[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 172 (Thursday, September 5, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46711-46712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19193]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-108]


Ceramic Tile From the People's Republic of China: Postponement of 
Preliminary Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation

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


DATES: Applicable September 5, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul Walker, AD/CVD Operations, Office 
VI, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, 
DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0413.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On April 30, 2019, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated 
a less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation on imports of ceramic tile 
from the People's Republic of China.\1\ Currently, the preliminary 
determination is due no later than September 17, 2019.
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    \1\ See Ceramic Tile from the People's Republic of China: 
Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation, 84 FR 20093 (May 
8, 2019).
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Postponement of Preliminary Determination

    Section 733(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act), requires Commerce to issue the preliminary determination in an 
LTFV investigation within 140 days after the date on which Commerce 
initiated the investigation. However, section 733(c)(1)(A)(b)(1) of the 
Act permits Commerce to postpone the preliminary determination until no 
later than 190 days after the date on which Commerce initiated the 
investigation if: (A) The petitioner makes a timely request for a 
postponement; or (B) Commerce concludes that the parties concerned are 
cooperating, that the investigation is extraordinarily complicated, and 
that additional time is necessary to make a preliminary determination. 
Under 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner must submit a request for 
postponement 25 days or more before the scheduled date of the 
preliminary determination and must state the reasons for the request. 
Commerce will grant the request unless it finds compelling reasons to 
deny the request.
    On August 19, 2019, the petitioner \2\ submitted a timely request 
that Commerce postpone the preliminary determination of the LTFV 
investigation.\3\ The petitioner stated that it requests postponement 
to allow Commerce time to collect surrogate value data, sufficiently 
review all questionnaires responses, and request clarification and 
additional information as necessary.\4\
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    \2\ The petitioner is The Coalition for Fair Trade in Ceramic 
Tile.
    \3\ See Petitioner's Letter, ``Antidumping Duty Investigation of 
Ceramic Tile from the People's Republic of China: Petitioner's 
Request for Postponement of the Preliminary Determination and 
Provisional Measures,'' dated August 19, 2019.
    \4\ Id.
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    For the reasons stated above, and because there are no compelling 
reasons

[[Page 46712]]

to deny the request, Commerce, in accordance with section 733(c)(1)(A) 
of the Act, is postponing the deadline for the preliminary 
determination by 50 days (i.e., 190 days after the date on which this 
investigation was initiated). As a result, Commerce will issue its 
preliminary determination no later than November 6, 2019. In accordance 
with section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the 
deadline for the final determination of this investigation will 
continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determination, 
unless postponed at a later date.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 733(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).

    Dated: August 28, 2019.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2019-19193 Filed 9-4-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P