[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 114 (Thursday, June 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27684-27685]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-12476]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[Docket No. USTR-2018-0001]


Exclusion of Particular Products From the Solar Products 
Safeguard Measure

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of product exclusions.

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SUMMARY: On January 23, 2018, the President imposed a safeguard measure 
on imports of certain solar products pursuant to a Section 201 
investigation. On February 14, 2018, the United States Trade 
Representative (Trade Representative) established a procedure to 
request product-specific exclusions from application of the safeguard 
measure. On September 19, 2018, the Trade Representative granted 
certain of those exclusion requests. This notice announces the Trade 
Representative's determination to grant additional exclusion requests, 
as specified in the Annex to this notice. The Trade Representative will 
not further consider exclusion requests that were not granted in this 
or the September 19 notices. This action is without prejudice to the 
Trade Representative's authority to grant exclusions if there is 
another round of requests for exclusion.

DATES: The product exclusions announced in this notice will apply as of 
June 13, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victor Mroczka, Office of WTO and 
Multilateral Affairs, at [email protected] or (202) 395-9450, or 
Dax Terrill, Office of General Counsel, at [email protected] or 
(202) 395-4739.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    On January 23, 2018, the President, issued Proclamation 9693 (83 FR 
3541) to impose a safeguard measure with respect to certain crystalline 
silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) cells and other products (CSPV products) 
containing these cells. The Proclamation directed the Trade 
Representative to establish procedures for interested persons to 
request the exclusion of particular products from the safeguard 
measure. It also authorized the Trade Representative, in consultation 
with the Secretaries of Commerce and Energy, to exclude particular 
products and modify the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTSUS) upon publication of a determination in the Federal Register.
    On February 14, 2018, the Trade Representative issued a notice 
setting out the procedure to request product exclusions, and opened a 
public docket. See 83 FR 6670 (the February 14 notice). Under the 
February 14 notice, requests for exclusion were to identify the 
particular product in terms of its physical characteristics, such as 
dimensions, wattage, material composition, or other distinguishing 
characteristics, that differentiate it from other products that are 
subject to the safeguard measure. The notice provided that the Trade 
Representative would not consider requests identifying the product at 
issue in terms of the identity of the producer, importer, or ultimate 
consumer; the country of origin; or trademarks or tradenames. It also 
noted that the Trade Representative would only grant exclusions that 
did not undermine the objectives of the safeguard measure.
    The February 14 notice provided for consideration of submissions 
requesting an exclusion that were filed no later than March 16, 2018. 
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) received 48 product 
exclusion requests and 213 subsequent comments responding to various 
requests. The exclusion requests generally fell into seven categories: 
(1) Products that consist of attachments or other parts that can be 
mounted to solar products; (2) products that constitute 72-cell or 
greater panels; (3) products with particular configurations for 
additional performance; (4) products with specialized functions; (5) 
consumer and specialty products; (6) bifacial panels and bifacial solar 
cells; and (7) solar cells without busbars or gridlines and panels 
containing these solar cells.
    On September 19, 2018, the Trade Representative granted certain 
product exclusion requests with a determination in the Federal Register 
(83 FR 47393).

B. Determination To Grant Certain Exclusions

    Based on an evaluation of the factors set out in the February 14 
notice, which are summarized above, the Trade Representative has 
determined to grant the product exclusions set out in the Annex to this 
notice.

C. Remaining Requests Not Addressed in This Notice

    USTR has completed review of all exclusion requests received in 
response to the February 14 notice. The Trade Representative will not 
further consider exclusion requests that were not granted in this or 
the September 19 notices. This action is without prejudice to the Trade 
Representative's authority to grant exclusions if USTR initiates 
another round of requests for exclusion.

[[Page 27685]]

D. Future Exclusion Requests

    The Trade Representative is not entertaining additional exclusion 
requests at this time. However, USTR will monitor developments in the 
U.S. market for CSPV products and, if warranted, provide an opportunity 
to submit additional requests for exclusion at a future date.

Annex

    Effective with respect to articles entered, or withdrawn from a 
warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time 
on June 13, 2019, U.S. note 18 to subchapter III of chapter 99 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) is modified by 
inserting the following new subdivisions in numerical sequence at the 
end of subdivision (c)(iii):
    ``(15) bifacial solar panels that absorb light and generate 
electricity on each side of the panel and that consist of only bifacial 
solar cells that absorb light and generate electricity on each side of 
the cells;
    (16) flexible fiberglass solar panels without glass components 
other than fiberglass, such panels having power outputs ranging from 
250 to 900 watts;
    (17) solar panels consisting of solar cells arranged in rows that 
are laminated in the panel and that are separated by more than 10 mm, 
with an optical film spanning the gaps between all rows that is 
designed to direct sunlight onto the solar cells, and not including 
panels that lack said optical film or only have a white or other 
backing layer that absorbs or scatters sunlight.''

Jeffrey Gerrish,
Deputy United States Trade Representative, Office of the U.S. Trade 
Representative.
[FR Doc. 2019-12476 Filed 6-12-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F9-P