[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 21, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 55350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-25123]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Article 1904 
Binational Panel Review: Notice of Request for Panel Review

AGENCY: United States Section, NAFTA Secretariat, International Trade 
Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of NAFTA Request for Panel Review in the matter of 
Certain Softwood Lumber Products From Canada: Final Affirmative 
Countervailing Duty Determination (Secretariat File Number: USA-CDA-
2017-1904-02).

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SUMMARY: A Request for Panel Review was filed on behalf of the 
Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of 
British Columbia, the Government of Manitoba, the Government of New 
Brunswick, the Government of Ontario, the Government of Qu[eacute]bec, 
the Government of Saskatchewan, Alberta Softwood Lumber Trade Council 
(``ASLTC''), British Columbia Lumber Trade Council (``BCLTC''), Conseil 
de l'Industrie forestiere du Qu[eacute]bec (``CIFQ''), Ontario Forest 
Industries Association (``OFIA''), New Brunswick Lumber Producers 
(``NBLP''), Canfor Corporation (``Canfor''), J.D. Irving, Limited 
(``JDI''), Resolute FP Canada Inc. (``Resolute''), Tolko Marketing and 
Sales Ltd. and Tolko Industries Ltd. (``Tolko''), and West Fraser Mills 
Ltd. (``West Fraser'') with the United States Section of the NAFTA 
Secretariat on November 14, 2017, pursuant to NAFTA Article 1904. Panel 
Review was requested of the Department of Commerce's final 
countervailing duty determination regarding Certain Softwood Lumber 
Products from Canada. The final determination was published in the 
Federal Register on November 8, 2017 (82 FR 51814). The NAFTA 
Secretariat has assigned case number USA-CDA-2017-1904-02 to this 
request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul E. Morris, United States 
Secretary, NAFTA Secretariat, Room 2061, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230, (202) 482-5438.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Chapter 19 of Article 1904 of NAFTA provides 
a dispute settlement mechanism involving trade remedy determinations 
issued by the Government of the United States, the Government of 
Canada, and the Government of Mexico. Following a Request for Panel 
Review, a Binational Panel is composed to review the trade remedy 
determination being challenged and issue a binding Panel Decision. 
There are established NAFTA Rules of Procedure for Article 1904 
Binational Panel Reviews, which were adopted by the three governments 
for panels requested pursuant to Article 1904(2) of NAFTA which 
requires Requests for Panel Review to be published in accordance with 
Rule 35. For the complete Rules, please see https://www.nafta-sec-alena.org/Home/Texts-of-the-Agreement/Rules-of-Procedure/Article-1904.
    The Rules provide that:
    (a) A Party or interested person may challenge the final 
determination in whole or in part by filing a Complaint in accordance 
with Rule 39 within 30 days after the filing of the first Request for 
Panel Review (the deadline for filing a Complaint is December 14, 
2017);
    (b) A Party, investigating authority or interested person that does 
not file a Complaint but that intends to appear in support of any 
reviewable portion of the final determination may participate in the 
panel review by filing a Notice of Appearance in accordance with Rule 
40 within 45 days after the filing of the first Request for Panel 
Review (the deadline for filing a Notice of Appearance is December 29, 
2017); and
    (c) The panel review shall be limited to the allegations of error 
of fact or law, including challenges to the jurisdiction of the 
investigating authority, that are set out in the Complaints filed in 
the panel review and to the procedural and substantive defenses raised 
in the panel review.

    Dated: November 15, 2017.
Paul E. Morris,
U.S. Secretary, NAFTA Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2017-25123 Filed 11-20-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P