[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 156 (Friday, August 11, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 49219]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20439]



[[Page 49219]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-427-098]


Anhydrous Sodium Metasilicate From France; Rescission of 
Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

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

ACTION: Notice of Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review.

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SUMMARY: On February 28, 2000, the Department of Commerce published in 
the Federal Register a notice initiating an administrative review of 
the antidumping duty order on anhydrous sodium metasilicate from 
France. This administrative review covered one French manufacturer/
exporter of anhydrous sodium metasilicate, Rhone-Poulenc, for the 
period of January 1, 1999, through December 31, 1999. The Department of 
Commerce has now rescinded this review as a result of the absence of 
entries of subject merchandise by this company into the United States 
during the period of review.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 11, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Ross or Richard Rimlinger, Office 
of AD/CVD Enforcement, Group 1, Import Administration, International 
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone (202) 482-
4794 or (202) 482-4477, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Applicable Statute and Regulations

    Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the statute are 
references to the provisions effective January 1, 1995, the effective 
date of the amendments made to the Tariff Act of 1930 (the Act) by the 
Uruguay Round Agreements Act. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, 
all citations to the Department's regulations are to 19 CFR part 351 
(1999).

Background

    On January 13, 2000, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
published in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity to request an 
administrative review of the antidumping duty order on anhydrous sodium 
metasilicate (ASM) from France (65 FR 2114). On January 28, 2000, the 
petitioner in this proceeding, PQ Corporation, submitted a request for 
an administrative review of sales by Rhone-Poulenc, a manufacturer/
exporter of ASM, for the period of January 1, 1999, through December 
31, 1999. The Department initiated an administrative review on February 
28, 2000 (65 FR 10466).
    On April 7, 2000, a company named Rhodia submitted a letter to the 
Department explaining that Rhone-Poulenc merged with Hoechst into a new 
group of companies called Aventis. Rhodia also explained that it was 
created as a result of the Aventis merger and is now the entity 
manufacturing ASM in France. Moreover, Rhodia stated that it did not 
export the subject merchandise to the United States during the period 
of review (POR).
    On May 9, 2000, the Department sent a no-shipment inquiry regarding 
Rhone-Poulenc and Rhodia to the U.S. Customs Service. The purpose of 
this inquiry was to determine whether the Customs Service suspended 
liquidation of entry summaries of ASM during the POR. The Customs 
Service did not identify any suspended entry summaries of ASM 
manufactured and/or exported by Rhone-Poulenc or Rhodia during the POR. 
Therefore, we have determined that there were no entries of subject 
merchandise by these companies into the customs territory of the United 
States during the POR.
    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3), the Department may rescind an 
administrative review, in whole, or only with respect to a particular 
exporter or producer, if the Department concludes that, during the 
period covered by the review, there were no entries, exports, or sales 
of the subject merchandise. In light of the fact that we determined 
that the only company covered by the review did not enter the subject 
merchandise into the territory of the United States during the POR in 
question, we find that rescinding this review is appropriate. On July 
14, 2000, we sent a letter to the petitioner to notify it of our 
findings and invited it to comment on our intent to rescind the review. 
The petitioner responded on July 18, 2000, stating that it does not 
object. Therefore, we are rescinding this administrative review.
    The cash-deposit rate for Rhone-Poulenc/Rhodia will remain at 60 
percent, the rate established in the most recently completed segment of 
this proceeding (64 FR 66881, November 30, 1999). This notice is being 
published in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4).

    Dated: August 4, 2000.
Richard W. Moreland,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-20439 Filed 8-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P