Sugar From Mexico: Final Results of the Expedited Second Sunset Review of the Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty Investigation
As a result of this sunset review, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) finds that termination of the Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty Investigation on Sugar f...
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY:
As a result of this sunset review, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) finds that termination of the Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty Investigation on Sugar from Mexico, as amended (Agreement), and the suspended countervailing duty (CVD) investigation would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy at the levels indicated in the “Final Results of Review” section of this notice.
DATES:
Applicable July 8, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sally C. Gannon or Samantha Fino, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0162 or (202) 482-2861, respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On March 3, 2025, Commerce initiated the second sunset review of the Agreement [1]
and the suspended CVD investigation on sugar from Mexico, pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).[2]
On March 17, 2025, Commerce received a notice of intent to participate in this sunset review from the American Sugar Coalition and its members (the petitioners),[3]
within the applicable deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i).[4]
Commerce received a complete substantive response from the
( printed page 30052)
petitioners within the 30-day deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i).[5]
Commerce did not receive an adequate substantive response from any respondent interested party, nor was a hearing requested. As a result, Commerce conducted an expedited (120-day) sunset review, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(C)(2).
Scope of the Agreement
The merchandise subject to the
Agreement
is raw and refined sugar of all polarimeter readings derived from sugar cane or sugar beets. For a complete description of the merchandise subject to the Agreement,
see
the Issues and Decision Memorandum.[6]
Analysis of Comments Received
A complete discussion of all issues raised in this sunset review, including the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies and the net countervailable subsidy likely to prevail if the Agreement and suspended CVD investigation were terminated, are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. The Issues and 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
https://access.trade.gov.
A list of topics discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum is included as an appendix to this notice. A complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at
https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.
Final Results of Review
Pursuant to sections 751(c)(1) and 752(b) of the Act, Commerce determines that termination of the Agreement and suspended CVD investigation on sugar from Mexico is likely to lead to the continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy at the rates listed below:
Company
Subsidy rate
(percent)
Fondo de Empresas Expropiadas del Sector Azucarero
43.93
Ingenio Tala S.A. de C.V. and certain affiliated sugar mills of Grupo Azucarero Mexico S.A. de C.V
5.78
All Others
38.11
Administrative Protective Order (APO)
This notice also serves as the only reminder to parties subject to an APO of their responsibility concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Timely notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a violation which is subject to sanction.
Notification to Interested Parties
Commerce is issuing and publishing the results and notice in accordance with sections 751(c), 752(b), and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.218.
Dated: July 1, 2025.
Christopher Abbott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix
List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Scope of the
Agreement
IV. History of the Proceeding
V. Legal Framework
VI. Discussion of the Issues
1. Likelihood of Continuation or Recurrence of a Countervailable Subsidy
2. Net Countervailable Subsidy Rates Likely to Prevail
3. Nature of the Subsidies
VII. Final Results of the Expedited Sunset Review
VIII. Recommendation
Footnotes
1.
See Sugar from Mexico: Suspension of Countervailing Duty Investigation,79 FR 78044 (December 29, 2014); and
Sugar from Mexico: Amendment to the Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty Investigation,85 FR 3613 (January 22, 2020) (collectively, Agreement) at Section I.
3.
The members of the American Sugar Coalition are as follows: American Sugar Cane League, American Sugarbeet Growers Association, American Sugar Refining, Inc., Florida Sugar Cane League, Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, and the United States Beet Sugar Association.
5.
See
Petitioners' Letter, “Sugar from Mexico: Substantive Response to Notice of Initiation of Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews of the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Suspension Agreements,” dated April 2, 2025.
6.
See
Memorandum, “Issues and Decision Memorandum for the Final Results of the Second Sunset Review of the Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty Investigation on Sugar from Mexico,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and Decision Memorandum).
Use this for formal legal and research references to the published document.
90 FR 30051
Web Citation
Suggested Web Citation
Use this when citing the archival web version of the document.
“Sugar From Mexico: Final Results of the Expedited Second Sunset Review of the Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty Investigation,” thefederalregister.org (July 8, 2025), https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2025-12633/sugar-from-mexico-final-results-of-the-expedited-second-sunset-review-of-the-agreement-suspending-the-countervailing-dut.