81_FR_61839 81 FR 61666 - Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate From Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey; Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Preliminary Determinations of Critical Circumstances

81 FR 61666 - Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate From Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey; Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Preliminary Determinations of Critical Circumstances

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 173 (September 7, 2016)

Page Range61666-61668
FR Document2016-21501

The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that critical circumstances exist for imports of certain carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate (CTL plate) from certain producers and exporters from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Taiwan, and Turkey.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 173 (Wednesday, September 7, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61666-61668]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21501]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-433-812, A-423-812, A-351-847, A-580-887, A-583-858, A-489-828, C-
580-888]


Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate From Austria, 
Belgium, Brazil, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey; Antidumping 
and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Preliminary Determinations of 
Critical Circumstances

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily 
determines that critical circumstances exist for imports of certain 
carbon and alloy steel cut-to-length plate (CTL plate) from certain 
producers and exporters from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Taiwan, and 
Turkey.

DATES: Effective September 7, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edythe Artman at (202) 482-3931 
(Austria), Elizabeth Eastwood at (202) 482-3874 (Belgium), Mark Kennedy 
at (202) 482-7883 (Brazil), Steve Bezirganian at (202) 482-1131 (Korea-
AD), John Corrigan at (202) 482-7438 (Korea-CVD), Tyler Weinhold at 
(202) 482-1121 (Taiwan), or Dmitry Vladimirov at (202) 482-0665 
(Turkey), AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International 
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In response to petitions filed on April 8, 2016,\1\ the Department 
of Commerce (the Department) initiated antidumping duty (AD) 
investigations concerning imports of CTL plate from Austria, Belgium, 
Brazil, the People's Republic of China (PRC), France, the Federal 
Republic of Germany (Germany), Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea 
(Korea), South Africa, Taiwan, and Turkey \2\ and countervailing duty 
(CVD) investigations concerning CTL plate from Brazil, the PRC, and 
Korea.\3\ On July 26, 2016, the Department received timely allegations, 
pursuant to sections 703(e)(1) and 733(e)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, 
as amended (the Act), and 19 CFR 351.206, that critical circumstances 
exist with respect to imports of CTL plate from Austria, Belgium, 
Brazil, Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey.\4\ Based on information provided by 
the petitioners, data placed on the record of these investigations by 
the mandatory respondents, and data collected by the Department from 
Global Trade Atlas (GTA), the Department preliminarily determines that 
critical circumstances exist for imports of CTL plate from certain 
producers and exporters from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Taiwan, and 
Turkey.
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    \1\ See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate from 
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the People's Republic of China, France, 
the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of South 
Africa, Taiwan, and Turkey--Petitions for the Imposition of 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duties, dated April 8, 2016 
(collectively, the petitions). The petitioners for these 
investigations are ArcelorMittal USA LLC, Nucor Corporation, and 
SSAB Enterprises, LLC (the petitioners).
    \2\ See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-To-Length Plate From 
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, 
Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the People's Republic of China, 
South Africa, Taiwan, and the Republic of Turkey: Initiation of 
Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 81 FR 27089 (May 5, 2016).
    \3\ See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate From 
Brazil, the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea: 
Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigations, 81 FR 27098 (May 
5, 2016).
    \4\ See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-To-Length Plate From 
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey: 
Critical Circumstances Allegations, July 26, 2016 (Allegations).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.206(c)(2), the petitioners requested that 
the Department issue a preliminary affirmative determination of 
critical circumstances on an expedited basis. In accordance with 
sections 703(e)(1) and 733(e)(1) of the Act, because the petitioners 
submitted their critical circumstances allegations more than 20 days 
before the scheduled date of the final determination, the Department 
must promptly issue preliminary critical circumstances determinations.
    Section 703(e)(1) of the Act provides that the Department will 
determine that critical circumstances exist in CVD investigations if 
there is a reasonable basis to believe or suspect: (A) That ``the 
alleged countervailable subsidy'' is inconsistent with the Agreement on 
Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM Agreement) of the World 
Trade Organization, and (B) that ``there have been massive imports of 
the subject merchandise over a relatively short period.'' Section 
733(e)(1) of the Act provides that the Department will preliminarily 
determine that critical circumstances exist in AD investigations if 
there is a reasonable basis to believe or suspect: (A)(i) That ``there 
is a history of dumping and material injury by reason of dumped imports 
in the United States or elsewhere of the subject merchandise,'' or (ii) 
that ``the person by whom, or for whose account, the merchandise was 
imported knew or

[[Page 61667]]

should have known that the exporter was selling the subject merchandise 
at less than its fair value and that there was likely to be material 
injury by reason of such sales,'' and (B) that ``there have been 
massive imports of the subject merchandise over a relatively short 
period.'' Section 351.206(h)(2) of the Department's regulations 
provides that, generally, imports must increase by at least 15 percent 
during the ``relatively short period'' to be considered ``massive'' and 
section 351.206(i) defines a ``relatively short period'' as normally 
being the period beginning on the date the proceeding begins (i.e., the 
date the petition is filed) \5\ and ending at least three months 
later.\6\ The regulations also provide, however, that, if the 
Department ``finds that importers, or exporters or producers, had 
reason to believe, at some time prior to the beginning of the 
proceeding, that a proceeding was likely,'' the Department ``may 
consider a period of not less than three months from that earlier 
time.'' \7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \5\ See 19 CFR 351.102(b)(40) (providing that a proceeding 
begins on the date of the filing of a petition).
    \6\ See 19 CFR 351.206(i).
    \7\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alleged Countervailable Subsidies Are Inconsistent With the SCM 
Agreement

    To determine whether an alleged countervailable subsidy is 
inconsistent with the SCM Agreement, in accordance with section 
703(e)(1)(A) of the Act, the Department considered the evidence 
currently on the record of the Korea CVD investigation. Specifically, 
as determined in our initiation checklist, the following subsidy 
programs, alleged in the petition and supported by information 
reasonably available to the petitioners, appear to be either export 
contingent or contingent upon the use of domestic goods over imported 
goods, which would render them inconsistent with the SCM Agreement: 
Korean Export-Import Bank Short-Term Export Credits; Korean Export-
Import Bank Export Factoring; Korean Export-Import Bank Export Loan 
Guarantees; Korean Export-Import Bank Trade Bill Rediscounting Program; 
Korea Development Bank (KDB) Short-Term Discounted Loans for Export 
Receivables; Loans under the Industrial Base Fund; Korea Trade 
Insurance Corporation (K-SURE) Short-Term Export Credit Insurance; and 
K-SURE Export Credit Guarantees.\8\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ See Korea CVD Initiation Checklist, April 28, 2016, at 7-16.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Therefore, the Department preliminarily determines for purposes of 
this critical circumstances determination that there are alleged 
subsidies in the Korea CVD investigation that are inconsistent with the 
SCM Agreement.

History of Dumping and Material Injury/Knowledge of Sales Below Fair 
Value and Material Injury

    In order to determine whether there is a history of dumping 
pursuant to section 733(e)(1)(A)(i) of the Act, the Department 
generally considers current or previous AD orders on subject 
merchandise from the country in question in the United States and 
current orders imposed by other countries with regard to imports of the 
same merchandise.\9\ Although the Department has not previously issued, 
nor are we aware of any other World Trade Organization member issuing, 
AD orders on CTL plate from the six countries, the petitioners point to 
a pattern of dumping of similar merchandise by companies subject to 
these investigations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ See Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods From the People's 
Republic of China: Notice of Preliminary Determination of Sales at 
Less Than Fair Value, Affirmative Preliminary Determination of 
Critical Circumstances and Postponement of Final Determination, 74 
FR 59117, 59120 (November 17, 2009) unchanged in Certain Oil Country 
Tubular Goods from the People's Republic of China: Final 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Affirmative Final 
Determination of Critical Circumstances and Final Determination of 
Targeted Dumping, 75 FR 20335 (April 19, 2010).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To determine whether importers knew or should have known that 
exporters were selling at less than fair value, we typically consider 
the magnitude of dumping margins, including margins alleged in 
petitions.\10\ The Department has found margins of 15 to 25 percent 
(depending on whether sales are export price sales or constructed 
export price sales) to be sufficient for this purpose.\11\ The 
Department initiated these AD investigations based on the following 
estimated dumping margins: (1) Austria ranges from 35.50 to 121.90 
percent; (2) Belgium is 51.78 percent; (3) Brazil is 74.52 percent; (8) 
Korea ranges from 44.70 to 248.64; (10) Taiwan ranges from 8.30 to 
77.13 percent; and (11) Turkey ranges from 34.03 to 50.00 percent.\12\ 
All of these margins are above the 15 to 25 percent threshold.\13\ 
Therefore, on that basis, we preliminarily conclude that importers knew 
or should have known that exporters in all six countries were selling 
subject merchandise at less than fair value.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \10\ See, e.g., Notice of Preliminary Determinations of Critical 
Circumstances: Certain Cold-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products from 
Australia, the People's Republic of China, India, the Republic of 
Korea, the Netherlands, and the Russian Federation, 67 FR 19157, 
19158 (April 18, 2002) (unchanged in the final determination).
    \11\ See, e.g., Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less Than 
Fair Value: Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon Steel Plate from the 
People's Republic of China, 62 FR 31972, 31978 (June 11, 1997) 
(unchanged in the final determination) and Notice of Preliminary 
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Negative Preliminary 
Determination of Critical Circumstances and Postponement of Final 
Determination: Certain Frozen and Canned Warmwater Shrimp From the 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam, 69 FR 42672 (July 16, 2004) 
(unchanged in the final determination).
    \12\ See CTL Plate Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value 
Investigations, 81 FR 27089, 27094. These margins differ from those 
in the petitions with respect to Austria, Brazil, Korea, and Taiwan.
    \13\ Although the lowest margin for Taiwan is below the 
threshold, the Taiwan margins ranged as high as 77.13 percent which 
is well above the threshold.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To determine whether importers knew or should have known that there 
was likely to be material injury, we typically consider the preliminary 
injury determinations of the International Trade Commission (ITC).\14\ 
If the ITC finds material injury (rather than the threat of injury), we 
normally find that the ITC's determination provided importers with 
sufficient knowledge of injury. In these investigations, the ITC's 
preliminary finding of material injury by reason of imports of CTL 
plate from, inter alia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Korea, Taiwan, and 
Turkey is sufficient to impute knowledge of the likelihood of material 
injury for each of these countries.\15\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \14\ See, e.g., Certain Potassium Phosphate Salts from the 
People's Republic of China: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of 
Critical Circumstances in the Antidumping Duty Investigation, 75 FR 
24572, 24573 (May 5, 2010), unchanged in Certain Potassium Phosphate 
Salts from the People's Republic of China: Final Determination of 
Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Termination of Critical 
Circumstances Inquiry, 75 FR 30377 (June 1, 2010).
    \15\ See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-Length Plate from 
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, 
Korea, South Africa, Taiwan, and Turkey, Inv. Nos. 701-TA-559-561 
and 731-TA-1317-1328 (Preliminary), USITC Publication 4615, May 
2016) at 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Massive Imports

    In determining whether there have been ``massive imports'' over a 
``relatively short period,'' pursuant to sections 703(e)(1)(B) and 
733(e)(1)(B) of the Act, the Department normally compares the import 
volumes of the subject merchandise for at least three months 
immediately preceding the filing of the petition (i.e., the ``base 
period'') to a comparable period of at least three months following the 
filing of the petition (i.e., the ``comparison period''). Imports 
normally will be considered massive when imports during the comparison 
period have increased by 15 percent or more compared to imports during 
the base period.

[[Page 61668]]

    Thus, because the petitions were filed on April 8, 2016, in order 
to determine whether there has been a massive surge in imports for each 
cooperating mandatory respondent, the Department compared the total 
volume of shipments during the period April 2016 through June 2016 with 
the volume of shipments during the preceding three-month period of 
January 2016 through March 2016. For Brazil and Turkey, because the 
mandatory respondents refused to participate in the investigations, we 
determine, on the basis of adverse facts available, that there has been 
a massive surge in imports. For ``all-others,'' the Department relied 
on GTA data which demonstrates that the volume of CTL plate from Brazil 
and Turkey increased massively in the three month period April 2016 
through June 2016 when compared to the prior three-month period.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \16\ See respective preliminary critical circumstances memoranda 
for each proceeding, dated concurrently with this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For the cooperating respondents in the investigations on Austria, 
Belgium, Korea, and Taiwan, we compared the total volume of shipments 
during the period April 2016 through June 2016 with the volume of 
shipments during the preceding three-month period of January 2016 
through March 2016. For ``all-others,'' the Department compared GTA 
data for the same time periods.\17\ We subtracted shipments reported by 
the mandatory respondents from the GTA data. With respect to Korea, the 
shipment data do not demonstrate massive surges in imports for any 
producers/exporters. Therefore, we are reaching a preliminary negative 
critical circumstances determination with respect to Korea. With 
respect to Austria, Belgium, and Taiwan, we preliminarily determine the 
following producers/exporters had massive surges in imports.\18\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \17\ The Department gathered GTA data under the following 
harmonized tariff schedule 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.
    \18\ See respective preliminary critical circumstances memoranda 
for each proceeding, dated concurrently with this notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Austria (A-433-812): Voestalpine Grobblech GmbH, 
voestalpine Steel & Service Center GmbH, Bohler Edelstahl GmbH & Co. 
KG, BOHLER Bleche GmbH & Co. KG, Bohler Uddeholm Corporation, and 
Strudell Industries, Inc. (collectively, Voestalpine);
     Belgium (A-423-812): Industeel Belgium SA and NLMK Clabecq
     Taiwan (A-583-858): China Steel Corporation and All-Other 
producers/exporters.

Conclusion

    Based on the criteria and findings discussed above, we 
preliminarily determine that critical circumstances exist with respect 
to imports of CTL plate shipped by certain producers/exporters. Our 
findings are summarized as follows.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Affirmative preliminary      Negative preliminary
              Country                      Case No.          critical circumstances      critical circumstances
                                                                 determinations              determinations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Austria...........................  A-433-812............  Voestalpine...............  All-Other producers/
                                                                                        exporters.
Belgium...........................  A-423-812............  Industeel Belgium SA, NLMK  All-Other producers/
                                                            Clabecq.                    exporters.
Brazil............................  A-351-847............  All producers/exporters...
Korea.............................  A-580-887............  ..........................  POSCO/POSCO Daewoo
                                                                                        Corporation, All-Other
                                                                                        producers/exporters.
Korea.............................  C-580-888............  ..........................  POSCO/POSCO Daewoo
                                                                                        Corporation, All-Other
                                                                                        producers/exporters.
Taiwan............................  A-583-858............  China Steel Corporation     Shang Chen Steel Co.,
                                                            All-Other producers/        Ltd.
                                                            exporters.
Turkey............................  A-489-828............  All producers/exporters...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Final Critical Circumstances Determinations

    We will issue final determinations concerning critical 
circumstances when we issue our final countervailing duty and less than 
fair value determinations. All interested parties will have the 
opportunity to address these determinations in case briefs to be 
submitted after completion of the preliminary countervailing duty and 
less than fair value determinations.

ITC Notification

    In accordance with sections 703(f) and 733(f) of the Act, we will 
notify the ITC of our determinations.

Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 733(e)(2) of the Act, because we 
preliminarily found that critical circumstances exist with regard to 
exports made by certain producers and/or exporters, if we make an 
affirmative preliminary determination that sales at less than fair 
value have been made by these same producers/exporters at above de 
minimis rates,\19\ we will instruct Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 
to suspend liquidation of all entries of subject merchandise from these 
producers/exporters that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for 
consumption on or after the date that is 90 days prior to the effective 
date of ``provisional measures'' (i.e., the date of publication in the 
Federal Register of the notice of an affirmative preliminary 
determination of sales at less than fair value at above de minimis 
rates). At such time, we will also instruct CBP to require a cash 
deposit equal to the estimated preliminary dumping margins reflected in 
the preliminary determination published in the Federal Register. This 
suspension of liquidation will remain in effect until further notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \19\ The preliminary determinations concerning sales at less 
than fair value are currently due on September 15, 2016.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Because we preliminarily found that critical circumstances do not 
exist with respect to the CVD investigation of CTL plate from Korea, we 
will not order any retroactive suspension of liquidation under section 
703(e)(2) of the Act in the event of an affirmative preliminary 
countervailing duty determination in this investigation.
    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 777(i) of 
the Act and 19 CFR 351.206(c)(2).

    Dated: August 30, 2016.
Christian Marsh,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2016-21501 Filed 9-6-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P



                                                  61666                       Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 7, 2016 / Notices

                                                  is made, we will inform parties of the                   DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE                             countervailing duty (CVD)
                                                  scheduled date for the hearing which                                                                        investigations concerning CTL plate
                                                  will be held at the U.S. Department of                   International Trade Administration                 from Brazil, the PRC, and Korea.3 On
                                                  Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution                   [A–433–812, A–423–812, A–351–847, A–580–           July 26, 2016, the Department received
                                                  Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, at                     887, A–583–858, A–489–828, C–580–888]              timely allegations, pursuant to sections
                                                  a time and location to be determined.9                                                                      703(e)(1) and 733(e)(1) of the Tariff Act
                                                  Parties should confirm by telephone the                  Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to- of 1930, as amended (the Act), and 19
                                                  date, time, and location of the hearing.                 Length Plate From Austria, Belgium,                CFR 351.206, that critical circumstances
                                                                                                           Brazil, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan,             exist with respect to imports of CTL
                                                     Unless the deadline is extended                       and Turkey; Antidumping and                        plate from Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
                                                  pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the                  Countervailing Duty Investigations:                Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey.4 Based on
                                                  Act, the Department will issue the final                 Preliminary Determinations of Critical             information provided by the petitioners,
                                                  results of this administrative review,                   Circumstances                                      data placed on the record of these
                                                  including the results of our analysis of                                                                    investigations by the mandatory
                                                  the issues raised by the parties in their                AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance,
                                                                                                           International Trade Administration,                respondents, and data collected by the
                                                  case briefs, within 120 days after                                                                          Department from Global Trade Atlas
                                                                                                           Department of Commerce.
                                                  issuance of these preliminary results.                                                                      (GTA), the Department preliminarily
                                                                                                           SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce
                                                                                                                                                              determines that critical circumstances
                                                  Notification to Importers                                (the Department) preliminarily
                                                                                                                                                              exist for imports of CTL plate from
                                                                                                           determines that critical circumstances
                                                    This notice serves as a preliminary                                                                       certain producers and exporters from
                                                                                                           exist for imports of certain carbon and
                                                  reminder to importers of their                                                                              Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Taiwan, and
                                                                                                           alloy steel cut-to-length plate (CTL
                                                  responsibility under 19 CFR                                                                                 Turkey.
                                                                                                           plate) from certain producers and
                                                  351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate                                                                            Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.206(c)(2), the
                                                                                                           exporters from Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
                                                  regarding the reimbursement of                                                                              petitioners requested that the
                                                                                                           Taiwan, and Turkey.
                                                  antidumping duties prior to liquidation                                                                     Department issue a preliminary
                                                                                                           DATES: Effective September 7, 2016.
                                                  of the relevant entries during this                                                                         affirmative determination of critical
                                                                                                           FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                   circumstances on an expedited basis. In
                                                  review period. Failure to comply with                    Edythe Artman at (202) 482–3931                    accordance with sections 703(e)(1) and
                                                  this requirement could result in the                     (Austria), Elizabeth Eastwood at (202)             733(e)(1) of the Act, because the
                                                  Secretary’s presumption that                             482–3874 (Belgium), Mark Kennedy at                petitioners submitted their critical
                                                  reimbursement of antidumping duties                      (202) 482–7883 (Brazil), Steve                     circumstances allegations more than 20
                                                  occurred and increase the subsequent                     Bezirganian at (202) 482–1131 (Korea–              days before the scheduled date of the
                                                  assessment of the antidumping duties                     AD), John Corrigan at (202) 482–7438               final determination, the Department
                                                  by the amount of antidumping duties                      (Korea–CVD), Tyler Weinhold at (202)               must promptly issue preliminary critical
                                                  reimbursed.                                              482–1121 (Taiwan), or Dmitry                       circumstances determinations.
                                                    These preliminary results of review                    Vladimirov at (202) 482–0665 (Turkey),                Section 703(e)(1) of the Act provides
                                                                                                           AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and                 that the Department will determine that
                                                  are issued and published in accordance
                                                                                                           Compliance, International Trade                    critical circumstances exist in CVD
                                                  with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of                 Administration, U.S. Department of
                                                  the Act.                                                                                                    investigations if there is a reasonable
                                                                                                           Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue                 basis to believe or suspect: (A) That ‘‘the
                                                    Dated: August 26, 2016.                                NW., Washington, DC 20230.                         alleged countervailable subsidy’’ is
                                                  Paul Piquado,                                            SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                         inconsistent with the Agreement on
                                                  Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and                  Background                                         Subsidies and Countervailing Measures
                                                  Compliance.                                                                                                 (SCM Agreement) of the World Trade
                                                                                                              In response to petitions filed on April
                                                  Appendix—List of Topics Discussed in                                                                        Organization, and (B) that ‘‘there have
                                                                                                           8, 2016,1 the Department of Commerce
                                                                                                                                                              been massive imports of the subject
                                                  the Preliminary Results Decision                         (the Department) initiated antidumping
                                                                                                                                                              merchandise over a relatively short
                                                  Memorandum                                               duty (AD) investigations concerning
                                                                                                                                                              period.’’ Section 733(e)(1) of the Act
                                                                                                           imports of CTL plate from Austria,
                                                  I. Summary
                                                                                                           Belgium, Brazil, the People’s Republic             provides that the Department will
                                                  II. Background
                                                                                                           of China (PRC), France, the Federal                preliminarily determine that critical
                                                  III. Scope of the Order
                                                                                                           Republic of Germany (Germany), Italy,              circumstances exist in AD investigations
                                                  IV. Preliminary Determination of No
                                                                                                           Japan, the Republic of Korea (Korea),              if there is a reasonable basis to believe
                                                        Shipments
                                                                                                           South Africa, Taiwan, and Turkey 2 and or suspect: (A)(i) That ‘‘there is a history
                                                  V. Recommendation                                                                                           of dumping and material injury by
                                                  [FR Doc. 2016–21490 Filed 9–6–16; 8:45 am]                 1 See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-     reason of dumped imports in the United
                                                  BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P                                   Length Plate from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the    States or elsewhere of the subject
                                                                                                           People’s Republic of China, France, the Federal    merchandise,’’ or (ii) that ‘‘the person by
                                                                                                           Republic of Germany, Italy, Japan, the Republic of whom, or for whose account, the
                                                                                                           South Africa, Taiwan, and Turkey—Petitions for the
                                                                                                           Imposition of Antidumping and Countervailing       merchandise was imported knew or
                                                                                                           Duties, dated April 8, 2016 (collectively, the
                                                                                                           petitions). The petitioners for these investigations      3 See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                           are ArcelorMittal USA LLC, Nucor Corporation, and       Length Plate From Brazil, the People’s Republic of
                                                                                                           SSAB Enterprises, LLC (the petitioners).                China, and the Republic of Korea: Initiation of
                                                                                                             2 See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-To-          Countervailing Duty Investigations, 81 FR 27098
                                                                                                           Length Plate From Austria, Belgium, Brazil, France,     (May 5, 2016).
                                                                                                           the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Japan, the        4 See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-To-

                                                                                                           Republic of Korea, the People’s Republic of China,      Length Plate From Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the
                                                                                                           South Africa, Taiwan, and the Republic of Turkey:       Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey: Critical
                                                                                                           Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 81   Circumstances Allegations, July 26, 2016
                                                    9 See   19 CFR 351.310.                                FR 27089 (May 5, 2016).                                 (Allegations).



                                             VerDate Sep<11>2014    17:30 Sep 06, 2016   Jkt 238001   PO 00000   Frm 00005   Fmt 4703   Sfmt 4703   E:\FR\FM\07SEN1.SGM    07SEN1


                                                                           Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 7, 2016 / Notices                                                      61667

                                                  should have known that the exporter                      subsidies in the Korea CVD                               from 8.30 to 77.13 percent; and (11)
                                                  was selling the subject merchandise at                   investigation that are inconsistent with                 Turkey ranges from 34.03 to 50.00
                                                  less than its fair value and that there                  the SCM Agreement.                                       percent.12 All of these margins are above
                                                  was likely to be material injury by                                                                               the 15 to 25 percent threshold.13
                                                                                                           History of Dumping and Material Injury/
                                                  reason of such sales,’’ and (B) that                                                                              Therefore, on that basis, we
                                                                                                           Knowledge of Sales Below Fair Value
                                                  ‘‘there have been massive imports of the                                                                          preliminarily conclude that importers
                                                                                                           and Material Injury
                                                  subject merchandise over a relatively                                                                             knew or should have known that
                                                  short period.’’ Section 351.206(h)(2) of                   In order to determine whether there is                 exporters in all six countries were
                                                  the Department’s regulations provides                    a history of dumping pursuant to                         selling subject merchandise at less than
                                                  that, generally, imports must increase by                section 733(e)(1)(A)(i) of the Act, the                  fair value.
                                                  at least 15 percent during the ‘‘relatively              Department generally considers current                      To determine whether importers
                                                  short period’’ to be considered                          or previous AD orders on subject                         knew or should have known that there
                                                  ‘‘massive’’ and section 351.206(i)                       merchandise from the country in                          was likely to be material injury, we
                                                  defines a ‘‘relatively short period’’ as                 question in the United States and                        typically consider the preliminary
                                                  normally being the period beginning on                   current orders imposed by other
                                                                                                                                                                    injury determinations of the
                                                  the date the proceeding begins (i.e., the                countries with regard to imports of the
                                                                                                                                                                    International Trade Commission (ITC).14
                                                  date the petition is filed) 5 and ending at              same merchandise.9 Although the
                                                                                                                                                                    If the ITC finds material injury (rather
                                                  least three months later.6 The                           Department has not previously issued,
                                                                                                                                                                    than the threat of injury), we normally
                                                  regulations also provide, however, that,                 nor are we aware of any other World
                                                                                                                                                                    find that the ITC’s determination
                                                  if the Department ‘‘finds that importers,                Trade Organization member issuing, AD
                                                                                                                                                                    provided importers with sufficient
                                                  or exporters or producers, had reason to                 orders on CTL plate from the six
                                                                                                                                                                    knowledge of injury. In these
                                                  believe, at some time prior to the                       countries, the petitioners point to a
                                                                                                                                                                    investigations, the ITC’s preliminary
                                                  beginning of the proceeding, that a                      pattern of dumping of similar
                                                                                                                                                                    finding of material injury by reason of
                                                  proceeding was likely,’’ the Department                  merchandise by companies subject to
                                                                                                           these investigations.                                    imports of CTL plate from, inter alia,
                                                  ‘‘may consider a period of not less than                                                                          Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Korea, Taiwan,
                                                  three months from that earlier time.’’ 7                   To determine whether importers
                                                                                                           knew or should have known that                           and Turkey is sufficient to impute
                                                  Alleged Countervailable Subsidies Are                    exporters were selling at less than fair                 knowledge of the likelihood of material
                                                  Inconsistent With the SCM Agreement                      value, we typically consider the                         injury for each of these countries.15
                                                    To determine whether an alleged                        magnitude of dumping margins,                            Massive Imports
                                                  countervailable subsidy is inconsistent                  including margins alleged in petitions.10
                                                  with the SCM Agreement, in accordance                    The Department has found margins of                         In determining whether there have
                                                  with section 703(e)(1)(A) of the Act, the                15 to 25 percent (depending on whether                   been ‘‘massive imports’’ over a
                                                  Department considered the evidence                       sales are export price sales or                          ‘‘relatively short period,’’ pursuant to
                                                  currently on the record of the Korea                     constructed export price sales) to be                    sections 703(e)(1)(B) and 733(e)(1)(B) of
                                                  CVD investigation. Specifically, as                      sufficient for this purpose.11 The                       the Act, the Department normally
                                                  determined in our initiation checklist,                  Department initiated these AD                            compares the import volumes of the
                                                  the following subsidy programs, alleged                  investigations based on the following                    subject merchandise for at least three
                                                  in the petition and supported by                         estimated dumping margins: (1) Austria                   months immediately preceding the
                                                  information reasonably available to the                  ranges from 35.50 to 121.90 percent; (2)                 filing of the petition (i.e., the ‘‘base
                                                  petitioners, appear to be either export                  Belgium is 51.78 percent; (3) Brazil is                  period’’) to a comparable period of at
                                                  contingent or contingent upon the use of                 74.52 percent; (8) Korea ranges from                     least three months following the filing
                                                  domestic goods over imported goods,                      44.70 to 248.64; (10) Taiwan ranges                      of the petition (i.e., the ‘‘comparison
                                                  which would render them inconsistent                                                                              period’’). Imports normally will be
                                                  with the SCM Agreement: Korean                              9 See Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods From          considered massive when imports
                                                  Export-Import Bank Short-Term Export                     the People’s Republic of China: Notice of                during the comparison period have
                                                                                                           Preliminary Determination of Sales at Less Than          increased by 15 percent or more
                                                  Credits; Korean Export-Import Bank                       Fair Value, Affirmative Preliminary Determination
                                                  Export Factoring; Korean Export-Import                   of Critical Circumstances and Postponement of            compared to imports during the base
                                                  Bank Export Loan Guarantees; Korean                      Final Determination, 74 FR 59117, 59120                  period.
                                                  Export-Import Bank Trade Bill                            (November 17, 2009) unchanged in Certain Oil
                                                                                                           Country Tubular Goods from the People’s Republic
                                                  Rediscounting Program; Korea                             of China: Final Determination of Sales at Less Than
                                                                                                                                                                       12 See CTL Plate Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-

                                                  Development Bank (KDB) Short-Term                        Fair Value, Affirmative Final Determination of           Value Investigations, 81 FR 27089, 27094. These
                                                                                                                                                                    margins differ from those in the petitions with
                                                  Discounted Loans for Export                              Critical Circumstances and Final Determination of
                                                                                                                                                                    respect to Austria, Brazil, Korea, and Taiwan.
                                                  Receivables; Loans under the Industrial                  Targeted Dumping, 75 FR 20335 (April 19, 2010).
                                                                                                                                                                       13 Although the lowest margin for Taiwan is
                                                                                                              10 See, e.g., Notice of Preliminary Determinations
                                                  Base Fund; Korea Trade Insurance                         of Critical Circumstances: Certain Cold-Rolled           below the threshold, the Taiwan margins ranged as
                                                  Corporation (K–SURE) Short-Term                          Carbon Steel Flat Products from Australia, the           high as 77.13 percent which is well above the
                                                  Export Credit Insurance; and K–SURE                      People’s Republic of China, India, the Republic of       threshold.
                                                                                                                                                                       14 See, e.g., Certain Potassium Phosphate Salts
                                                  Export Credit Guarantees.8                               Korea, the Netherlands, and the Russian
                                                                                                           Federation, 67 FR 19157, 19158 (April 18, 2002)          from the People’s Republic of China: Preliminary
                                                    Therefore, the Department                              (unchanged in the final determination).                  Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances
                                                  preliminarily determines for purposes of                    11 See, e.g., Preliminary Determination of Sales at   in the Antidumping Duty Investigation, 75 FR
                                                  this critical circumstances                              Less Than Fair Value: Certain Cut-to-Length Carbon       24572, 24573 (May 5, 2010), unchanged in Certain
                                                  determination that there are alleged                     Steel Plate from the People’s Republic of China, 62      Potassium Phosphate Salts from the People’s
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                           FR 31972, 31978 (June 11, 1997) (unchanged in the        Republic of China: Final Determination of Sales at
                                                                                                           final determination) and Notice of Preliminary           Less Than Fair Value and Termination of Critical
                                                    5 See 19 CFR 351.102(b)(40) (providing that a
                                                                                                           Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value,          Circumstances Inquiry, 75 FR 30377 (June 1, 2010).
                                                  proceeding begins on the date of the filing of a         Negative Preliminary Determination of Critical              15 See Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Cut-to-
                                                  petition).                                               Circumstances and Postponement of Final                  Length Plate from Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China,
                                                    6 See 19 CFR 351.206(i).
                                                                                                           Determination: Certain Frozen and Canned                 France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, South Africa,
                                                    7 Id.
                                                                                                           Warmwater Shrimp From the Socialist Republic of          Taiwan, and Turkey, Inv. Nos. 701–TA–559–561
                                                    8 See Korea CVD Initiation Checklist, April 28,        Vietnam, 69 FR 42672 (July 16, 2004) (unchanged          and 731–TA–1317–1328 (Preliminary), USITC
                                                  2016, at 7–16.                                           in the final determination).                             Publication 4615, May 2016) at 1.



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                                                  61668                            Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 7, 2016 / Notices

                                                    Thus, because the petitions were filed                                compared to the prior three-month                                              producers/exporters had massive surges
                                                  on April 8, 2016, in order to determine                                 period.16                                                                      in imports.18
                                                  whether there has been a massive surge                                     For the cooperating respondents in                                            • Austria (A–433–812): Voestalpine
                                                  in imports for each cooperating                                         the investigations on Austria, Belgium,                                        Grobblech GmbH, voestalpine Steel &
                                                  mandatory respondent, the Department                                    Korea, and Taiwan, we compared the                                             Service Center GmbH, Bohler Edelstahl
                                                  compared the total volume of shipments                                  total volume of shipments during the                                           GmbH & Co. KG, BOHLER Bleche GmbH
                                                  during the period April 2016 through                                    period April 2016 through June 2016                                            & Co. KG, Bohler Uddeholm
                                                  June 2016 with the volume of shipments                                  with the volume of shipments during                                            Corporation, and Strudell Industries,
                                                  during the preceding three-month                                        the preceding three-month period of                                            Inc. (collectively, Voestalpine);
                                                  period of January 2016 through March                                    January 2016 through March 2016. For                                             • Belgium (A–423–812): Industeel
                                                                                                                          ‘‘all-others,’’ the Department compared                                        Belgium SA and NLMK Clabecq
                                                  2016. For Brazil and Turkey, because
                                                  the mandatory respondents refused to
                                                                                                                          GTA data for the same time periods.17                                            • Taiwan (A–583–858): China Steel
                                                                                                                          We subtracted shipments reported by                                            Corporation and All-Other producers/
                                                  participate in the investigations, we                                   the mandatory respondents from the                                             exporters.
                                                  determine, on the basis of adverse facts                                GTA data. With respect to Korea, the
                                                  available, that there has been a massive                                shipment data do not demonstrate                                               Conclusion
                                                  surge in imports. For ‘‘all-others,’’ the                               massive surges in imports for any                                                Based on the criteria and findings
                                                  Department relied on GTA data which                                     producers/exporters. Therefore, we are                                         discussed above, we preliminarily
                                                  demonstrates that the volume of CTL                                     reaching a preliminary negative critical                                       determine that critical circumstances
                                                  plate from Brazil and Turkey increased                                  circumstances determination with                                               exist with respect to imports of CTL
                                                  massively in the three month period                                     respect to Korea. With respect to                                              plate shipped by certain producers/
                                                  April 2016 through June 2016 when                                       Austria, Belgium, and Taiwan, we                                               exporters. Our findings are summarized
                                                                                                                          preliminarily determine the following                                          as follows.

                                                                                                                             Affirmative preliminary critical circumstances                                 Negative preliminary critical circumstances
                                                             Country                           Case No.                                      determinations                                                               determinations

                                                  Austria .........................     A–433–812     .................     Voestalpine .....................................................             All-Other producers/exporters.
                                                  Belgium ........................      A–423–812     .................     Industeel Belgium SA, NLMK Clabecq ...........                                All-Other producers/exporters.
                                                  Brazil ............................   A–351–847     .................     All producers/exporters.
                                                  Korea ...........................     A–580–887     .................      .........................................................................    POSCO/POSCO Daewoo Corporation, All-
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Other producers/exporters.
                                                  Korea ...........................     C–580–888 .................         .........................................................................     POSCO/POSCO Daewoo Corporation, All-
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Other producers/exporters.
                                                  Taiwan .........................      A–583–858 .................         China Steel Corporation All-Other producers/                                  Shang Chen Steel Co., Ltd.
                                                                                                                              exporters.
                                                  Turkey ..........................     A–489–828 .................         All producers/exporters.



                                                  Final Critical Circumstances                                            an affirmative preliminary                                                       Because we preliminarily found that
                                                  Determinations                                                          determination that sales at less than fair                                     critical circumstances do not exist with
                                                    We will issue final determinations                                    value have been made by these same                                             respect to the CVD investigation of CTL
                                                  concerning critical circumstances when                                  producers/exporters at above de                                                plate from Korea, we will not order any
                                                  we issue our final countervailing duty                                  minimis rates,19 we will instruct                                              retroactive suspension of liquidation
                                                  and less than fair value determinations.                                Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to                                         under section 703(e)(2) of the Act in the
                                                  All interested parties will have the                                    suspend liquidation of all entries of                                          event of an affirmative preliminary
                                                  opportunity to address these                                            subject merchandise from these                                                 countervailing duty determination in
                                                  determinations in case briefs to be                                     producers/exporters that are entered, or                                       this investigation.
                                                  submitted after completion of the                                       withdrawn from warehouse, for
                                                                                                                                                                                                           This notice is issued and published
                                                  preliminary countervailing duty and                                     consumption on or after the date that is
                                                                                                                                                                                                         pursuant to section 777(i) of the Act and
                                                  less than fair value determinations.                                    90 days prior to the effective date of
                                                                                                                                                                                                         19 CFR 351.206(c)(2).
                                                                                                                          ‘‘provisional measures’’ (i.e., the date of
                                                  ITC Notification                                                        publication in the Federal Register of                                           Dated: August 30, 2016.
                                                    In accordance with sections 703(f)                                    the notice of an affirmative preliminary                                       Christian Marsh,
                                                  and 733(f) of the Act, we will notify the                               determination of sales at less than fair                                       Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping
                                                  ITC of our determinations.                                              value at above de minimis rates). At                                           and Countervailing Duty Operations.
                                                                                                                          such time, we will also instruct CBP to                                        [FR Doc. 2016–21501 Filed 9–6–16; 8:45 am]
                                                  Suspension of Liquidation                                               require a cash deposit equal to the                                            BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
                                                    In accordance with section 733(e)(2)                                  estimated preliminary dumping margins
                                                  of the Act, because we preliminarily                                    reflected in the preliminary
                                                  found that critical circumstances exist                                 determination published in the Federal
                                                  with regard to exports made by certain                                  Register. This suspension of liquidation
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES




                                                  producers and/or exporters, if we make                                  will remain in effect until further notice.
                                                    16 See respective preliminary critical                                7208.51.0045, 7208.51.0060, 7208.52.0000,                                        18 See respective preliminary critical

                                                  circumstances memoranda for each proceeding,                            7211.13.0000, 7211.14.0030, 7211.14.0045,                                      circumstances memoranda for each proceeding,
                                                  dated concurrently with this notice.                                    7225.40.1110, 7225.40.1180, 7225.40.3005,                                      dated concurrently with this notice.
                                                    17 The Department gathered GTA data under the                                                                                                          19 The preliminary determinations concerning
                                                                                                                          7225.40.3050, 7226.20.0000, and 7226.91.5000.
                                                  following harmonized tariff schedule numbers:                                                                                                          sales at less than fair value are currently due on
                                                  7208.40.3030, 7208.40.3060, 7208.51.0030,                                                                                                              September 15, 2016.



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Document Created: 2016-09-07 11:50:35
Document Modified: 2016-09-07 11:50:35
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
DatesEffective September 7, 2016.
ContactEdythe Artman at (202) 482-3931 (Austria), Elizabeth Eastwood at (202) 482-3874 (Belgium), Mark Kennedy at (202) 482-7883 (Brazil), Steve Bezirganian at (202) 482-1131 (Korea- AD), John Corrigan at (202) 482-7438 (Korea-CVD), Tyler Weinhold at (202) 482-1121 (Taiwan), or Dmitry Vladimirov at (202) 482-0665 (Turkey), AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230.
FR Citation81 FR 61666 

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