[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34123-34125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15190]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[C-580-888]
Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate From the
Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty
Administrative Review and Intent To Rescind the Review, in Part; 2017
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines
that POSCO, a producer/exporter of certain carbon and alloy steel cut-
to-length plate from the Republic of Korea (Korea), received
countervailable subsidies during the period of review (POR), April 4,
2017 through December 31, 2017. We invite interested parties to comment
on these preliminary results.
DATES: Applicable July 17, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bob Palmer or Jinny Ahn, AD/CVD
Operations, Office VIII, Enforcement and Compliance, International
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-9068 and (202)
482-0339, respectively.
Scope of the Order
The products covered by the order are certain carbon and alloy
steel hot-rolled or forged flat plate products not in coils, whether or
not painted, varnished, or coated with plastics or other non-metallic
substances from the Republic of Korea. Products subject to the order
are currently classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS) under item numbers: 7208.40.3030, 7208.40.3060,
7208.51.0030, 7208.51.0045, 7208.51.0060, 7208.52.0000, 7211.13.0000,
7211.14.0030, 7211.14.0045, 7225.40.1110, 7225.40.1180, 7225.40.3005,
7225.40.3050, 7226.20.0000, and 7226.91.5000. Although the HTSUS
subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the
written description of the merchandise subject to this scope is
dispositive.\1\
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\1\ For a full description of the scope of the order see
Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Results of the
Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 2017: Certain Carbon and
Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate from the Republic of Korea,'' dated
concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary
Decision Memorandum).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On July 12, 2018, Commerce published a notice of initiation of an
administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on certain
carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate from Korea.\2\ On December
17, 2018, Commerce extended the deadline for the preliminary results of
this review to no later than May 31, 2019.\3\ Commerce exercised its
discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the partial federal
government closure from December 22, 2018 through the resumption of
operations on January 29, 2019.\4\ Accordingly, the revised deadline
for the preliminary results of this review is now July 10, 2019. For a
complete description of the events that
[[Page 34124]]
followed the initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum.\5\ A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum is included at the Appendix to this notice. The Preliminary
Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically
via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to
registered users at http://access.trade.gov and is available to all
parties in the Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of the main Commerce
building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed and electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum are identical in content.
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\2\ See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Administrative Reviews, 83 FR 32278 (July 12, 2018); see also
Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative
Reviews, 83 FR 39688, 39690 n.10 (Correcting the POR for this
review.).
\3\ See Memorandum, ``Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-
Length Plate from the Republic of Korea: Extension of Deadline for
Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review,''
dated December 17, 2018.
\4\ See Memorandum to the Record from 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, ``Deadlines
Affected by the Partial Shutdown of the Federal Government,'' dated
January 28, 2019. All deadlines in this segment of the proceeding
have been extended by 40 days.
\5\ See Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
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Methodology
Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with section
751(a)(l)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). For each
of the subsidy programs found countervailable, we preliminarily
determine that there is a subsidy, i.e., a government-provided
financial contribution that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient,
and that the subsidy is specific.\6\ For a full description of the
methodology underlying our conclusions, see the accompanying
Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
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\6\ See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding
financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding
benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
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Intent To Rescind Administrative Review, in Part
On August 7, 2018, we received a timely filed a no-shipments
certification from Hyundai Steel Company (Hyundai).\7\ U.S. Customs and
Border Protection (CBP) did not provide Commerce with any contradictory
information.\8\ Because there is no evidence on the record to indicate
that Hyundai had entries, exports, or sales of subject merchandise to
the United States during the POR, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3), we
intend to rescind the review with respect to Hyundai.
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\7\ See Hyundai's Letter, ``Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-To-Length
Plate from Korea: Notice of No Sales,'' dated August 7, 2018.
\8\ See Memorandum,``Certain carbon and alloy steel cut-to-
length plate from the Republic of Korea (C-580-888),'' dated August
16, 2018.
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Companies Not Selected for Individual Review
Commerce calculated an individual estimated net countervailable
subsidy rate for POSCO, the only individually examined exporter/
producer in this investigation. Because the only individually
calculated rate is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely under
section 776 of the Act, the estimated net countervailiable subsidy rate
calculated for POSCO is the rate assigned to all-other producers and
exporters not selected for individual review. This is consistent with
the methodology that we would use in an investigation to establish the
all-others rate.\9\
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\9\ See section 705(c)(5)(A).
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Preliminary Results of Review
In accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b)(4)(i), we calculated an
individual net countervailable subsidy rate for POSCO. For the POR, we
preliminarily determine that the net countervailable subsidy rates for
the producers/exporters under review to be as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net
countervailable
Company subsidy rate
(percent ad
valorem)
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POSCO \10\............................................. 0.56
BDP International...................................... 0.56
Blue Track Equipment................................... 0.56
Boxco.................................................. 0.56
Bukook Steel Co., Ltd.................................. 0.56
Buma CE Co., Ltd....................................... 0.56
Daelim Industrial Co., Ltd............................. 0.56
Daesam Industrial Co., Ltd............................. 0.56
Daesin Lighting Co., Ltd............................... 0.56
Daewoo International Corp.............................. 0.56
Dong Yang Steel Pipe................................... 0.56
Dongkuk Industries Co., Ltd............................ 0.56
Dongkuk Steel Mill Co., Ltd............................ 0.56
Dongbu Steel Co., Ltd.................................. 0.56
EAE Automotive Equipment............................... 0.56
EEW KHPC Co., Ltd...................................... 0.56
Eplus Expo Inc......................................... 0.56
GS Global Corp......................................... 0.56
Haem Co., Ltd.......................................... 0.56
Han Young Industries................................... 0.56
Hyosung Corp........................................... 0.56
Hyundai Steel Co....................................... 0.56
Jinmyung Frictech Co., Ltd............................. 0.56
Korean Iron and Steel Co., Ltd......................... 0.56
Kyoungil Precision Co., Ltd............................ 0.56
Samsun C&T Corp........................................ 0.56
SK Netwoks Co., Ltd.................................... 0.56
Steel N People Ltd..................................... 0.56
Summit Industry........................................ 0.56
Sungjin Co., Ltd....................................... 0.56
Young Sun Steel........................................ 0.56
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Disclosure and Public Comment
We will disclose to parties to this proceeding the calculations
performed in reaching the preliminary results within five days of the
date of publication of these preliminary results.\11\
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\10\ As discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum,
Commerce has found the following companies to be cross-owned with
POSCO: POSCO Chemtech, POSCO Nippon RHF Joint Venture Co., Ltd.,
POSCO Processing & Service, Pohang Scrap Recycling Distribution
Center, and POSCO M-Tech.
\11\ See 19 CFR 224(b).
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Commerce will establish a deadline for interested parties to submit
written comments (case briefs) and rebuttal comments (rebuttal briefs)
at a later date.\12\ Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(d)(2), rebuttal briefs
must be limited to issues raised in the case briefs. Parties who submit
arguments are requested to submit with the argument: (1) A statement of
the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of
authorities.\13\
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\12\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii) and 351.309(d)(1); see also 19
CFR 351.303 (for general filing requirements).
\13\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and 351.309(d)(2).
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Interested parties who wish to request a hearing must do so within
30 days of publication of these preliminary results by submitting a
written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance using Enforcement and Compliance's ACCESS system.\14\
Requests should contain the party's name, address, and telephone
number, the number of participants, whether any participant is a
foreign national, and a list of the issues to be discussed. If a
request for a hearing is made, Commerce will inform parties of the
scheduled date of the hearing which will be held at the U.S. Department
of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, at a
time and date to be determined.\15\ Issues addressed during the hearing
will be limited to those raised in the briefs.\16\ Parties should
confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the hearing two
days before the scheduled date.
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\14\ See 19 CFR 351.310(c).
\15\ See 19 CFR 351.310.
\16\ See 19 CFR 351.310(c).
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Parties are reminded that all briefs and hearing requests must be
filed electronically using ACCESS and received successfully in their
entirety by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.
Unless the deadline is extended pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of
the Act, Commerce intends to issue the final results of this
administrative review, including the results of our analysis of the
issues raised by the parties in their comments, within 120 days after
publication of these preliminary results.
[[Page 34125]]
Assessment Rate
Consistent with section 751(a)(1) of the Act, upon issuance of the
final results, Commerce shall determine, and CBP shall assess,
countervailing duties on all appropriate entries covered by this
review. We intend to issue instructions to CBP 15 days after
publication of the final results of this review.
Cash Deposit Rate
Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, Commerce intends to
instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing
duties in the amount indicated above with regard to shipments of
subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for
consumption on or after the date of publication of the final results of
this review. For all non-reviewed firms, we will instruct CBP to
continue to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties at
the most recent company-specific or all-others rate applicable to the
company. These cash deposit instructions, when imposed, shall remain in
effect until further notice.
Notification to Interested Parties
These preliminary results of review are issued and published in
accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.213.
Dated: July 10, 2019.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix
List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Review
IV. Intent to Rescind, In Part, the Administrative Review
V. Scope of the Order
VI. Rate for Non-Examined Companies
VII. Subsidies Valuation Information
VIII. Use of Facts Otherwise Available
IX. Analysis of Programs
X. Recommendation
[FR Doc. 2019-15190 Filed 7-16-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P