[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 141 (Wednesday, July 23, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43492-43493]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18746]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-357-813]


Notice of Extension of Time Limit for the Preliminary Results of 
Countervailing Duty Administrative Review: Honey from Argentina

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce is extending the time limit for the 
preliminary results of the administrative review of the countervailing 
duty order on honey from Argentina until no later than December 8, 
2003. The period of review (POR) is January 1, 2001, through December 
31, 2002. This extension is made pursuant to section 751(a)(1) of the 
Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 23, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Gilgunn or Addilyn Chams-
Eddine, Office of AD/CVD Enforcement VII, Import Administration, 
International Trade Administration,

[[Page 43493]]

U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington D.C. 20230; telephone: (202) 482-4236 or (202) 482-0648, 
respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In December 2002, the Department received a timely request from 
interested parties in accordance with section 751(a) of the Act and 
section 351.213(b) of the regulations, for an administrative review of 
the countervailing duty order on honey from Argentina, which has a 
December anniversary date. On January 22, 2003, the Department 
initiated this administrativereview covering the period January 1, 
2001, through December 31, 2001. See Notice of Initiation of 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Review and Request 
for Revocation in Part, 68 FR 3009 (January 22. 2003). Pursuant to a 
request from the Government of Argentina (GOA), and following the 
solicitation and analysis of comments from the interested parties, the 
Department extended the POR to cover calendar year 2002 in addition to 
2001. See Memorandum to the File: Honey from Argentina: Expansion of 
the Period of Review in the First Administrative Review of the 
Countervailing Duty Order (dated February 21, 2003). The preliminary 
results of this review are currently due September 2, 2003.

Statutory Time Limits

    Section 351.213(h)(1) of the regulations requires the Department to 
issue the preliminary results of review within 245 days after the last 
day of the anniversary month of the order or suspension agreement for 
which the administrative review was requested, and final results of the 
review within 120 days after the date on which notice of the 
preliminary results is published in the Federal Register. However, if 
the Department determines that it is not practicable to complete the 
review within the aforementioned specified time limits, section 
351.213(h)(2) allows the Department to extend the 245-day-period to 365 
days and to extend the 120-day period to 180 days. If the Department 
does not extend the time for issuing preliminary results, the 
Department may extend the time for issuing final results from 120 to 
300 days.

Extension of Time Limits for Preliminary Results

    Pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and section 
351.213(h)(2) of the regulations, the Department has determined that it 
is not practicable to complete the preliminary results in this 
administrative review by September 2, 2003. The Department is awaiting 
the response to a supplemental questionnaire requesting additional 
information from the GOA. Moreover, the Department must analyze two 
years' worth of data and intends to verify the GOA questionnaire 
responses. Therefore, the Department is extending the deadline for 
completion of the preliminary results of the administrative review of 
the countervailing duty order on honey from Argentina by 97 days. The 
preliminary results of the review will be issued not later than 
December 8, 2003.
    This notice is published pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) and 
777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: July 16, 2003.
Barbara E. Tillman,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, Group III.
[FR Doc. 03-18746 Filed 7-22-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S