[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 36 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9174-9175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-4570]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Invs. Nos. 701-TA-387-392 (Preliminary) & 731-TA-815-822 
(Preliminary)]


Certain Cut-To-Length Steel Plate From the Czech Republic, 
France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Macedonia

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-387-392 (Preliminary) and antidumping 
investigations Nos. 731-TA-815-822 (Preliminary) under sections 703(a) 
and 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. Sec. 1671b(a) and 19 
U.S.C. Sec. 1673b(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, India, Indonesia, Italy, 
Korea, and Macedonia of certain cut-to-length steel plate that are 
alleged to be subsidized by the Governments of the respective 
countries, and imports from the Czech Republic, France, India, 
Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Macedonia of certain cut-to-length 
steel plate that are alleged to be sold in the United States at less 
than fair value.1 Unless the Department of Commerce extends 
the time for initiation pursuant to section 702(c)(1)(B) or 
732(c)(1)(B) of the Act (19 U.S.C. Sec. 1671a(c)(1)(B) or 19 U.S.C. 
Sec. 1673a(c)(1)(B)), the Commission must reach a preliminary 
determination in these investigations in 45 days, or in this case by 
April 2, 1999. The Commission's views are due at the Department of 
Commerce within five business days thereafter, or by April 9, 1999.
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    \1\ Such imports are provided for in headings 7207, 7208, 7210, 
7211, 7212, 7224, 7225, and 7226 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
of the United States.
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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: February 16, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Douglas Corkran (202-205-3177), 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

[[Page 9175]]

accessing its internet server (http://www.usitc.gov).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background.--These investigations are being instituted in response 
to a petition filed on February 16, 1999, by Bethlehem Steel Corp. 
(Bethlehem, PA); U.S. Steel Group, a unit of USX Corp. (Pittsburgh, 
PA); Gulf States Steel, Inc. (Gadsden, AL); IPSCO Steel Inc. 
(Muscatine, IA); Tuscaloosa Steel Co.2 (Tuscaloosa, AL); and 
the United Steelworkers of America (Pittsburgh, PA).
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    \2\ Tuscaloosa Steel Co. is not a petitioner with respect to the 
investigations on the Czech Republic, France, and Italy.
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    Participation in the investigation and public service list.--
Persons (other than petitioners) wishing to participate in the 
investigation 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 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. 
Sec. 1677(9)) who are parties to the investigation under the APO issued 
in the investigation, 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 
March 9, 1999, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 
E Street SW., Washington, DC. Parties wishing to participate in the 
conference should contact Douglas Corkran (202-205-3177) not later than 
March 5, 1999, to arrange for their appearance. Parties in support of 
the imposition of countervailing and/or 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 March 12, 1999, a written brief containing information and 
arguments pertinent to the subject matter of the investigation. 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. The 
Commission's rules do not authorize filing of submissions with the 
Secretary by facsimile or electronic means.
    In accordance with sections 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the rules, each 
document filed by a party to the investigation must be served on all 
other parties to the investigation (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; this notice is 
published pursuant to section 207.12 of the Commission's rules.
    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: February 18, 1999.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-4570 Filed 2-23-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P