[Federal Register: May 3, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 85)]
[Notices]
[Page 26040-26041]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr03my06-41]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-570-865]
Preliminary Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review:
Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products From the People's
Republic of China
AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
DATES: Effective Date: May 3, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Bertrand or Carrie Blozy,
Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3207 and (202) 482-5403,
respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On November 1, 2005, the Department of Commerce (``Department'')
published a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review
of the antidumping duty order on certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat
products from the People's Republic of China (``PRC'') for the period
November 1, 2004, through October 31, 2005. Antidumping or
Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation;
Opportunity to Request Administrative Review, 70 FR 65883 (November 1,
2005). On November 30, 2005, Nucor Corporation, a domestic producer of
certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat products, requested that the
Department conduct an administrative review of Angang Group
International Trade Corporation, Angang Group Hong Kong Co., Ltd., New
Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., Shanghai Baosteel Group Corporation, Baoshan
Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., and Baosteel Group International Trade
Corporation. On December 22, 2005, the Department published a notice of
initiation of an antidumping duty administrative review on certain hot-
rolled carbon steel flat products from the PRC. Initiation of
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews and Request
for Revocation in Part (``Notice of Initiation''), 70 FR 76024
(December 22, 2005). The period of review (``POR'') is November 1, 2004
through October 31, 2005. We are preliminarily rescinding this review
based on evidence on the record indicating that there were no entries
into the United States of subject merchandise during the POR by the
named firms.
On December 27, 2005, the Department issued its antidumping duty
questionnaire. On January 6, 2006, Angang Group International Trade
Corporation, Angang Group Hong Kong Co., Ltd., New Iron & Steel Co.,
Ltd. (collectively ``Angang''), submitted a letter stating that Angang
has no sales, shipments, or entries of subject merchandise to the
United States during the POR. Also on January 6, 2006, Shanghai
Baosteel Group Corporation, Baoshan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., and
Baosteel Group International Trade Corporation, (collectively
``Baosteel''), submitted a letter stating that Baosteel has no sales of
subject merchandise to the United States during the POR.
The Department conducted a customs data query for possible entries
of subject merchandise into the United States during the POR by Angang
and Baosteel (``respondents''). On January 10, 2006, we sent an inquiry
to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (``CBP'') asking for notification
from CBP if it had information contrary to respondents' claims that
there were no shipments of subject merchandise into the United States
during the POR by the respondents. We received no response from CBP in
regard to this January 10, 2006, request, which indicates that CBP did
not find any shipments of subject merchandise from respondents during
the POR.
Also on January 10, 2006, we requested that CBP provide the entry
documentation for certain entries of respondents' merchandise claimed
to be non-subject to confirm that these were entries of non-subject
merchandise. On February 23, 2006, CBP provided the Department with
entry documentation for the specified sales. Based on the results of
our corroborative CBP query indicating no shipments of subject
merchandise by respondents during the POR, and our analysis of the data
contained in the CBP-provided customs entry documentation, showing non-
subject entries, we find that there is no evidence on the record of
entries of subject merchandise into the United States during the POR by
Angang or Baosteel. See Memorandum to the File dated April 12, 2006.
Therefore, we are preliminarily rescinding this review based on
evidence on the record indicating that there were no entries into the
United States of subject merchandise during the POR.
Scope of the Review
For purposes of this review, the products covered are certain hot-
rolled carbon steel flat products of a rectangular shape, of a width of
0.5 inch or greater, neither clad, plated, nor coated with metal and
whether or not painted, varnished, or coated with plastics or other
non-metallic substances, in coils (whether or not in successively
superimposed layers), regardless of thickness, and in straight lengths
of a thickness of less than 4.75 mm and of a width measuring at least
10 times the thickness. Universal mill plate (i.e., flat-rolled
products rolled on four faces or in a closed box pass, of a width
exceeding 150 mm, but not exceeding 1250 mm, and of a thickness of not
less than 4.0 mm, not in coils and without patterns in relief) of a
thickness not less than 4.0 mm is not included within the scope of this
review.
Specifically included within the scope of this review are vacuum
degassed, fully stabilized (commonly referred to as interstitial-free
(IF)) steels, high strength low alloy (HSLA) steels,
[[Page 26041]]
and the substrate for motor lamination steels. IF steels are recognized
as low carbon steels with micro-alloying levels of elements such as
titanium or niobium (also commonly referred to as columbium), or both,
added to stabilize carbon and nitrogen elements. HSLA steels are
recognized as steels with micro-alloying levels of elements such as
chromium, copper, niobium, vanadium, and molybdenum. The substrate for
motor lamination steels contains micro-alloying levels of elements such
as silicon and aluminum.
Steel products to be included in the scope of this review,
regardless of definitions in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS), are products in which: (i) Iron predominates, by
weight, over each of the other contained elements; (ii) the carbon
content is 2 percent or less, by weight; and (iii) none of the elements
listed below exceeds the quantity, by weight, respectively indicated:
1.80 percent of manganese, or
2.25 percent of silicon, or
1.00 percent of copper, or
0.50 percent of aluminum, or
1.25 percent of chromium, or
0.30 percent of cobalt, or
0.40 percent of lead, or
1.25 percent of nickel, or
0.30 percent of tungsten, or
0.10 percent of molybdenum, or
0.10 percent of niobium, or
0.15 percent of vanadium, or
0.15 percent of zirconium.
All products that meet the physical and chemical description
provided above are within the scope of this review unless otherwise
excluded. The following products, by way of example, are outside or
specifically excluded from the scope of this review:
Alloy hot-rolled steel products in which at least one of
the chemical elements exceeds those listed above (including, e.g.,
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifications A543,
A387, A514, A517, A506).
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)/American Iron &
Steel Institute (AISI) grades of series 2300 and higher.
Ball bearing steels, as defined in the HTSUS.
Tool steels, as defined in the HTSUS.
Silico-manganese (as defined in the HTSUS) or silicon
electrical steel with a silicon level exceeding 2.25 percent.
ASTM specifications A710 and A736.
USS abrasion-resistant steels (USS AR 400, USS AR 500).
All products (proprietary or otherwise) based on an alloy
ASTM specification (sample specifications: ASTM A506, A507).
Non-rectangular shapes, not in coils, which are the result
of having been processed by cutting or stamping and which have assumed
the character of articles or products classified outside chapter 72 of
the HTSUS.
The merchandise subject to this review is classified in the HTSUS
at subheadings: 7208.10.15.00, 7208.10.30.00, 7208.10.60.00,
7208.25.30.00, 7208.25.60.00, 7208.26.00.30, 7208.26.00.60,
7208.27.00.30, 7208.27.00.60, 7208.36.00.30, 7208.36.00.60,
7208.37.00.30, 7208.37.00.60, 7208.38.00.15, 7208.38.00.30,
7208.38.00.90, 7208.39.00.15, 7208.39.00.30, 7208.39.00.90,
7208.40.60.30, 7208.40.60.60, 7208.53.00.00, 7208.54.00.00,
7208.90.00.00, 7211.14.00.90, 7211.19.15.00, 7211.19.20.00,
7211.19.30.00, 7211.19.45.00, 7211.19.60.00, 7211.19.75.30,
7211.19.75.60, and 7211.19.75.90. Certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat
products covered by this review, including: Vacuum degassed fully
stabilized; high strength low alloy; and the substrate for motor
lamination steel may also enter under the following tariff numbers:
7225.11.00.00, 7225.19.00.00, 7225.30.30.50, 7225.30.70.00,
7225.40.70.00, 7225.99.00.90, 7226.11.10.00, 7226.11.90.30,
7226.11.90.60, 7226.19.10.00, 7226.19.90.00, 7226.91.50.00,
7226.91.70.00, 7226.91.80.00, and 7226.99.00.00. Subject merchandise
may also enter under 7210.70.30.00, 7210.90.90.00, 7211.14.00.30,
7212.40.10.00, 7212.40.50.00, and 7212.50.00.00. Although the HTSUS
subheadings are provided for convenience and U.S. Customs purposes, the
written description of the merchandise under review is dispositive.
Period of Review
The POR is November 1, 2004 through October 31, 2005.
Preliminary Rescission of Review
Because neither Angang nor Baosteel made shipments to the United
States of subject merchandise during the POR, in accordance with 19 CFR
351.213(d)(3) and consistent with our practice, we are preliminarily
rescinding this review of the antidumping duty order on certain hot-
rolled carbon steel flat products from the PRC for the period of
November 1, 2004, to October 31, 2005. If the rescission is confirmed
in our final results, the cash deposit rate for Angang and Baosteel
will continue to be the rate established in the most recently completed
segment of this proceeding.
Interested parties may submit comments for consideration in the
Department's final results not later than 30 days after publication of
this notice. Responses to those comments may be submitted not later
than 10 days following submission of the comments. All written comments
must be submitted in accordance with 19 CFR 351.303, and must be served
on interested parties on the Department's service list in accordance
with 19 CFR 351.303(f). The Department will issue the final results of
this administrative review, which will include the results of its
analysis of issues raised in any such comments, within 120 days of
publication of the preliminary results, and will publish these results
in the Federal Register.
This notice is published in accordance with sections 751 and
777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and 19 CFR
351.213(d)(4).
Dated: April 26, 2006.
Stephen J. Claeys,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-6672 Filed 5-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P