[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 223 (Wednesday, November 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73459-73460]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-25449]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-552-831]


Seamless Refined Copper Pipe and Tube From the Socialist Republic 
of Vietnam: Postponement of Preliminary Determination in the Less-Than-
Fair-Value Investigation

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

DATES: Applicable November 18, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ariela Garvett, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office IV, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3609.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On July 20, 2020, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated 
the less-than-fair value (LTFV) investigation of imports of seamless 
refined copper pipe and tube (copper pipe and tube) from the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam).\1\ Currently, the preliminary 
determination is due no later than December 7, 2020.
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    \1\ See Seamless Refined Copper Pipe and Tube from the Socialist 
Republic of Vietnam: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigation, 85 FR 47181 (August 4, 2020).
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Postponement of the 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) 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

[[Page 73460]]

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 November 5, 2020, the petitioner \2\ submitted a timely request 
that Commerce postpone the preliminary determination in this LTFV 
investigation.\3\ The petitioner stated that it requests postponement 
to provide adequate time for Commerce to analyze complex issues, to 
accommodate extensions of time provided to the respondent to complete 
the questionnaire and supplemental questionnaires, and to provide 
Commerce additional time to conduct a thorough analysis, including by 
issuing additional supplemental questionnaires.\4\
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    \2\ The petitioner is the American Copper Tube Coalition, the 
members of which are Mueller Copper Tube Products, Inc.; Mueller 
Copper Tube West Co.; Mueller Copper Tube Company, Inc.; Howell 
Metal Company; and Linesets, Inc. (collectively, Mueller Group) and 
Cerro Flow Products, LLC.
    \3\ See Petitioner's Letter, ``Seamless Refined Copper Pipe and 
Tube from Vietnam: Request to Extend Preliminary Results,'' dated 
November 5, 2020.
    \4\ Id. at 1.
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    For the reasons stated above and because there are no compelling 
reasons 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 January 26, 2021. In accordance 
with section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the 
deadline for the final determination in this investigation will 
continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determination, 
unless postponed at a later date.
    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 733(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).

    Dated: November 12, 2020.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020-25449 Filed 11-17-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P