are a trade/business 
association, provide the information, on an aggregate basis, for the 
firms which are members of your association.
    (a) Production (quantity) and, if known, an estimate of the 
percentage of total production of Subject Merchandise in the Subject 
Countries accounted for by your firm's(s') production; and
    (b) the quantity and value of your firm's(s') exports to the United 
States of Subject Merchandise and, if known, an estimate of the 
percentage of total exports to the United States of Subject Merchandise 
from the Subject Countries accounted for by your firm's(s') exports.
    (10) Identify significant changes, if any, in the supply and demand 
conditions or business cycle for the Domestic Like Product that have 
occurred in the United States or in the market for the Subject 
Merchandise in the Subject Countries since the Order Dates, and 
significant changes, if any, that are likely to occur within a 
reasonably foreseeable time. Supply conditions to consider include 
technology; production methods; development efforts; ability to 
increase production (including the shift of production facilities used 
for other products and the use, cost, or availability of major inputs 
into production); and factors related to the ability to shift supply 
among different national markets (including barriers to importation in 
foreign markets or changes in market demand abroad).

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Demand conditions to consider include end uses and applications; the 
existence and availability of substitute products; and the level of 
competition among the Domestic Like Product produced in the United 
States, Subject Merchandise `produced in the Subject Countries, and 
such merchandise from other countries.
    (11) (Optional) A statement of whether you agree with the above 
definitions of the Domestic Like Product and Domestic Industry; if you 
disagree with either or both of these definitions, please explain why 
and provide alternative definitions.

    Authority: These reviews are being conducted under authority of 
title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is published 
pursuant to section 207.61 of the Commission's rules.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: December 24, 1998.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-34806 Filed 12-31-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P