[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 249 (Tuesday, December 30, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 75212-75213]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-32070]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-423-808]


Notice of Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary Results of 
Administrative Antidumping Review: Stainless Steel Plate in Coils from 
Belgium

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

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 30, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elfi Blum or Scot Fullerton at (202) 
482-0197 or (202) 482-1386, respectively; Office of Antidumping/
Countervailing Duty Enforcement VII, Import Administration, 
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th 
Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20230.

Background

    On May 21, 1999, the Department of Commerce (the Department) 
published in the Federal Register the antidumping duty order on 
stainless steel plate in coils from Belgium (64 FR 27756). On May 30, 
2003, in accordance with Section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930,

[[Page 75213]]

as amended (the Act) and section 19 CFR 351.213(b) of the Department's 
regulations, Allegheny Ludlum, North American Stainless, Butler-Armco 
Independent Union, Zanesville Armco Independent Union, and the United 
Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO/CLC (collectively, petitioners) 
requested a review of the antidumping duty order on stainless steel 
plate in coils from Belgium for ALZ N.V. (ALZ) and its affiliate 
Arcelor International America Inc. for the period May 1, 2002 through 
April 30, 2003. On July 1, 2003, we published a notice of ``Initiation 
of Antidumping Review.'' See 68 FR 39055.
    On September 11, 2003, Ugine & ALZ Belgium (U&A Belgium) submitted 
its response to section A of the Department's questionnaire. On October 
2, 2003, U&A Belgium submitted its response to sections B and D of the 
Department's questionnaire. On October 6, 2003, U&A Belgium submitted 
its response to section C of the Department's questionnaire. On October 
9, 2003, U&A Belgium requested that the Department consider U&A Belgium 
to be the successor to ALZ. On October 14, 2003, U&A Belgium submitted 
a revised version of its section C questionnaire response. On October 
30, 2003, U&A Belgium requested that the Department extend the deadline 
for issuance of the preliminary results of review to May 31, 2004. On 
November 21, 2003, petitioners submitted comments concerning U&A 
Belgium's response to sections B and C of the Department's 
questionnaire. On December 3, 2003, U&A Belgium submitted corrections 
to certain clerical errors contained in U&A Belgium's questionnaire 
response.

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 Department's regulations, the Department may 
extend the deadline for completion of the preliminary results of a 
review if it determines that it is not practicable to complete the 
preliminary results within the statutory time limit of 245 days from 
the last day of the anniversary month of the order for which the 
administrative review was requested. In this review, the Department 
must determine whether the respondent is the legal successor to another 
company by examining a number of factors. Because of the complexity and 
timing of this and other issues in this case, it is not practicable to 
complete this review within the time limit mandated by section 
751(a)(3)(A) of the Act.
    Consequently, in accordance with sections 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act 
and section 351.213(h)(2) of the Department's regulations, the 
Department is extending the time limit for the completion of the 
preliminary results to 365 days from the last day of the anniversary 
month of the order. As the 365th day falls on a Sunday, and the 
following Monday is a federal holiday, the preliminary results will now 
be due no later than June 1, 2004.

    Dated: December 17, 2003.
Joseph A. Spetrini,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, Group III.
[FR Doc. 03-32070 Filed 12-29-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S