[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 39 (Thursday, February 27, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11174-11175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-04236]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[Dispute No. WTO/DS464]


WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding United States--Anti-
Dumping and Countervailing Measures on Large Residential Washers From 
Korea

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative 
(``USTR'') is providing notice that the Republic of Korea (``Korea'') 
has requested the establishment of a dispute settlement panel under the 
Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO 
Agreement''). That request may be found at www.wto.org contained in a 
document designated as WT/DS464/4. USTR invites written comments from 
the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

DATES: Although USTR will accept any comments received during the 
course of the dispute settlement proceedings, comments should be 
submitted on or before March 31, 2014, to be assured of timely 
consideration by USTR.

ADDRESSES: Public comments should be submitted electronically to 
www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2013-0031. If you are unable to 
provide submissions by www.regulations.gov, please contact Sandy 
McKinzy at (202) 395-9483 to arrange for an alternative method of 
transmission.
    If (as explained below) the comment contains confidential 
information, then the comment should be submitted by fax only to Sandy 
McKinzy at (202) 395-3640.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J. Daniel Stirk, Associate General 
Counsel, or Brooks E. Allen, Assistant General Counsel, Office of the 
United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 
20508, (202) 395-3150.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 127(b) of the Uruguay Round 
Agreements Act (``URAA'') (19 U.S.C. 3537(b)(1)) requires that notice 
and opportunity for comment be provided after the United States submits 
or receives a request for the establishment of a WTO dispute settlement 
panel. Pursuant to this provision, USTR is providing notice that a 
dispute settlement panel has been established in this matter pursuant 
to the WTO Dispute Settlement Understanding (``DSU''). The panel will 
hold its meetings in Geneva, Switzerland.

Major Issues Raised by Korea

    On December 26, 2012, the U.S. Department of Commerce published in 
the Federal Register notice of its final affirmative less-than-fair-
value (``LTFV'') determination in the antidumping investigation 
concerning large residential washers from Korea (77 FR 75988). On 
February 15, 2013, the Department of Commerce published its antidumping 
duty order (78 FR 11148).
    On December 26, 2012, the Department of Commerce published in the 
Federal Register notice of its final affirmative countervailing duty 
determination concerning large residential washers from Korea (77 FR 
75975) and on February 15, 2013, published its countervailing duty 
order (78 FR 11154).
    In its request for the establishment of a panel, Korea alleges that 
the Department of Commerce improperly

[[Page 11175]]

calculated margins of dumping through its application of an 
alternative, average-to-transaction comparison methodology and its 
alleged use of a methodology that Korea describes as ``zeroing.'' Korea 
alleges that the final LTFV determination and antidumping duty order, 
as well as ``preliminary and final determinations in administrative 
reviews, new shipper reviews, sunset reviews, changed circumstances 
reviews, and other segments'' are inconsistent with Articles 1, 2.1, 
2.4, 2.4.2, 5.8, 9.3, 9.5, 11.2, and 11.3 of the Anti-Dumping 
Agreement, and Articles VI:1 and VI:2 of the General Agreement on 
Tariffs and Trade 1994.
    Korea also challenges ``as such'' the Department of Commerce's use 
of an alternative, average-to-transaction comparison methodology and 
its alleged use of a methodology that Korea describes as ``zeroing.'' 
Korea alleges that these methodologies are inconsistent, ``as such,'' 
with Articles 1, 2.1, 2.4, 2.4.2, 9.3, 9.5, 11.2, 11.3, and 18.4 of the 
Anti-Dumping Agreement, Articles VI:1 and VI:2 of the General Agreement 
on Tariffs and Trade 1994, and Article XVI:4 of the WTO Agreement.
    Korea further alleges that the Department of Commerce improperly 
calculated countervailing duties with respect to certain tax credits 
received by one respondent. Korea alleges that the final countervailing 
duty determination and countervailing duty order, as well as 
``preliminary and final determinations in administrative reviews, new 
shipper reviews, sunset reviews, changed circumstances reviews, and 
other segments'' are inconsistent with Articles 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 10, 
14, 19.4, and 32.1 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing 
Measures, and with Article VI:3 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and 
Trade 1994.

Public Comment: Requirements for Submissions

    Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning the issues raised in this dispute. Persons may submit public 
comments electronically to www.regulations.gov docket number USTR-2013-
0031. If you are unable to provide submissions by www.regulations.gov, 
please contact Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-9483 to arrange for an 
alternative method of transmission.
    To submit comments via www.regulations.gov, enter docket number 
USTR-2013-0031 on the home page and click ``search.'' The site will 
provide a search-results page listing all documents associated with 
this docket. Find a reference to this notice by selecting ``Notice'' 
under ``Document Type'' on the left side of the search-results page, 
and click on the link entitled ``Comment Now!'' (For further 
information on using the www.regulations.gov Web site, please consult 
the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on ``How to Use This 
Site'' on the left side of the home page.)
    The www.regulations.gov Web site allows users to provide comments 
by filling in a ``Type Comments'' field, or by attaching a document 
using an ``Upload File'' field. It is expected that most comments will 
be provided in an attached document. If a document is attached, it is 
sufficient to type ``See attached'' in the ``Type Comments'' field.
    A person requesting that information contained in a comment that 
he/she submitted be treated as confidential business information must 
certify that such information is business confidential and would not 
customarily be released to the public by the submitter. Confidential 
business information must be clearly designated as such and the 
submission must be marked ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' at the top and 
bottom of the cover page and each succeeding page. Any comment 
containing business confidential information must be submitted by fax 
to Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-3640. A non-confidential summary of the 
confidential information must be submitted to www.regulations.gov. The 
non-confidential summary will be placed in the docket and will be open 
to public inspection.
    USTR may determine that information or advice contained in a 
comment submitted, other than business confidential information, is 
confidential in accordance with Section 135(g)(2) of the Trade Act of 
1974 (19 U.S.C. 2155(g)(2)). If the submitter believes that information 
or advice may qualify as such, the submitter--
    (1) Must clearly so designate the information or advice;
    (2) Must clearly mark the material as ``SUBMITTED IN CONFIDENCE'' 
at the top and bottom of the cover page and each succeeding page; and
    (3) Must provide a non-confidential summary of the information or 
advice.
    Any comment containing confidential information must be submitted 
by fax. A non-confidential summary of the confidential information must 
be submitted to www.regulations.gov. The non-confidential summary will 
be placed in the docket and will be open to public inspection.
    Pursuant to section 127(e) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 
U.S.C. 3537(e)), USTR will maintain a docket on this dispute settlement 
proceeding, docket number USTR-2013-0031, accessible to the public at 
www.regulations.gov.
    The public file will include non-confidential comments received by 
USTR from the public regarding the dispute. The following documents 
will be made available to the public at www.ustr.gov: the United 
States' submissions, any non-confidential submissions received from 
other participants in the dispute, and any non-confidential summaries 
of submissions received from other participants in the dispute. The 
report of the panel in this proceeding and, if applicable, the report 
of the Appellate Body, will be available on the Web site of the World 
Trade Organization, at www.wto.org. Comments open to public inspection 
may be viewed at www.regulations.gov.

Juan Millan,
Assistant United States Trade Representative for Monitoring and 
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2014-04236 Filed 2-26-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F4-P