[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 82 (Thursday, April 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23791-23793]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-10325]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-916; C-570-917]


Laminated Woven Sacks From the People's Republic of China: 
Initiation of Anti-Circumvention Inquiry

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

SUMMARY: In response to a request from the Laminated Woven Sacks 
Committee and its individual members, Coating Excellence International, 
LLC and Polytex Fibers Corporation (collectively ``Petitioners''), the 
Department of Commerce (``Department'') is initiating an anti-
circumvention inquiry to determine whether certain imports are 
circumventing the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on 
laminated woven sacks from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'').

DATES: Effective Date: April 28, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Bertrand, telephone: (202) 
482-3207, or Jamie Blair-Walker, telephone: (202) 482-2615; AD/CVD 
Operations, Office 9, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On January 26, 2011, pursuant to sections 781(c) and 781(d) of the 
Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``Act''), and 19 CFR 351.225(i) and 
(j), Petitioners submitted requests for the Department to initiate and 
conduct a minor alterations and a later-developed merchandise anti-
circumvention inquiry to determine whether laminated woven sacks 
printed with two colors in register and with the use of a screening 
process are circumventing the antidumping and countervailing duty 
orders on laminated woven sacks from the PRC. See Notice of Antidumping 
Duty Order: Laminated Woven Sacks From the People's Republic of China, 
73 FR 45941 (August 7, 2008) and Laminated Woven Sacks From the 
People's Republic of China: Countervailing Duty Order, 73 FR 45955 
(August 7, 2008) (collectively, ``Orders''). On March 25, 2011, 
Petitioners withdrew their request for the Department to initiate a 
minor alterations anti-circumvention inquiry pursuant to 781(c) of the 
Act and 19 CFR 351.225(i). The later-developed merchandise anti-
circumvention request filed pursuant to 781(d) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.225(j) remains active.
    In their request, Petitioners allege that PRC manufacturers of 
subject merchandise have been circumventing the Orders by using two ink 
colors printed in register and a screening process \1\ which allows for 
one of the original inks to print on the sacks in a different shade 
than the original ink color. Specifically, Petitioners allege that the 
sacks produced using a screening process are a later-developed product 
of the subject merchandise because there was no knowledge of such a 
product being commercially available in the U.S. market at the time of 
the investigation. No other parties submitted comments regarding 
Petitioners' allegations in the circumvention of the Orders.
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    \1\ In essence, Petitioners allege that the screening process, 
which they contend is a later-developed process, in effect permits 
manufacturers to replace a print stand in register with the screen, 
thereby circumventing the Orders.
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    On February 24, 2011, the Department extended the deadline to 
initiate the anti-circumvention inquiry by 45 days, pursuant to 19 CFR 
351.302(b).\2\ On April 8, 2011, Commercial Packaging, a U.S. supplier 
of packaging and packaging materials, provided comments.
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    \2\ See Letter to Petitioners dated February 24, 2011.
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Scope of the Orders

    The merchandise covered by the orders is laminated woven sacks. 
Laminated woven sacks are bags or sacks consisting of one or more plies 
of fabric consisting of woven polypropylene strip and/or woven 
polyethylene strip, regardless of the

[[Page 23792]]

width of the strip; with or without an extrusion coating of 
polypropylene and/or polyethylene on one or both sides of the fabric; 
laminated by any method either to an exterior ply of plastic film such 
as biaxially-oriented polypropylene (``BOPP'') or to an exterior ply of 
paper that is suitable for high quality print graphics; \3\ printed 
with three colors or more in register; with or without lining; whether 
or not closed on one end; whether or not in roll form (including 
sheets, lay-flat tubing, and sleeves); with or without handles; with or 
without special closing features; not exceeding one kilogram in weight. 
Laminated woven sacks are typically used for retail packaging of 
consumer goods such as pet foods and bird seed.
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    \3\ ``Paper suitable for high quality print graphics,'' as used 
herein, means paper having an ISO brightness of 82 or higher and a 
Sheffield Smoothness of 250 or less. Coated free sheet is an example 
of a paper suitable for high quality print graphics.
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    Effective July 1, 2007, laminated woven sacks are classifiable 
under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (``HTSUS'') 
subheadings 6305.33.0050 and 6305.33.0080. Laminated woven sacks were 
previously classifiable under HTSUS subheading 6305.33.0020. If entered 
with plastic coating on both sides of the fabric consisting of woven 
polypropylene strip and/or woven polyethylene strip, laminated woven 
sacks may be classifiable under HTSUS subheadings 3923.21.0080, 
3923.21.0095, and 3923.29.0000. If entered not closed on one end or in 
roll form (including sheets, lay-flat tubing, and sleeves), laminated 
woven sacks may be classifiable under other HTSUS subheadings including 
3917.39.0050, 3921.90.1100, 3921.90.1500, and 5903.90.2500. If the 
polypropylene strips and/or polyethylene strips making up the fabric 
measure more than 5 millimeters in width, laminated woven sacks may be 
classifiable under other HTSUS subheadings including 4601.99.0500, 
4601.99.9000, and 4602.90.0000. Although HTSUS subheadings are provided 
for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the 
scope of this order is dispositive.

Merchandise Subject to the Anti-Circumvention Request

    The merchandise subject to the anti-circumvention request is 
laminated woven sacks produced with two ink colors printed in register 
and a screening process. The screening process described only uses two 
colored inks printed in register at two different print stations. 
However, one of the colors is printed using a screen, allowing for 
different shades of that one color to appear on the bag. Thus, when two 
shades of one color are printed along with a second colored ink from 
the second print station, three distinct colors are visible on the bag.

Later-Developed Merchandise Anti-Circumvention Request

    Section 781(d)(1) of the Act provides that the Department may find 
circumvention of an antidumping or countervailing duty order when 
merchandise is developed after an investigation is initiated (``later-
developed merchandise''). In conducting later-developed merchandise 
anti-circumvention inquiries, under section 781(d)(1) of the Act, the 
Department will also evaluate whether the general physical 
characteristics of the merchandise under consideration are the same as 
subject merchandise covered by the order,\4\ whether the expectations 
of the ultimate purchasers of the merchandise under consideration are 
no different than the expectations of the ultimate purchasers of 
subject merchandise,\5\ whether the ultimate use of the subject 
merchandise and the merchandise under consideration are the same,\6\ 
whether the channels of trade of both products are the same,\7\ whether 
there are any differences in the advertisement and display of both 
products,\8\ and if the merchandise under consideration was 
commercially available at the time of the investigation.\9\
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    \4\ See section 781(d)(1)(A) of the Act.
    \5\ See section 781(d)(1)(B) of the Act.
    \6\ See section 781(d)(1)(C) of the Act.
    \7\ See section 781(d)(1)(D) of the Act.
    \8\ See section 781(d)(1)(E) of the Act.
    \9\ See Later-Developed Merchandise Anticircumvention Inquiry of 
the Antidumping Duty Order on Petroleum Wax Candles from the 
People's Republic of China: Affirmative Preliminary Determination of 
Circumvention of the Antidumping Duty Order, 71 FR 32033, 32035 
(June 2, 2006).
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A. General Physical Characteristics

    Petitioners contend that there are no differences in the physical 
characteristics of subject merchandise and sacks produced using two ink 
colors printed in register and a screening process.\10\ At issue is 
only the printing process used to create graphics on the sack, not the 
physical construction of the sack itself. Petitioners supported this 
allegation with an affidavit from the President of one of the 
petitioners.\11\
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    \10\ See Petitioners' Request for Determination of 
Circumvention, dated January 26, 2011, at 16.
    \11\ See id. at Exhibit 11.
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B. Expectations of the Ultimate Purchasers

    Petitioners allege that the expectations of ultimate purchasers of 
both types of laminated woven sacks are the same. Petitioners state 
that when choosing to purchase laminated woven sacks in general, 
ultimate purchasers are concerned with the construction and durability 
of the laminated woven sacks in comparison to paper sacks.\12\ 
Petitioners supported this allegation with affidavits from the 
Presidents of two of the petitioners.\13\
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    \12\ See id. at 19.
    \13\ See id. at Exhibits 11 and 12.
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C. Ultimate Use of Merchandise, Channels of Trade, and Advertisement 
and Display of Product

    Petitioners maintain that the ultimate uses, channels of trade, and 
methods of advertisement and display of laminated woven sacks produced 
using two ink colors printed in register and a screening process are 
the same as those for subject merchandise, because the only difference 
between subject merchandise and the merchandise under consideration is 
the printing process used to produce graphics.\14\ Petitioners 
supported this allegation with affidavits from the Presidents of two of 
the petitioners.\15\
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    \14\ See id. at 19 and footnote 76.
    \15\ See id. at Exhibits 11 and 12.
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D. Commercial Availability

    Petitioners state that, at the time of the investigation, laminated 
woven sacks produced using two ink colors printed in register and a 
screening process were unknown in the U.S. industry. Petitioners cite 
the International Trade Commission (``ITC'') final determination in the 
laminated woven sacks investigation, in which the ITC deemed the 
domestic industry to be present, but found that the industry was young 
and hindered by the significant level of imports from the PRC.\16\ 
Petitioners contend that no domestic producer was using or was aware of 
the printing process involving a screen to produce different shades of 
one ink color at the time of the investigation. In addition, 
Petitioners note that at no point during the investigation was there 
any discussion by the Department, the ITC, the respondents, or other 
interested parties of sacks being printed with an alternative screening 
printing process.
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    \16\ See Laminated Woven Sacks from China, Investigation Nos. 
701-TA-450 and 731-TA-1122 (Final), ITC Publication 4025 (July, 
2008) at 30.
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    Thus, Petitioners allege that laminated woven sacks produced using 
two ink colors printed in register and a

[[Page 23793]]

screening process were not commercially available at the time of the 
investigation. Petitioners supported this allegation with affidavits 
from the Presidents of two of the petitioners.\17\
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    \17\ See id. at Exhibits 11 and 12.
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Comments From Commercial Packaging

    On April 8, 2011, Commercial Packaging submitted comments to the 
Department stating there is no basis for initiation of the anti-
circumvention inquiry because sacks printed with two colors in register 
are not later-developed products of the subject sacks. Specifically, 
Commercial Packaging contends that an anti-circumvention inquiry is not 
warranted because the anti-circumvention provisions of the statute do 
not apply to merchandise that is originally unambiguously outside the 
scope of the Orders and, here, sacks printed with less than three 
colors in register are excluded from the Orders.\18\ Commercial 
Packaging also argues that the sacks at issue are not later-developed 
merchandise because sacks printed with two colors in register were 
available during the investigation and the screening process is decades 
old.\19\
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    \18\ See Notice of Scope Rulings, 75 FR 14138 (March 24, 2010) 
(Shapiro Packaging's three imported sacks are outside the scope of 
the orders (July 29, 2009)).
    \19\ See Commercial Packaging's submission, dated April 8, 2011.
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Analysis of Commercial Packaging Comments

    We disagree with Commercial Packaging's contention that an anti-
circumvention inquiry is not warranted in this case for the reason that 
sacks printed with two colors in register are expressly excluded from 
the Orders. The language of the Orders does not discuss laminated woven 
sacks printed with two colors in register using a screening process. 
Therefore, unlike in Wheatland Tube,\20\ as cited by Commercial 
Packaging, we conclude that the Orders do not expressly exclude the 
merchandise under consideration. Although the Department previously 
concluded in a scope ruling that found sacks printed with two colors in 
register to be outside the scope of the Orders, we are not precluded 
from now conducting an anti-circumvention inquiry because the factors 
to be considered in 19 CFR 351.225(k)(1) are not the same factors as 
those required under section 781(d)(1) of the Act.\21\ Furthermore, by 
its very nature, a later-developed merchandise anti-circumvention 
inquiry examines merchandise that is either excluded from, or has been 
designed to elude, an order.\22\ Thus, later-developed merchandise 
cannot pose a threat of injury to the domestic industry at the time of 
the order, because it either does not exist or is not commercially 
available.
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    \20\ See Wheatland Tube Co. v. United States, 161 F.3d 1365, 
1371 (Fed. Cir. 1998) (``Wheatland Tube'').
    \21\ See Later-Developed Merchandise Anticircumvention Inquiry 
of the Antidumping Duty Order on Petroleum Wax Candles from the 
People's Republic of China: Affirmative Final Determination of 
Circumvention of the Antidumping Duty Order, 71 FR 59075 (October 6, 
2006) and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum at Comment 2, 
remanded on other grounds, 578 F. Supp. 2d 1369 (CIT 2008), aff'd, 
626 F. Supp. 2d 1285 (CIT June 17, 2009), aff'd 609 F.3d 1352 (June 
21, 2010).
    \22\ See Erasable Programmable Read Only Memories From Japan; 
Final Scope Ruling, 57 FR 11599 (April 6, 1992) at Comment 6; see 
also Electrolytic Manganese Dioxide From Japan; Preliminary Scope 
Ruling, 56 FR 56977 (November 7, 1991).
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    We also disagree with Commercial Packaging's argument that 
information supporting the existence of sacks printed with two-colors 
in register prior to the investigation demonstrates that the sacks at 
issue here are not later-developed merchandise. We find the fact that 
sacks printed with two colors in register alone existed prior to the 
investigation is not relevant to our inquiry because the issue 
presented by this inquiry is whether sacks that are printed with two 
colors in register and with the use of a screen process constitute 
later-developed merchandise within the meaning of 781(d) of the Act. 
Commercial Packaging does not provide evidence that the screening 
process used in the production of laminated woven sacks was 
commercially available during or before the investigation.

Initiation of Later-Developed Merchandise Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Anti-Circumvention Inquiry

    Based on the information provided by Petitioners, the Department 
finds that there is sufficient basis to initiate an antidumping and 
countervailing duty anti-circumvention inquiry pursuant to section 
781(d) of the Act to determine whether laminated woven sacks produced 
using two ink colors printed in register and a screening process are 
later-developed products that can be considered subject to the Orders 
under the later-developed merchandise provision. As a result, we are 
initiating this inquiry under section 781(d) of the Act.
    The Department will not order the suspension of liquidation of 
entries of any additional merchandise at this time. However, in 
accordance with 19 CFR 351.225(l)(2), if the Department issues an 
affirmative preliminary determination, we will instruct U.S. Customs 
and Border Protection to suspend liquidation and require a cash deposit 
of estimated duties, at the applicable rate, for each unliquidated 
entry of the merchandise at issue, entered or withdrawn from warehouse 
for consumption on or after the date of initiation of the inquiry.
    We intend to notify the International Trade Commission in the event 
of an affirmative preliminary determination of circumvention, in 
accordance with 781(e)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.225(f)(7)(i)(C), if 
applicable. The Department will, following consultation with interested 
parties, establish a schedule for questionnaires and comments on the 
issues. The Department intends to issue its final determination within 
300 days of the date of publication of this initiation notice.
    This notice is published in accordance with section 781(d) of the 
Act and 19 CFR 351.225(i) and (j).

    Dated: April 22, 2011.
Paul Piquado,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-10325 Filed 4-27-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P