[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 244 (Thursday, December 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65347-65348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27537]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-201-846]


Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty Investigation on 
Sugar From Mexico (as Amended); Preliminary Results of 2017 
Administrative Review

AGENCY: Enforcement & Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

DATES: Applicable December 20, 2018.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines 
that the Government of Mexico (GOM) and selected respondents Ingenio El 
Higo S.A. de C.V., Central El Potrero S.A. de C.V., Ingenio Melchor 
Ocampo S.A. de C.V., and Zucarmex S.A. de C.V. (and their affiliates) 
are in compliance with the Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty 
Investigation of Sugar from Mexico (CVD Agreement), as amended on June 
30, 2017 (collectively, amended CVD Agreement), for the period October 
1, 2017, through December 31, 2017. Commerce also preliminary 
determines that the amended CVD Agreement is meeting the statutory 
requirements under sections 704(c) and (d) of the Tariff Act of 1930, 
as amended. Interested parties are invited to comment on these 
preliminary results.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sally C. Gannon or David Cordell, 
Enforcement & Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 
20230, telephone: (202) 482-0162 or (202) 482-0408, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On December 19, 2014, Commerce signed an agreement under section 
704(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), with the GOM, 
suspending the CVD investigation on sugar from Mexico.\1\ On June 30, 
2017, Commerce and the GOM signed an amendment to the CVD Agreement.\2\
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    \1\ See Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty 
Investigation of Sugar from Mexico, 79 FR 78044 (December 29, 2014) 
(CVD Agreement).
    \2\ See Sugar from Mexico: Amendment to the Agreement Suspending 
the Countervailing Duty Investigation, 82 FR 31942 (July 11, 2017) 
(CVD Amendment).
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    On December 29, 2017, the American Sugar Coalition and its Members 
\3\ (petitioners) filed a request for an administrative review of the 
amended CVD Agreement.\4\ The review was initiated on February 13, 
2018, covering the January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017,\5\ period 
of review (POR). Commerce amended the POR on April 19, 2018, to reflect 
the period from October 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 (including sales 
prior to October 1, 2017 that resulted in entries during the fourth 
quarter of 2017).\6\ On May 23, 2018, Commerce selected the four 
largest producers/exporters by volume as mandatory respondents,\7\ and 
issued its questionnaire to the GOM, the signatory to the CVD 
Agreement, and asked the GOM to send full questionnaires at attachment 
1 to the four selected companies (and their affiliates). These were: 
Central El Potrero S.A. de C.V., Ingenio El Higo S.A. de C.V., Ingenio 
Melchor Ocampo S.A. de C.V, and Zucarmex S.A. de C.V. Commerce also 
asked that the GOM respond to its own questionnaire.
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    \3\ The members of the American Sugar Coalition are as follows: 
American Sugar Cane League, American Sugarbeet Growers Association, 
American Sugar Refining, Inc., Florida Sugar Cane League, Rio Grande 
Valley Sugar Growers, Inc., Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of 
Florida, and the United States Beet Sugar Association.
    \4\ See Letter from petitioners, entitled ``Sugar from Mexico: 
Request for Administrative Review'' (December 29, 2017).
    \5\ The original initiation notice had incorrectly stated that 
the POR ended on December 30, 2017, and this was corrected in the 
initiation notice published on March 16, 2018.
    \6\ See Memorandum to P. Lee Smith, entitled ``Administrative 
Review of the Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty 
Investigation on Sugar from Mexico, as Amended: Period of Review'' 
(April 19, 2018).
    \7\ See Memorandum to P. Lee Smith, entitled ``2017 
Administrative Review of the Agreement Suspending the Countervailing 
Duty Investigation on Sugar from Mexico As Amended: Respondent 
Selection'' and ``Questionnaire Regarding the Agreement Suspending 
the Countervailing Duty Investigation on Sugar from Mexico for the 
October 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017 Period of Review'', both 
dated May 23, 2018.
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Scope of Review

    Merchandise covered by this amended CVD Agreement is typically 
imported under the following headings of the HTSUS: 1701.12.1000, 
1701.12.5000, 1701.13.1000, 1701.13.5000, 1701.14.1000, 1701.14.5000, 
1701.91.1000, 1701.91.3000, 1701.99.1010, 1701.99.1025, 1701.99.1050, 
1701.99.5010, 1701.99.5025, 1701.99.5050, and 1702.90.4000. The tariff 
classification is provided for convenience and customs purposes; 
however, the written description of the scope of this amended CVD 
Agreement is dispositive.\8\
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    \8\ For a complete description of the Scope of the Order, see 
Memorandum to Gary Taverman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations, performing the non-
exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance, from P. Lee Smith, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, ``Decision Memorandum for 
Preliminary Results of Administrative Review of the Agreement 
Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation on Sugar from 
Mexico,'' dated concurrently with this notice (Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum).
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Methodology and Preliminary Results

    Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with section 
751(a)(1)(C) of the Act. After reviewing the information received to 
date from the respondent companies and the GOM in their questionnaire 
and supplemental questionnaire responses, we preliminarily find that 
the information indicates that the GOM has adhered to the terms of the 
amended CVD Agreement and that the amended CVD Agreement is functioning 
as intended. Further, we preliminarily determine that the amended CVD 
Agreement is meeting the statutory requirements under sections 704(c) 
and (d) of the Act. For a full description of the methodology 
underlying our conclusions, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Public Comment

    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii), interested parties may submit 
case briefs not later than 30 days after the date of publication of 
this notice. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case 
briefs, may be filed not later than five days after the date for filing 
case briefs in accordance with 19 CFR 351.309(d)(1). Parties who submit 
case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding are encouraged to 
provide: (1) A statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the 
argument; and (3) a table of authorities. See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and 
(d)(2).
    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to 
request a hearing, or to participate if one is requested, must submit a 
written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and 
Compliance filed electronically via ACCESS. An

[[Page 65348]]

electronically filed document must be received successfully in its 
entirety by Commerce's electronic records system, ACCESS, by 5:00 p.m. 
Eastern Standard Time within 30 days after the date of publication of 
this notice. Requests should contain: (1) The party's name, address and 
telephone number; (2) the number of participants; and (3) a list of 
issues to be discussed. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to 
those raised in the respective case briefs. Commerce intends to issue 
the final results of this administrative review, including the results 
of its analysis of the issues raised in any written briefs, not later 
than 120 days after the date of publication of this notice, pursuant to 
section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act.
    We are issuing and publishing these results in accordance with 
sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: December 14, 2018.
Gary Taverman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Operations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the 
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2018-27537 Filed 12-19-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P