[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 177 (Thursday, September 12, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 56217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22225]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-533-856]


Steel Threaded Rod from India: Postponement of Preliminary 
Determination of Countervailing Duty Investigation

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

DATES: Effective Date: September 12, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brooke Kennedy, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office 8, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3818.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On July 17, 2013, the Department of Commerce (``the Department'') 
initiated a countervailing duty investigation on steel threaded rod 
from India.\1\ The current deadline for the preliminary determination 
of this investigation is no later than September 20, 2013.
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    \1\ See Steel Threaded Rod From India: Initiation of 
Countervailing Duty Investigation, 78 FR 44532 (July 24, 2013).
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Postponement of Preliminary Determination

    Section 703(b)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the 
Act''), requires the Department to issue the preliminary determination 
in a countervailing duty investigation within 65 days after the date on 
which the Department initiated the investigation. However, if the 
Department concludes that the parties concerned are cooperating and 
determines that the case is extraordinarily complicated and that 
additional time is necessary to make the preliminary determination, 
section 703(c)(1)(B) of the Act allows the Department to postpone 
making the preliminary determination until no later than 130 days after 
the date on which the administering authority initiated the 
investigation. We have concluded that the parties concerned are 
cooperating and that the case is extraordinarily complicated due to the 
complexity of the alleged subsidy programs, such that we need more time 
to make the preliminary determination. Specifically, the analysis of 
two of the alleged subsidy programs will involve not only the usual 
consideration of financial contribution and specificity, but will also 
involve the more complex consideration of whether the program has been 
terminated and, if so, whether there are any residual benefits. In 
addition, any analysis of the National Manufacturing Competitiveness 
Program--Marketing Assistance Scheme is likely to be complex as the 
program allegedly provides for a variety of subsidies including grants 
for rental space, freight charges, airfare and advertising. The 
deadline for completion of the preliminary determination is now 
November 25, 2013.\2\
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    \2\ As the actual due date of November 24, 2013 falls on a 
weekend, the preliminary determination is due the next business day, 
i.e., November 25, 2013. See Notice of Clarification: Application of 
``Next Business Day'' Rule for Administrative Determination 
Deadlines Pursuant to Tariff Act of 1930, As Amended, 70 FR 24533 
(May 10, 2005).
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    We also note that, on September 3, 2013, All America Threaded 
Products Inc., Bay Standard Manufacturing Inc., and Vulcan Threaded 
Products Inc., the petitioners in this investigation, requested that 
the deadline for the preliminary determination be postponed to 130 days 
from the date of initiation in accordance with 19 CFR 351.205(b)(2). 
This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 703(c)(2) of 
the Act. \3\
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    \3\ We acknowledge that the Department inadvertently did not 
notify the parties to this investigation of this postponement within 
the timeframe provided in section 703(c)(2) of the Act.

    September 6, 2013.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 2013-22225 Filed 9-11-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P