Certain Cut-to-Length Steel Plate From the Czech Republic, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Macedonia; Determinations

[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 67 (Thursday, April 8, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17198-17199]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8794]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

Invs. Nos. 701-TA-387-392 (Preliminary) and 731-TA-815-822 
(Preliminary)


Certain Cut-to-Length Steel Plate From the Czech Republic, 
France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Macedonia; 
Determinations

    On the basis of the record \1\ developed in the subject 
investigations, the United States International Trade Commission 
(Commission) determines, pursuant to section 703(a) of the Tariff Act 
of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671b(a)), that there is a reasonable indication 
that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason 
of imports from France, India, Indonesia, Italy, and Korea of certain 
cut-to-length steel plate, provided for in headings 7208, 7210, 7211, 
7212, 7225, and 7226 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States, that are alleged to be subsidized by the Governments of the 
respective countries. The Commission further determines, pursuant to 
section 733(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1673b(a)), that 
there is a reasonable indication that an industry in the United States 
is materially injured by reason of such imports from France, India, 
Indonesia, Italy, Japan, and Korea that are alleged to be sold in the 
United States at less than fair value (LTFV). Finally, pursuant to 19 
U.S.C. 1677(24)(A), the Commission determines that the subject imports 
from the Czech Republic that are alleged to be sold at LTFV and the 
subject imports from Macedonia that are alleged to be subsidized and 
sold at LTFV are negligible.\2\ The Commission's investigation with 
respect to the Czech Republic is thereby terminated pursuant to 19 
U.S.C. 1673b(a)(1) and its investigation with respect to Macedonia are 
thereby terminated pursuant to 19

[[Page 17199]]

U.S.C. 1671b(a)(1) and 19 U.S.C. 1673b(a)(1).
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    \1\ The record is defined in sect. 207.2(f) of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 207.2(f)).
    \2\ Chairman Lynn M. Bragg finds that there is a potential that 
such imports from the Czech Republic will imminently account for 
more than three percent of the total import volume of all such 
merchandise, and determines that there is a reasonable indication 
that an industry in the United States is threatened with material 
injury by reason of imports of the subject merchandise from the 
Czech Republic that are alleged to be sold at LTFV.
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Commencement of Final Phase Investigations

    Pursuant to section 207.18 of the Commission's rules, the 
Commission also gives notice of the commencement of the final phase of 
its investigations. The Commission will issue a final phase notice of 
scheduling which will be published in the Federal Register as provided 
in section 207.21 of the Commission's rules upon notice from the 
Department of Commerce (Commerce) of affirmative preliminary 
determinations in the investigations under sections 703(b) and 733(b) 
of the Act, or, if the preliminary determinations are negative, upon 
notice of affirmative final determinations in the investigations under 
sections 705(a) and 735(a) of the Act. Parties that filed entries of 
appearances in the preliminary phase of the investigations need not 
enter a separate appearance for the final phase of the investigations. 
Industrial users, and, if the merchandise under investigation is sold 
at the retail level, representative consumer organizations have the 
right to appear as parties in Commission antidumping and countervailing 
duty investigations. The Secretary will prepare a public service list 
containing the names and addresses of all persons, or their 
representatives, who are parties to the investigations.

Background

    On February 16, 1999, petitions were filed with the Commission and 
the Department of Commerce by Bethlehem Steel Corp. (Bethlehem, PA); 
U.S. Steel Group, a unit of USX Corp. (Pittsburgh, PA); Gulf States 
Steel, Inc. (Gadsden, AL); IPSCO Steel Inc. (Muscatine, IA); Tuscaloosa 
Steel Co.\3\ (Tuscaloosa, AL); and the United Steelworkers of America 
(Pittsburgh, PA), alleging that an industry in the United States is 
materially injured and threatened with material injury by reason of 
imports from France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, and Macedonia of 
certain cut-to-length steel plate that are subsidized by the 
Governments of the respective countries, and imports from the Czech 
Republic, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Macedonia 
of certain cut-to-length steel plate that are sold in the United States 
at LTFV. Accordingly, effective February 16, 1999, the Commission 
instituted countervailing duty investigations Nos. 701-TA-387-392 
(Preliminary) and antidumping investigations Nos. 731-TA-815-822 
(Preliminary).
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    \3\ Gulf States Steel, Inc., is not a petitioner with respect to 
the investigations on France. Tuscaloosa Steel Co. is not a 
petitioner with respect to the investigations on the Czech Republic, 
France, and Italy.
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    Notice of the institution of the Commission's investigations and of 
a public conference to be held in connection therewith was given by 
posting copies of the notice in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. 
International Trade Commission, Washington, DC, and by publishing the 
notice in the Federal Register of February 24, 1999 (64 FR 9174). The 
conference was held in Washington, DC, on March 9, 1999, and all 
persons who requested the opportunity were permitted to appear in 
person or by counsel.
    The Commission transmitted its determinations in these 
investigations to the Secretary of Commerce on April 2, 1999. the views 
of the Commission are contained in USITC Publication 3181 (April 1999), 
entitled Certain Cut-to-Length Steel Plate from the Czech Republic, 
France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Macedonia 
(Investigations Nos. 701-TA-387-392 and 731-TA-815-822 (Preliminary)).

    Issued: April 5, 1999.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-8794 Filed 4-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-M