[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 250 (Monday, December 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77029-77031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31436]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-357-812, C-357-813]


Honey from Argentina; Final Results of Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Changed Circumstances Reviews; Revocation of 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders

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

DATES: Effective Date: December 31, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick Edwards or Angelica Mendoza, 
AD/CVD Operations, Office 7, Import Administration, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, at (202) 482-8029 or 
(202) 482-3019, respectively.

[[Page 77030]]

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) is revoking the 
antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders on honey from Argentina 
because we have concluded that substantially all domestic producers 
lack interest in the relief provided by these orders.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On December 10, 2001, the Department published the antidumping and 
countervailing duty orders on honey from Argentina.\1\ On July 24, 
2012, the American Honey Producers Association and the Sioux Honey 
Association (collectively, petitioners) requested that the Department 
revoke the AD Order, effective December 1, 2010, based on the domestic 
U.S. industry's lack of further interest.\2\ On August 22, 2012, the 
petitioners requested that the Department revoke the CVD Order, 
effective December 1, 2011, again based on their lack of further 
interest in these proceedings.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Notice of Antidumping Duty Order: Honey from Argentina, 
66 FR 63672 (December 10, 2001) (AD Order) and Notice of 
Countervailing Duty Order: Honey from Argentina, 66 FR 63673 
(December 10, 2001) (CVD Order), (collectively, Orders).
    \2\ See Letter from Petitioners, entitled ``Request for `No 
Interest' Changed Circumstances Review of the Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Orders on Honey from Argentina,'' dated July 24, 
2012 (CCR Request).
    \3\ See Letter from Petitioners, entitled ``Supplement to 
Petitioners' Request for a `No-Interest' Changed Circumstances 
Review of the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders on Honey 
from Argentina,'' dated August 22, 2012 (Supplemental CCR Request).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On October 2, 2012, the Department published a notice of initiation 
of changed circumstances reviews of the Orders on honey from 
Argentina.\4\ In the Initiation Notice, we invited interested parties 
to comment on the Department's initiation. We did not receive comments 
from any interested party expressing opposition to the changed 
circumstances reviews nor to the possible revocation of the Orders. On 
November 14, 2012, the Department published a notice of preliminary 
results of changed circumstances reviews of the Orders on honey from 
Argentina, and the preliminary intent to revoke the AD Order, effective 
December 1, 2010, and the CVD Order, effective December 1, 2011.\5\ In 
the Preliminary Revocation, we again invited interested parties to 
comment on the Department's results by submitting case and rebuttal 
briefs. We received no comments or briefs from interested parties.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ See Initiation Notice.
    \5\ See Honey from Argentina; Antidumping and Countervailing 
Duty Changed Circumstances Reviews; Preliminary Intent to Revoke 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders, 77 FR 67790 (November 
14, 2012) (Preliminary Revocation).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Accordingly, we are notifying the public of the revocation of the 
antidumping duty order, in whole, with respect to products entered, or 
withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after December 1, 2010, 
and the countervailing duty order, in whole, with respect to products 
entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 
December 1, 2011, because domestic parties have expressed no interest 
in the continuation of the Orders after these dates.

Scope of the Orders

    The merchandise covered by the orders is honey from Argentina. The 
products covered are natural honey, artificial honey containing more 
than 50 percent natural honey by weight, preparations of natural honey 
containing more than 50 percent natural honey by weight, and flavored 
honey. The subject merchandise includes all grades and colors of honey 
whether in liquid, creamed, comb, cut comb, or chunk form, and whether 
packaged for retail or in bulk form. The merchandise is currently 
classifiable under subheadings 0409.00.00, 1702.90.90, and 2106.90.99 
of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). 
Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs 
purposes, the Department's written description of the merchandise under 
the orders is dispositive.

Final Results of Changed Circumstances Review and Revocation, in Whole, 
of the Orders

    Pursuant to section 751(d)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended 
(the Act), and 19 CFR 351.222(g), the Department may revoke an 
antidumping or countervailing duty order, in whole or in part, based on 
a review under section 751(b) of the Act (i.e., a changed circumstances 
review). Section 751(b)(1) of the Act requires a changed circumstances 
review to be conducted upon receipt of a request which shows changed 
circumstances sufficient to warrant a review. Section 782(h)(2) of the 
Act gives the Department the authority to revoke an order if producers 
accounting for substantially all of the production of the domestic like 
product have expressed a lack of interest in the continuation of the 
order. Section 351.222(g) of the Department's regulations provides that 
the Department will conduct a changed circumstances review under 19 CFR 
351.216, and may revoke an order (in whole or in part), if it concludes 
that (i) producers accounting for substantially all of the production 
of the domestic like product to which the order pertains have expressed 
a lack of interest in the relief provided by the order, in whole or in 
part, or (ii) if other changed circumstances sufficient to warrant 
revocation exist. Both the Act and the Department's regulations require 
that ``substantially all'' domestic producers express a lack of 
interest in the order(s) for the Department to revoke.\6\ The 
Department has interpreted ``substantially all'' to represent producers 
accounting for at least 85 percent of U.S. production of the domestic 
like product.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ See section 782(h) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.222(g).
    \7\ See Certain Orange Juice from Brazil: Preliminary Results of 
Antidumping Duty Changed Circumstances Review and Intent Not to 
Revoke, In Part, 73 FR 60241, 60242 (October 10, 2008), unchanged in 
Certain Orange Juice From Brazil: Final Results of Antidumping Duty 
Changed Circumstances Review, 74 FR 4733 (January 27, 2009); see 
also 19 CFR 351.208(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As noted in the Initiation Notice, and again in the Preliminary 
Revocation, the petitioners requested the revocation of these orders 
because they are no longer interested in maintaining the Orders or in 
the imposition of duties on the subject merchandise as of December 1, 
2010, for the AD Order and December 1, 2011, for the CVD Order. Because 
the Department did not receive any comments during the period in which 
parties were permitted to submit briefs or other comments opposing the 
preliminary revocation of the Orders on honey from Argentina, we 
conclude that producers accounting for substantially all of the 
production of the domestic like product, to which these orders pertain, 
lack interest in the relief provided by the Orders.
    Therefore, in accordance with sections 751(b), 751(d), and 782(h) 
of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.222(g), the Department concludes that there 
is a reasonable basis to believe that changed circumstances exist 
sufficient to warrant revocation of the Orders. Thus, the Department is 
revoking the Orders on honey from Argentina, in whole, with regard to 
the products described above under the ``Scope of the Orders'' section.
    The Department will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection 
(CBP) to terminate suspension of liquidation effective December 1, 
2010, for the AD Order, and December 1, 2011, for the CVD Order. The 
Department will instruct CBP to liquidate without regard to antidumping 
duties and countervailing duties, all unliquidated

[[Page 77031]]

entries of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse, for consumption on or after December 1, 2010, for the AD 
Order and January 1, 2012, for the CVD Order.\8\ In accordance with 
section 778 of the Act, we will also instruct CBP to pay interest on 
and refund any AD deposits with respect to the subject merchandise 
entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 
December 1, 2010, the first day of the tenth administrative review 
period, the review of which is now terminated by virtue of the 
effective date of the revocation of the AD Order. We will also instruct 
CBP to pay interest on and refund any CVD deposits with respect to the 
subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for 
consumption on or after January 1, 2012, the earliest date on which 
entries remain suspended under the CVD Order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ There is no administrative review of the CVD Order for the 
period January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2011; therefore, there 
are no unliquidated entries during this period.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This notice is published in accordance with section 751(b)(1) of 
the Act and 19 CFR 351.216, 351.221(c)(3), and 351.222.

    Dated: December 20, 2012.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-31436 Filed 12-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P