2018-23792. Stainless Steel Bar From Brazil: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2017-2018

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily finds that the sole exporter subject to this administrative review has made sales of subject merchandise at less than normal value during the period of review (POR) February 1, 2017, through August 8, 2017. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

DATES:

Applicable October 31, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Hermes Pinilla, AD/CVD Operations, Office I, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

This review covers one producer/exporter of the subject merchandise, Villares Metals S.A. (Villares). When the review was initiated, the period of review (POR) was February 1, 2017 through January 31, 2018. However, on October 3, 2018, as a result of a five-year (sunset) review, Commerce revoked the antidumping duty order on imports of stainless steel bar (SSB) from Brazil, effective August 9, 2017. As a result, the POR was revised to February 1, 2017, through August 8, 2017.^[1]

Scope of the Order

The merchandise subject to the order is SSB. The SSB subject to the order is currently classifiable under subheadings 7222.10.00, 7222.11.00, 7222.19.00, 7222.20.00, 7222.30.00 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). While the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description is dispositive. A full description of the scope of the order is contained in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.^[2]

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with section 751(a)(2) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Constructed export price and export price were calculated in accordance with section 772 of the Act. Normal value was calculated in accordance with section 773 of the Act. For a full description of the methodology underlying our conclusions, see Preliminary Decision Memorandum. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is made available to the public via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at http://access.trade.gov and to all parties in Commerce's Central Records Unit, located at Room B8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be found at http://enforcement.trade.gov/​frn/​index.html. A list of the topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is attached at the Appendix to this notice.

Preliminary Results of Review

As a result of this review, we preliminarily determine that the following weighted-average dumping margin exists for Villares for the period February 1, 2017, through August 8, 2017.

Producer/exporter	Weighted- average dumping margin (percent)
Villares Metals S.A	1.67

Disclosure

We intend to disclose the calculations performed to parties in this proceeding within five days after public announcement of the preliminary results.^[3]

Public Comment

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c), interested parties may submit case briefs not later than 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than five days after the date for filing case briefs.^[4] Parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) A statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities.^[5]

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing, or to participate if one is requested, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance. All documents must be filed electronically using ACCESS, which is available to registered users at http://access.trade.gov. An electronically filed request must be received successfully in its entirety by ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice.^[6] Requests should contain: (1) The party's name, address and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; and (3) a list of issues to be discussed. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to those raised in the respective case briefs.

Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review, including the results of its analysis of the issues raised in any written briefs, not later than 120 days after the date of publication of this notice, unless extended, pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(1) and (2).

Assessment Rates

Upon issuance of the final results, Commerce shall determine and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries covered by this revised POR. If Villares' weighted-average dumping margin continues to be above de minimis in the final results of this review, we will calculate importer-specific assessment rates based on the ratio of the total amount of antidumping duties calculated for each importers' examined sales and the total entered value of the sales in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1).^[7] If Villares' weighted-average dumping margin is zero or de minimis in the final results of this review, we will instruct CBP not to assess duties on any of its entries in accordance with the Final Modification for Reviews.^[8]

For entries of subject merchandise during the POR produced by Villares for which it did not know its merchandise was destined for the United States, we will instruct CBP to liquidate unreviewed entries at the all-others rate if there is no rate for the intermediate company or companies involved in the transaction.

We intend to issue instructions to CBP 15 days after publication of the final results of this review.

Cash Deposit Requirements

In the Revocation Notice, Commerce stated that it intends to issue instructions to CBP to terminate the suspension of liquidation and to discontinue the collection of cash deposits on entries of subject merchandise, entered or withdrawn from warehouse, on or after August 9, 2017.^[9] Furthermore, because the antidumping duty order on SSB from Brazil has been revoked as a result of the Revocation Notice, Commerce will not issue cash deposit instructions at the conclusion of this administrative review.

Notification to Importers

This notice serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this period of review. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in the Secretary's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping duties.

We are issuing and publishing these results in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(1) and 351.221(b)(4).

Dated: October 25, 2018.

Gary Taverman,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Period of Review

IV. Scope of the Order

V. Discussion of the Methodology

(1) Comparisons to Normal Value

A. Determination of Comparison Method

B. Results of the Differential Pricing Analysis

(2) Product Comparisons

(3) Date of Sale

(4) Level of Trade/CEP Offset

(5) Export Price and Constructed Export Price

(6) Normal Value

A. Home Market Viability and Comparison Market

B. Cost of Production

1. Calculation of Cost of Production

2. Test of Comparison Market Sales Prices

3. Results of the COP Test

C. Calculation of Normal Value Based on Comparison Market Prices

VI. Currency Conversion

VII. Recommendation

Footnotes

1.  See Stainless Steel Bar from Brazil, India, Japan, and Spain: Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order (India) and Revocation of Antidumping Duty Orders (Brazil, Japan, and Spain), 83 FR 49910 (October 3, 2018) (Revocation Notice).

2.  See the Memorandum, “Stainless Steel Bar from Brazil: Decision Memorandum for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2017-2018,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).

3.  See 19 CFR 351.224(b).

4.  See 19 CFR 351.309(d).

5.  See 19 CFR 351.303 (for general filing requirements).

6.  See 19 CFR 351.310(c).

7.  In these preliminary results, Commerce applied the assessment rate calculation method adopted in Antidumping Proceedings: Calculation of the Weighted-Average Dumping Margin and Assessment Rate in Certain Antidumping Duty Proceedings; Final Modification, 77 FR 8101 (February 14, 2012) (Final Modification for Reviews).

8.  See Final Modification for Reviews, 77 FR at 8102.

9.  See Revocation Notice, 83 FR 49911.