[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 47 (Tuesday, March 11, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13614-13615]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-05243]



[[Page 13614]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-560-827]


Monosodium Glutamate From the Republic of Indonesia: Preliminary 
Negative Countervailing Duty Determination; and Preliminary Negative 
Determination of Critical Circumstances

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, formerly Import Administration, 
International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily 
determines that countervailable subsidies are not being provided to 
producers and exporters of monosodium glutamate (MSG) from the Republic 
of Indonesia (Indonesia). The Department also preliminarily determines 
that critical circumstances do not exist for imports of MSG from 
Indonesia. The period of investigation is January 1, 2012, through 
December 31, 2012. The final determination will be issued 75 days after 
the date of this preliminary determination.\1\ Interested parties are 
invited to comment on this preliminary determination.
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    \1\ Due to the closure of the Federal Government in Washington, 
DC on March 3, 2014, the Department reached this determination on 
the next business day (i.e., March 4, 2014). See Notice of 
Clarification: Application of ``Next Business Day'' Rule for 
Administrative Determination Deadlines Pursuant to the Tariff Act of 
1930, As Amended, 70 FR 24533 (May 10, 2005).

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DATES: Effective Date: March 11, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicholas Czajkowski or Milton Koch, 
Office VII, AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, 
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th 
Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: 
(202) 482-1395 and (202) 482-2584, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Scope of the Investigation

    The product covered by this investigation is MSG, whether or not 
blended or in solution with other products. Specifically, MSG that has 
been blended or is in solution with other product(s) is included in 
this scope when the resulting mix contains 15 percent or more of MSG by 
dry weight.\2\
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    \2\ For a complete description of the scope of the 
investigation, see Appendix 1 to this notice.
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Methodology

    The Department is conducting this countervailing duty (CVD) 
investigation in accordance with section 701 of the Tariff Act of 1930, 
as amended, (the Act). For a full description of the methodology 
underlying our preliminary conclusions, see the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum.\3\ The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document 
and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service 
System (IA ACCESS). IA ACCESS is available to registered users at 
http://iaaccess.trade.gov, and is available to all parties in the 
Central Records Unit, Room 7046 of the main Department of Commerce 
building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum can be accessed directly on the Internet at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/index.html. The signed Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum and the electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum are identical in content.
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    \3\ See Memorandum from Christian Marsh, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations, to 
Paul Piquado, Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance 
regarding ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Negative 
Countervailing Duty Determination in the Countervailing Duty 
Investigation of Monosodium Glutamate from Indonesia; and 
Preliminary Negative Determination of Critical Circumstances in the 
Countervailing Duty Investigation,'' dated concurrently with this 
notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).
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Critical Circumstances

    In accordance with section 703(e)(1) of the Act, we preliminarily 
find that critical circumstances do not exist with respect to imports 
of MSG from Indonesia. A discussion of our determination can be found 
in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Negative Preliminary Determination and Suspension of Liquidation

    We have calculated a de minimis CVD rate for the sole producer/
exporter of subject merchandise in this investigation. Consistent with 
section 703(b)(4)(A) of the Act, we have disregarded this rate and 
preliminarily determine that no countervailable subsidies are being 
provided to the production or exportation of the subject merchandise in 
Indonesia. Additionally, consistent with section 703(d)(1)(A) of the 
Act, the Department has not calculated an ``all others'' rate for all 
other producers or exporters because it has not made an affirmative 
preliminary determination.
    We preliminarily determine the countervailable subsidy rates to be:

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                  Company                           Subsidy rate
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PT. Cheil Jedang Indonesia................    0.069 percent (de minimis)
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    Because we have preliminarily determined that the CVD rates in this 
investigation are de minimis, we will not direct U.S. Customs and 
Border Protection to suspend liquidation of entries of subject 
merchandise.

Verification

    As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, we intend to verify 
the information submitted by the respondents prior to making our final 
determination.

Disclosure and Public Comment

    The Department intends to disclose to interested parties the 
calculations performed in connection with this preliminary 
determination within five days of announcement of its public 
announcement.\4\ Interested parties may submit case and rebuttal 
briefs, as well as request a hearing.\5\ For a schedule of the 
deadlines for filing case briefs, rebuttal briefs, and hearing 
requests, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
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    \4\ See 19 CFR 351.224(b).
    \5\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)-(d), 19 CFR 351.310(c).
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International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 703(f) of the Act, we will notify the 
International Trade Commission (ITC) of our determination. In addition, 
we are making available to the ITC all non-privileged and non-
proprietary information relating to this investigation. We will allow 
the ITC access to all privileged and business proprietary information 
in our files, provided the ITC confirms that it will not disclose such 
information, either publicly or under an administrative protective 
order, without the written consent of the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance.
    In accordance with section 705(b)(2) of the Act, if our final 
determination is affirmative, the ITC will make its final determination 
within 45 days after the Department makes its final determination.
    This determination is issued and published pursuant to sections 
703(f) and 777(i) of the Act.


[[Page 13615]]


    Dated: March 4, 2014.
Paul Piquado,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix 1

Scope of the Investigation

    The scope of this investigation covers monosodium glutamate (MSG), 
whether or not blended or in solution with other products. 
Specifically, MSG that has been blended or is in solution with other 
product(s) is included in this scope when the resulting mix contains 
15% or more of MSG by dry weight. Products with which MSG may be 
blended include, but are not limited to, salts, sugars, starches, 
maltodextrins, and various seasonings. Further, MSG is included in this 
investigation regardless of physical form (including, but not limited 
to, substrates, solutions, dry powders of any particle size, or 
unfinished forms such as MSG slurry), end-use application, or 
packaging.
    MSG has a molecular formula of 
C5H8NO4Na, a Chemical Abstract Service 
(CAS) registry number of 6106-04-3, and a Unique Ingredient Identifier 
(UNII) number of W81N5U6R6U.
    Merchandise covered by the scope of this investigation is currently 
classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) of the United States 
at subheading 2922.42.10.00. Merchandise subject to this investigation 
may also enter under HTS subheadings 2922.42.50.00, 2103.90.72.00, 
2103.90.74.00, 2103.90.78.00, 2103.90.80.00, and 2103.90.90.91. The 
tariff classifications, CAS registry number, and UNII number are 
provided for convenience and customs purposes; however, the written 
description of the scope is dispositive.

Appendix 2

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
    A. Initiation and Case History
    B. Period of Investigation
III. Scope Comments
IV. Scope of the Investigation
V. Respondent Selection
VI. Injury Test
VII. Subsidies Valuation
    A. Allocation Period
    B. Attribution of Subsidies
    C. Denominators
    D. Benchmarks and Discount Rates
VIII. Critical Circumstances
IX. Analysis of Programs
    A. Program Preliminarily Determined to be Countervailable
    B. Respondent Reported Not Using the Following Programs During the 
POI and the Record Indicates Nothing to Contradict These Claims
X. ITC Notification
XI. Disclosure and Public Comment
XII. Verification
XIII. Conclusion

[FR Doc. 2014-05243 Filed 3-10-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P