[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 95 (Friday, May 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29482-29483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10422]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 337-TA-1199]


Certain Tobacco Heating Articles and Components Thereof; 
Institution of Investigation

AGENCY: U.S. International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a complaint was filed with the 
U.S. International Trade Commission on April 9, 2020, under section 337 
of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, on behalf of RAI Strategic 
Holdings, Inc. of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, R.J. Reynolds Vapor 
Company of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco 
Company of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. A letter supplementing the 
complaint was filed on April 16, 2020. The complaint alleges violations 
of section 337 based upon the importation into the United States, the 
sale for importation, and the sale within the United States after 
importation of certain tobacco heating articles and components thereof 
by reason of infringement of certain claims of U.S. Patent No. 
9,839,238 (``the '238 patent''); U.S. Patent No. 9,901,123 (``the '123 
patent''); and U.S. Patent No. 9,930,915 (``the '915 patent''). The 
complaint further alleges that an industry in the United States exists 
as required by the applicable Federal Statute. The complainant requests 
that the Commission institute an investigation and, after the 
investigation, issue a limited exclusion order and cease and desist 
orders.

ADDRESSES: The complaint, except for any confidential information 
contained therein, may be viewed on the Commission's electronic docket 
(EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov. For help accessing EDIS, please email 
[email protected]. Hearing impaired individuals are advised
    that information on this matter can be obtained by contacting the 
Commission's TDD terminal on (202) 205-1810. Persons with mobility 
impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the 
Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at (202) 205-
2000. General information concerning the Commission may also be 
obtained by accessing its internet server at https://www.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pathenia Proctor, Office of Unfair 
Import Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, telephone 
(202) 205-2560.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Authority: The authority for institution of this investigation is 
contained in section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 
U.S.C. 1337, and in section 210.10 of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10 (2019).
    Scope of Investigation: Having considered the complaint, the U.S. 
International Trade Commission, on May 11, 2020, Ordered That--
    (1) Pursuant to subsection (b) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 
1930, as amended, an investigation be instituted to determine whether 
there is a violation of subsection (a)(1)(B) of section 337 in the 
importation into the United States, the sale for importation, or the 
sale within the United States after importation of certain products 
identified in paragraph (2) by reason of infringement of one or more of 
claim 19 of the '238 patent; claims 27-30 of the '123 patent; and 
claims 1, 2, and 5 of the '915 patent; and whether an industry in the 
United States exists as required by subsection (a)(2) of section 337;
    (2) Pursuant to section 210.10(b)(1) of the Commission's Rules of 
Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.10(b)(1), the plain language 
description of the accused products or category of accused products, 
which defines the scope of the investigation, is ``electric tobacco 
heating device systems and the associated tobacco sticks sold for use 
with the device systems'';
    (3) Pursuant to Commission Rule 210.50(b)(l), 19 CFR 210.50(b)(1), 
the presiding administrative law judge shall take evidence or other 
information and hear arguments from the parties or other interested 
persons with respect to the public interest in this investigation, as 
appropriate, and provide the Commission with findings of fact and a 
recommended determination on this issue, which shall be limited to the

[[Page 29483]]

statutory public interest factors set forth in 19 U.S.C. l337(d)(l), 
(f)(1), (g)(1);
    (4) For the purpose of the investigation so instituted, the 
following are hereby named as parties upon which this notice of 
investigation shall be served:
    (a) The complainants are:

RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc., 401 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC 
27101
R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, 401 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC 
27101
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, 401 North Main Street, Winston-Salem, NC 
27101
    (b) The respondents are the following entities alleged to be in 
violation of section 337, and are the parties upon which the complaint 
is to be served:

Altria Client Services LLC, 6601 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230
Altria Group, Inc., 6601 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230
Philip Morris USA, Inc., 6601 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230
Philip Morris International Inc., 120 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Philip Morris Products S.A., Quai Jeanrenaud 3, 2000 Neuch[acirc]tel, 
Switzerland

    (c) The Office of Unfair Import Investigations, U.S. International 
Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20436; and
    (5) For the investigation so instituted, the Chief Administrative 
Law Judge, U.S. International Trade Commission, shall designate the 
presiding Administrative Law Judge.
    Responses to the complaint and the notice of investigation must be 
submitted by the named respondents in accordance with section 210.13 of 
the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure, 19 CFR 210.13. 
Pursuant to 19 CFR. 201.16(e) and 210.13(a), as amended in 85 FR 15798 
(March 19, 2020), such responses will be considered by the Commission 
if received not later than 20 days after the date of service by the 
Commission of the complaint and the notice of investigation. Extensions 
of time for submitting responses to the complaint and the notice of 
investigation will not be granted unless good cause therefor is shown.
    Failure of a respondent to file a timely response to each 
allegation in the complaint and in this notice may be deemed to 
constitute a waiver of the right to appear and contest the allegations 
of the complaint and this notice, and to authorize the administrative 
law judge and the Commission, without further notice to the respondent, 
to find the facts to be as alleged in the complaint and this notice and 
to enter an initial determination and a final determination containing 
such findings, and may result in the issuance of an exclusion order or 
a cease and desist order or both directed against the respondent.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: May 11, 2020.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2020-10422 Filed 5-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P