[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 63 (Monday, April 4, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17113-17114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-1483]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. TA-204-12]


Steel: \1\ Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Import Relief
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    \1\ Subheadings 9903.72.30 through 9903.74.24 of the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States set forth safeguard measures 
applicable to covered steel products and specified products and 
sources excluded from the safeguard measures. In the 2003 HTS, 
subheadings 9903.72.30 through 9903.72.48 covered carbon and alloy 
steel slabs; subheadings 9903.72.50 through 9903.73.39 covered 
carbon and alloy steel flat-rolled products (including plates and 
other hot-rolled steel, cold-rolled steel other than grain-oriented 
steel, and clad, coated, and plated steel); subheadings 9903.73.42 
through 9903.73.62 covered certain carbon and alloy steel bars, 
rods, and light shapes; subheadings 9903.73.65 through 9903.73.71 
covered carbon steel concrete reinforcing bars (rebars); subheadings 
9903.73.74 through 9903.73.86 covered certain carbon and alloy steel 
non-seamless pipes and tubes; subheadings 9903.73.88 through 
9903.73.95 covered certain tube and pipe fittings; subheadings 
9903.73.97 through 9903.74.16 covered stainless steel bars, rods, 
angles, shapes, and sections; and subheadings 9903.74.18 through 
9903.74.24 covered stainless steel wire.
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AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of an investigation and scheduling of hearings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 204(d) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2254(d)) (the Act), the Commission has instituted investigation No. TA-
204-12, Steel: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Import Relief, for 
the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of the relief action 
imposed by the President on imports of certain steel products under

[[Page 17114]]

section 203 of the Act. The remaining portion of the action terminated 
on March 21, 2005.

Effective Date: March 21, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Haines (202-205-3200) or 
Douglas Corkran (202-205-3057), Office of Investigations, U.S. 
International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 
20436. Hearing-impaired persons can obtain information on this matter 
by contacting the Commission's 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).
    Background: The President announced the relief action on March 5, 
2002. In a proclamation of that date (Proclamation 7529, published in 
the Federal Register of March 7, 2002, at 67 FR 10553), the President 
announced that he would impose safeguard measures on imports of certain 
steel products in the form of a tariff-rate quota and increased import 
duties effective March 20, 2002, for a period of 3 years and 1 day (to 
March 21, 2005). In a memorandum of that same date relating to these 
measures, the President instructed the Secretary of the Treasury and 
the Secretary of Commerce to establish a system of import licensing to 
facilitate the monitoring of imports of certain steel products (67 FR 
10953). The Department of Commerce published regulations establishing 
such a system in the Federal Register on December 31, 2002 (67 FR 
79845). On December 4, 2003, the President issued a proclamation that 
terminated the tariff-rate quota and the increased import duties on 
certain steel products, but directed the Secretary of Commerce to 
continue the monitoring system until the earlier of March 21, 2005, or 
such time as the Secretary establishes a replacement program 
(Proclamation 7741, published in the Federal Register of December 8, 
2003, at 68 FR 68483). Proclamation 7741 also authorized the United 
States Trade Representative, upon his determination that the Secretary 
of Commerce has established a replacement program, to terminate the 
action under section 203(a)(3)(I) of the Trade Act and the licensing 
system, and to publish notice of this determination and action in the 
Federal Register. On December 9, 2003, the Department of Commerce 
published a notice stating that the system would continue in effect as 
described in the Proclamation until March 21, 2005 (68 FR 68594). On 
March 11, 2005, the Department of Commerce published an interim final 
rule to implement a replacement program for the period beyond March 21, 
2005 (70 FR 12133).
    Section 204(d) of the Act requires the Commission, following 
termination of a relief action, to evaluate the effectiveness of the 
action in facilitating positive adjustment by the domestic industry to 
import competition, consistent with the reasons set out by the 
President in the report submitted to the Congress under section 203(b) 
of the Act. The Commission is required to submit a report on the 
evaluation to the President and the Congress no later than 180 days 
after the day on which the relief action was terminated.
    For further information concerning the conduct of this 
investigation, hearing procedures, and rules of general application, 
consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, 
subparts A through E (19 CFR part 201, subparts A through and E), and 
part 206, subparts A and F (19 CFR part 206, subparts A and F).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Participation in the investigation and service list.--Persons 
wishing to participate in the investigation as parties must file an 
entry of appearance with the Secretary to the Commission, as provided 
in section 201.11 of the Commission's rules, not later than 14 days 
after publication of this notice in the Federal Register. The Secretary 
will prepare a service list containing the names and addresses of all 
persons, or their representatives, who are parties to this 
investigation upon the expiration of the period for filing entries of 
appearance.
    Public hearing.--The Commission has scheduled hearings in 
connection with this investigation. The hearings will be held beginning 
at 9:30 a.m. on July 19, 2005 (carbon and alloy flat products), July 
21, 2005 (carbon and alloy long products), July 26, 2005 (carbon and 
alloy tubular products), and July 28, 2005 (stainless steel products), 
at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building. Requests to appear 
at a specific hearing should be filed in writing with the Secretary to 
the Commission on or before June 20, 2005, so that the Commission may 
determine the level of interest in the hearings. All persons desiring 
to appear at a hearing and make oral presentations should attend a 
prehearing conference to be held at 9:30 a.m. on July 15, 2005, at the 
U.S. International Trade Commission Building. Oral testimony and 
written materials to be submitted at the hearing are governed by 
sections 201.6(b)(2) and 201.13(f) of the Commission's rules.
    Written submissions.--Each party is encouraged to submit a 
prehearing brief to the Commission. The deadline for filing prehearing 
briefs is July 12, 2005. Parties may also file posthearing briefs. The 
deadlines for filing posthearing briefs are July 27, 2005 (for material 
covered at the hearing on July 19, 2005), July 29, 2005 (for material 
covered at the hearing on July 21, 2005), August 3, 2005 (for material 
covered at the hearing on July 26, 2005) and August 5, 2005 (for 
material covered at the hearing on July 28, 2005). In addition, any 
person who has not entered an appearance as a party to the 
investigation may submit a written statement concerning the matters to 
be addressed in the report on or before August 5, 2005. All written 
submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the 
Commission's rules; any submissions that contain confidential business 
information must also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of 
the Commission's rules. The report that the Commission sends to the 
President may include confidential business information. The 
Commission's rules do not authorize filing of submissions with the 
Secretary by facsimile or electronic means, except to the extent 
permitted by section 201.8 of the Commission's rules, as amended, 67 FR 
68036 (November 8, 2002).
    In accordance with section 201.16(c) of the Commission's rules, 
each document filed by a party to the investigation must be served on 
all other parties to the investigation (as identified by the service 
list), and a certificate of service must be timely filed. The Secretary 
will not accept a document for filing without a certificate of service.

    Authority: This investigation is being conducted under the 
authority of section 204(d) of the Trade Act of 1974; this notice is 
published pursuant to section 206.3 of the Commission's rules.

    By order of the Commission.
    Issued: March 30, 2005.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E5-1483 Filed 4-1-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P