[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 23 (Friday, February 2, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4922-4924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02073]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation Nos. 701-TA-581 and 731-TA-1374-1376 (Final)]


Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Belgium, Colombia, and 
Thailand; Scheduling of the Final Phase of Countervailing Duty and 
Antidumping Duty Investigations

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission hereby gives notice of the scheduling of the 
final phase of antidumping and countervailing duty investigation Nos. 
701-TA-581 and 731-TA-1374-1376 (Final) pursuant to the Tariff Act of 
1930 (``the Act'') to determine whether an industry in the United 
States is materially injured or threatened with material injury, or the 
establishment of an industry in the United States is materially 
retarded, by reason of imports of citric acid and certain citrate salts 
from Belgium, Colombia, and Thailand, provided for in subheadings 
2918.14.00, 2918.15.10, 2918.15.50, 3824.99.92, and 3824.99.92 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, preliminarily 
determined by the Department of Commerce to be subsidized and sold at 
less-than-fair-value.

DATES: January 8, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amelia Shister (202-205-2047), Office 
of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street 
SW, Washington, DC 20436. Hearing-impaired persons can obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
on 202-205-1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will need 
special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact 
the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000. General information 
concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its 
internet server (https://www.usitc.gov). The public record for these 
investigations may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Scope.--For purposes of these investigations, the Department of 
Commerce has defined the subject merchandise as ``all grades and 
granulation sizes of citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate 
in their unblended forms, whether dry or in solution, and regardless of 
packaging type. The scope also includes blends of citric acid, sodium 
citrate, and potassium citrate; as well as blends with other 
ingredients, such as sugar, where the unblended form(s) of citric acid, 
sodium citrate, and potassium citrate constitute 40 percent or more, by 
weight, of the blend.
    The scope also includes all forms of crude calcium citrate, 
including dicalcium citrate monohydrate, and tricalcium citrate 
tetrahydrate, which are intermediate products in the production of 
citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate.

[[Page 4923]]

    The scope includes the hydrous and anhydrous forms of citric acid, 
the dehydrate and anhydrous forms of sodium citrate, otherwise known as 
citric acid sodium salt, and the monohydrate and monopotassium forms of 
potassium citrate. Sodium citrate also includes both trisodium citrate 
and monosodium citrate which are also known as citric acid trisodium 
salt and citric acid monosodium salt, respectively.'' \1\
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    \1\ For a complete presentation of Commerce's scope, see Citric 
Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From Belgium: Preliminary Affirmative 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of 
Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures, 83 FR 
787, January 8, 2018; Citric Acid and Certain Citrate Salts From 
Colombia: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less 
Than Fair Value, Preliminary Negative Critical Circumstances 
Determination Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of 
Provisional Measures, 83 FR 791, January 8, 2018; and Citric Acid 
and Certain Citrate Salts From Thailand: Preliminary Affirmative 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Preliminary 
Affirmative Critical Circumstances Determination, in Part, and 
Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional 
Measures, 83 FR 784, January 8, 2018.
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    Background.--The final phase of these investigations is being 
scheduled pursuant to sections 705(b) and 731(b) of the Tariff Act of 
1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671d(b) and 1673d(b)), as a result of affirmative 
preliminary determinations by the Department of Commerce that certain 
benefits which constitute subsidies within the meaning of section 703 
of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1671b) are being provided to manufacturers, 
producers, or exporters in Belgium, Colombia, and Thailand of citric 
acid and certain citrate salts, and that such products are being sold 
in the United States at less than fair value within the meaning of 
section 733 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1673b). The investigations were 
requested in petitions filed on June 2, 2017, by Archer Daniels Midland 
Company, Decatur, Illinois; Cargill, Incorporated, Minneapolis, 
Minnesota; and Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas, LLC, Hoffman Estates, 
Illinois.
    For further information concerning the conduct of this phase of the 
investigations, hearing procedures, and rules of general application, 
consult the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, part 201, 
subparts A and B (19 CFR part 201), and part 207, subparts A and C (19 
CFR part 207).
    Although the Department of Commerce has preliminarily determined 
that imports of citric acid and certain citrate salts from Thailand are 
not being and are not likely to be subsidized by the government not 
Thailand, for purposes of efficiency the Commission hereby waives rule 
207.21(b) \2\ so that the final phase of the investigation may proceed 
concurrently in the event that Commerce makes a final affirmative 
determination with respect to such imports.
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    \2\ Section 207.21(b) of the Commission's rules provides that, 
where the Department of Commerce has issued a negative preliminary 
determination, the Commission will publish a Final Phase Notice of 
Scheduling upon receipt of an affirmative final determination from 
Commerce.
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    Participation in the investigations and public service list.--
Persons, including industrial users of the subject merchandise and, if 
the merchandise is sold at the retail level, representative consumer 
organizations, wishing to participate in the final phase of these 
investigations as parties must file an entry of appearance with the 
Secretary to the Commission, as provided in section 201.11 of the 
Commission's rules, no later than 21 days prior to the hearing date 
specified in this notice. A party that filed a notice of appearance 
during the preliminary phase of the investigations need not file an 
additional notice of appearance during this final phase. The Secretary 
will maintain a public service list containing the names and addresses 
of all persons, or their representatives, who are parties to the 
investigations.
    Limited disclosure of business proprietary information (BPI) under 
an administrative protective order (APO) and BPI service list.--
Pursuant to section 207.7(a) of the Commission's rules, the Secretary 
will make BPI gathered in the final phase of these investigations 
available to authorized applicants under the APO issued in the 
investigations, provided that the application is made no later than 21 
days prior to the hearing date specified in this notice. Authorized 
applicants must represent interested parties, as defined by 19 U.S.C. 
1677(9), who are parties to the investigations. A party granted access 
to BPI in the preliminary phase of the investigations need not reapply 
for such access. A separate service list will be maintained by the 
Secretary for those parties authorized to receive BPI under the APO.
    Staff report.--The prehearing staff report in the final phase of 
these investigations will be placed in the nonpublic record on April 
30, 2018, and a public version will be issued thereafter, pursuant to 
section 207.22 of the Commission's rules.
    Hearing.--The Commission will hold a hearing in connection with the 
final phase of these investigations beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, 
May 14, 2018, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building. 
Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed in writing with the 
Secretary to the Commission on or before May 8, 2018. A nonparty who 
has testimony that may aid the Commission's deliberations may request 
permission to present a short statement at the hearing. All parties and 
nonparties desiring to appear at the hearing and make oral 
presentations should participate in a prehearing conference to be held 
on May 11, 2018, at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 
if deemed necessary. Oral testimony and written materials to be 
submitted at the public hearing are governed by sections 201.6(b)(2), 
201.13(f), and 207.24 of the Commission's rules. Parties must submit 
any request to present a portion of their hearing testimony in camera 
no later than 7 business days prior to the date of the hearing.
    Written submissions.--Each party who is an interested party shall 
submit a prehearing brief to the Commission. Prehearing briefs must 
conform with the provisions of section 207.23 of the Commission's 
rules; the deadline for filing is May 7, 2018. Parties may also file 
written testimony in connection with their presentation at the hearing, 
as provided in section 207.24 of the Commission's rules, and 
posthearing briefs, which must conform with the provisions of section 
207.25 of the Commission's rules. The deadline for filing posthearing 
briefs is May 21, 2018. In addition, any person who has not entered an 
appearance as a party to the investigations may submit a written 
statement of information pertinent to the subject of the 
investigations, including statements of support or opposition to the 
petition, on or before May 21, 2018. On June 13, 2018, the Commission 
will make available to parties all information on which they have not 
had an opportunity to comment. Parties may submit final comments on 
this information on or before June 15, 2018, but such final comments 
must not contain new factual information and must otherwise comply with 
section 207.30 of the Commission's rules. All written submissions must 
conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's rules; 
any submissions that contain BPI must also conform with the 
requirements of sections 201.6, 207.3, and 207.7 of the Commission's 
rules. The Commission's Handbook on E-Filing, available on the 
Commission's website at https://edis.usitc.gov, elaborates upon the 
Commission's rules with respect to electronic filing.
    Additional written submissions to the Commission, including 
requests pursuant to section 201.12 of the

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Commission's rules, shall not be accepted unless good cause is shown 
for accepting such submissions, or unless the submission is pursuant to 
a specific request by a Commissioner or Commission staff.
    In accordance with sections 201.16(c) and 207.3 of the Commission's 
rules, each document filed by a party to the investigations must be 
served on all other parties to the investigations (as identified by 
either the public or BPI service list), and a certificate of service 
must be timely filed. The Secretary will not accept a document for 
filing without a certificate of service.

    Authority: These investigations are being conducted under 
authority of title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930; this notice is 
published pursuant to section 207.21 of the Commission's rules.

    By order of the Commission.
    Issued: January 29, 2018.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2018-02073 Filed 2-1-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7020-02-P