[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 232 (Monday, December 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60195-60196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-29808]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-351-828]


Administrative Review of the Suspension Agreement on Certain Hot-
Rolled Flat-Rolled Carbon-Quality Steel Products From Brazil: Extension 
of Time Limit for Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative 
Review

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

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 3, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Ferrier at (202) 482-1394, 
Phyllis Hall at (202) 482-1398, or Dena Aliadinov at (202) 482-3362, 
Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Ave, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Statutory Time Limits

    Section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act), requires the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') to make 
a preliminary determination within 245 days after the last day of the 
anniversary month of an order for which a review is requested, and a 
final determination within 120 days after the date on which the 
preliminary determination is published. However, if it is not 
practicable to complete the review within these time periods, section 
751(a)(3)(A) of the Act allows the Department to extend the time limit 
for the preliminary determination to a maximum of 365 days and for the 
final determination to 180 days (or 300 days if the Department does not 
extend the time limit for the preliminary determination) from the date 
of publication of the preliminary determination.

[[Page 60196]]

Background

    On July 6, 1999, the Department entered into Antidumping Duty 
Suspension Agreement regarding certain hot-rolled flat-rolled carbon-
quality steel products (``hot-rolled steel'') from Brazil produced by 
Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (``CSN''), Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas 
Gerais (``USIMINAS''), and Companhia Siderurgica Paulista (``COSIPA''). 
This agreement was entered into under section 734(c) of the Tariff Act 
of 1930, as amended, requiring, among other things, that the estimated 
margin of each entry under the suspension agreement does not exceed 15 
percent of the margin found in the investigation. In addition, the 
Agreement requires that sales of subject merchandise are not made below 
the reference price (calculated quarterly, to prevent price suppression 
or undercutting). On July 28, 2000, petitioners requested that the 
Department conduct an administrative review of the agreement. The 
Department initiated this review on September 6, 2000. See 65 FR 53980 
(September 6, 2000). On March 8, 2001 the Department extended the time 
limit for completion of the preliminary results by 120 days. See 66 FR 
13891 (March 8, 2001). The preliminary results were published on August 
8, 2001. See 66 FR 41500 (August 8, 2001). The final results are due on 
December 6, 2001, which is 120 days after the date of publication for 
the preliminary results.

Extension of Time Limit for Final Results of Review

    This is the first administrative review of this suspension 
agreement. There are several novel and complex issues relating to 
compliance with the suspension agreement, including those involving: 
The precise nature of the relationships between the Brazilian mills and 
other parties involved in the U.S. sales process; the appropriate 
methods of margin calculations with respect to the requirements of the 
suspension agreement; and the treatment of certain Brazilian domestic 
taxes. Because of these issues, we find it is not practicable to 
complete this review within the initial time limits mandated by section 
751(a)(3)(A) of the Act. Therefore, we are fully extending the due date 
for the final results to 180 days after the publication date of the 
preliminary results, until February 4, 2002.
    This extension of the time limit is in accordance with section 
751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(2).

    Dated: November 23, 2001.
Joseph A. Spetrini,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, Group III.
[FR Doc. 01-29808 Filed 11-30-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P