[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 19, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40993-40994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-11458]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-412-815]


Preliminary Results of Full Sunset Review: Cut-to-Length Carbon 
Steel Plate From the United Kingdom

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

SUMMARY: On November 1, 2005, the Department of Commerce (Department) 
initiated a sunset review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on 
cut-to-length carbon steel plate (CTL plate) from the United Kingdom, 
pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act). On the basis of a notice of intent to participate and an adequate 
substantive response filed on behalf of the domestic interested parties 
and an adequate response from respondent interested parties, the 
Department determined to conduct a full sunset review of this CVD order 
pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(2). As a 
result of our analysis, the Department preliminarily finds that 
revocation of the CVD order would likely to lead to continuation or 
recurrence of a countervailable subsidy at the level indicated in the 
``Preliminary Results of Review'' section of this notice.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 19, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Hoadley or Kimberley Hunt, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office 6, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street & Constitution 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC. 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3148 or (202) 
482-1272, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On November 1, 2005, the Department initiated a sunset review of 
the CVD order on cut-to-length carbon steel plate from the United 
Kingdom pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act. See Initiation of Five-
year (``Sunset'') Reviews, 70 FR 65884 (November 1, 2005). The 
Department received a notice of intent to participate from the 
following domestic interested parties: Nucor Corporation (Nucor), 
IPSCO, Inc., Mittal Steel USA Inc., Oregon Steel Mills, Inc., and 
United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied 
Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO-CLC (USW) 
(hereinafter, collectively domestic interested parties), within the 
deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). The domestic interested 
parties claimed interested party status under section 771(9)(C) of the 
Act, as domestic producers of CTL plate in the United States. The 
Department received substantive responses from both domestic interested 
parties and the following respondent interested parties: the Government 
of the United Kingdom (UKG), the European Union Delegation of the 
European Commission (EC), Corus Group plc. (Corus) \1\, Niagara LaSalle 
(UK) Limited (Niagara) \2\, and Spartan UK Ltd (Spartan).
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    \1\ British Steel Corporation (British Steel) was a government-
owned entity, and in 1988, prior to the period of investigation 
(POI), it was privatized and reorganized as British Steel plc (BS 
plc). On September 17, 1995, the Department issued its Final Results 
of Redetermination Pursuant to Court Remand on General Issue of 
Privatization, British Steel plc v. United States, Slip Op. 95-17 
and Order (CIT Feb 9, 1995) (1995 Redetermination Final) and 
determined the net subsidy rate for BS plc to be 21.30 percent ad 
valorem. BS plc has reported that in 1999, it became part of Corus 
Group plc. (Corus) after merging with Koninklijke Hoogovens.
    \2\ The Department determined that Niagara LaSalle was the 
successor-in-interest of Glynwed in Certain Hot-Rolled Lead and 
Bismuth Carbon Steel Products from the United Kingdom: Final Results 
of Changed Circumstances Antidumping Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Reviews, 64 FR 66880 (November 30, 1999).
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    On December 21, 2005, the Department determined that the 
participation of the respondent interested parties was adequate, and 
that it was appropriate to conduct a full sunset review. See Memorandum 
to Stephen J. Claeys, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Import 
Administration, Re: Adequacy Determination; Sunset Review of the 
Countervailing Duty Order on Cut-to-Length Carbon Steel Plate from the 
United Kingdom, dated December 21, 2005, and on file in the Central 
Records Unit, Room B-099 of the Department of Commerce building. On 
February 10, 2006, the Department extended the time limit for the 
preliminary and final results of the sunset review of the CVD order on 
CTL plate from the United Kingdom (UK). See Cut-to-Length Carbon Steel 
Plate from Belgium, Sweden, and the United Kingdom; Extension of Time 
Limits for Preliminary and Final Results of Full Five-Year (``Sunset'') 
Reviews of Countervailing Duty Orders, 71 FR 7017. The Department 
extended the preliminary results to no later than July 14, 2006, and 
the final results to no later than September 27, 2006.

Scope of the Order

    The products covered by this countervailing duty order are certain 
cut-to-length carbon steel plates from the United Kingdom, including 
hot-rolled carbon steel universal mill plates (i.e., flat-rolled 
products rolled on four faces or in a closed box pass, of a width 
exceeding 150 millimeters but not exceeding 1,250 millimeters and of a 
thickness of not less than 4 millimeters, not in coils and without 
patterns in relief), of rectangular shape, neither clad, plated nor 
coated with metal, whether or not painted, varnished, or coated with 
plastics or other nonmetallic substances; and certain hot-rolled carbon 
steel flat-rolled products in straight lengths, of rectangular shape, 
hot rolled, neither clad, plated, nor coated with metal, whether or not 
painted, varnished, or coated with plastics or other nonmetallic 
substances, 4.75 millimeters or more in thickness and of a width which 
exceeds 150 millimeters and measures at least twice the thickness, as 
currently classifiable in the United States Harmonized Tariff Schedule 
(HTSUS) under item numbers 7208.40.3030, 7208.40.3060, 7208.51.0030, 
7208.51.0045, 7208.51.0060, 7208.52.0000, 7208.53.0000, 7208.90.0000, 
7210.70.3000, 7210.90.9000, 7211.13.0000, 7211.14.0030, 7211.14.0045, 
7211.90.0000, 7212.40.1000, 7212.40.5000, and 7212.50.0000. Included 
are flat-rolled products of non-rectangular cross-section where such 
cross-section is achieved subsequent to the rolling process (i.e., 
products which have been ``worked after rolling'')--for example, 
products which have been beveled or rounded at the edges. Excluded is 
grade X-70 plate. These HTSUS item numbers are provided for convenience 
and customs purposes. The written description remains dispositive. As a 
result of a changed circumstances

[[Page 40994]]

review\3\, the order excludes certain cut-to-length carbon steel plate 
with a maximum thickness of 80 mm in steel grades BS 7191, 355 EM and 
355 EMZ, as amended by Sable Offshore Energy Project specification XB 
MOO Y 15 0001, types 1 and 2.
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    \3\See Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon Steel Plate from Finland, 
Germany and the United Kingdom: Final Results of Changed 
Circumstances Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Reviews, and 
Revocation of Orders in Part, 64 FR 46343 (August 25, 1999).
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Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in this review are addressed in the Preliminary 
Issues and Decision Memorandum (Preliminary Decision Memorandum) from 
Stephen J. Claeys, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import 
Administration, to David M. Spooner, Assistant Secretary for Import 
Administration, dated concurrently with this notice and which is hereby 
adopted by this notice. Parties can find a complete discussion of all 
issues raised in this review and the corresponding recommendation in 
this public memorandum which is on file in the Central Records Unit 
room B-099 of the main Commerce building. In addition, a complete 
version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly 
on the Web at http://ia.ita.doc.gov/frn. The paper copy and electronic 
version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are identical in 
content.

Preliminary Results of Review

    The Department preliminarily determines that revocation of the CVD 
order would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of a 
countervailable subsidy. The net countervailable subsidy likely to 
prevail if the order were revoked is 0.00 percent ad valorem for 
Glynwed/Niagara and 0.77 percent ad valorem for ``all other'' 
producers/exporters of CTL plate from the United Kingdom, including 
British Steel, plc. Interested parties may submit case briefs and 
hearing requests no later than two weeks after the date of publication 
of these preliminary results, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.309 
(c)(1)(i) and 19 CFR 351.310(c). Rebuttal briefs, which must be limited 
to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than five 
days from the filing of the case briefs, in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.309(d). If a hearing is requested, parties will be notified of the 
date, time and location. The Department will issue a notice of final 
results of this sunset review no later than September 27, 2006, which 
will include the results of its analysis of issues raised in any such 
comments.
    We are issuing and publishing these preliminary results and notice 
in accordance with sections 751(c), 752, and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

     Dated: July 12, 2006.
 David M. Spooner,
 Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
 [FR Doc. E6-11458 Filed 7-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P