[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 23 (Friday, February 2, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4905-4906]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02135]


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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 in the 
Matter of Softwood Lumber From Canada: Determinations (Secretariat File 
Number: USA-CDA-2018-1904-03)

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: A Request for Panel Review was filed on behalf of the 
Government of Canada; Government of Alberta; Government of British 
Columbia; Government of Ontario; Government of Qu[eacute]bec; Alberta 
Softwood Lumber Trade Council; British Columbia Lumber Trade Council; 
Conseil de l'Industrie forestier du Qu[eacute]bec and Ontario Forest 
Industries Association; Canfor Corporation; J.D. Irving, Limited; 
Resolute FP Canada Inc. and Rene Bernard Inc.; Tembec Inc. and Eacom 
Timber Corporation; and West Fraser Mills Ltd. with the United States 
Section of the NAFTA Secretariat on January 19, 2018 and on behalf of 
Western Forest Products, Inc. on January 26, 2018, pursuant to NAFTA 
Article 1904. Panel Review was requested of the U.S. International 
Trade Commission's final injury

[[Page 4906]]

determination regarding Softwood Lumber from Canada. The final 
determination was published in the Federal Register on December 28, 
2017 (82 FR 61,587). The NAFTA Secretariat has assigned case number 
USA-CDA-2018-1904-03 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 February 20, 
2018);
    (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 March 5, 
2018); 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: January 30, 2018.
Paul E. Morris,
U.S. Secretary, NAFTA Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2018-02135 Filed 2-1-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-GT-P