[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 9, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23729-23730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11676]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-432]


Certain Steel Wire Rod: Effects of Import Relief Action on the 
Domestic Industry and Principal Users in the United States

AGENCY: International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: April 26, 2001.
SUMMARY: Following receipt, on April 26, 2001, of a request from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR), the U.S. International Trade 
Commission (Commission) instituted investigation No. 332-432, Certain 
Steel Wire Rod: Effects of Import Relief Action on the Domestic 
Industry and Principal Users in the United States, under section 332(g) 
of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S. C. 1332(g)).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Debra Baker (202-205-3180), Office of 
Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E St., SW., 
Washington, DC 20436. Hearing

[[Page 23730]]

impaired individuals are advised that information on this matter can be 
obtained by contacting the 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). The 
public record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's 
electronic docket (EDIS-ON-LINE) at http://dockets.usitc.gov/eol/public. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Following receipt of a report from the Commission in July 1999 
under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2252),\1\ the 
President, on February 16, 2000, issued Proclamation 7273, imposing 
import relief in the form of a tariff-rate quota on imports of certain 
steel wire rod (65 FR 8621, February 18, 2000). In his memorandum to 
the Secretary of the Treasury and the USTR that accompanied the 
proclamation for the wire rod relief action, the President instructed 
that the USTR request that the Commission, pursuant to section 332(g) 
of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), examine the effects of 
the relief action on the domestic wire rod industry and the principal 
users of wire rod in the United States. As requested by the USTR, the 
Commission's report on the investigation will focus on the effects of 
the action on the domestic wire rod industry and on principal users of 
wire rod in the United States since March 1, 2000, when the President 
imposed a tariff-rate quota on imports of certain steel wire rod\2\ 
pursuant to section 203 of the Trade Act of 1974. As requested by the 
USTR, the Commission will transmit its report to the USTR no later than 
August 23, 2001, the date that the Commission is scheduled to submit 
its report to the President under section 204(a)(2) of the Trade Act of 
1974 (Certain Steel Wire Rod: Monitoring Developments in the Domestic 
Industry, Investigation No. TA-204-6).
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    \1\ Circular Steel Wire Rod, USITC Pub. 3207, July 1999.
    \2\ The imported article covered by this investigation is 
defined as hot-rolled bars and rods, in irregularly wound coils, of 
circular or approximately circular solid cross section, having a 
diameter of 5 mm or more but less than 19 mm, of non-alloy or alloy 
steel, except such bars and rods of free-machining steel or of alloy 
steel containing by weight 24 percent or more of nickel. Free-
machining steel is any steel product containing by weight one or 
more of the following elements, in the specified proportions: 0.03 
percent or more of lead, 0.05 percent or more of bismuth, 0.08 
percent or more of sulfur, more than 0.04 percent of phosphorous, 
more than 0.05 percent of selenium, and/or more than 0.01 percent of 
tellurium. Certain steel wire rod is provided for in subheadings 
7213.91, 7213.99, 7227.20, and 7227.90.60 of the Harmonized Schedule 
of the United States (HTS). The scope of this investigation does not 
cover concrete reinforcing bars and rods, or bars and rods of 
stainless steel or tool steel, which are provided for in other HTS 
subheadings. Also excluded from the scope of the investigation are 
wire rod of tire cord quality, valve spring quality, class III pipe 
wrap quality, aircraft cold heading quality, aluminum cable steel 
reinforced (``ACSR'') quality, piano wire string quality, grade 1085 
annealed bearing quality, and grade 1080 tire bead wire quality. 
These products are described in detail in the annex to Presidential 
Proclamation 7273 (65 FR 8624, February 18, 2000).
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Written Submissions

    Interested persons are invited to submit written statements 
concerning the matters to be addressed in the report. Commercial or 
financial information that a party desires the Commission to treat as 
confidential must be submitted on separate sheets of paper, each 
clearly marked ``Confidential Business Information'' at the top. All 
submissions requesting confidential treatment must conform with the 
requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). All written submissions, except for 
confidential business information, will be made available for 
inspection by interested persons in the Office of the Secretary to the 
Commission. To be assured of consideration by the Commission, written 
statements relating to the Commission's report should be submitted at 
the earliest practical date and should be received no later than July 
18, 2001. All submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, United 
States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 
20436.
    The Commission may wish to use the confidential business 
information you provide in this investigation in other investigations 
conducted under other statutory authority arising out of the relief 
action taken by the President as a result of the Commission's 
determination in investigation No. TA-201-69 concerning steel wire rod, 
but will do so only with your consent. Any confidential business 
information so used will be afforded the protection provided under the 
appropriate statutory authority. In your request for confidential 
treatment, please state whether you consent to such use.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: May 3, 2001.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-11676 Filed 5-8-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P