03-32066. Annual Listing of Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject to an In-Quota Rate of Duty

AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce

ACTION:

Publication of Annual Listing of Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject to an In-Quota Rate of Duty

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (“the Department”), in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, has prepared its annual list of foreign government subsidies on articles of cheese subject to an in-quota rate of duty during the period October 1, 2002, through September 30, 2003. We are publishing the current listing of those subsidies that we have determined exist.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

December 30, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Alicia Kinsey, Office of AD/CVD Enforcement VI, Group II, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230, telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Section 702 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (as amended) (“the Act”) requires the Department to determine, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, whether any foreign government is providing a subsidy with respect to any article of cheese subject to an in-quota rate of duty, as defined in section 702(h) of the Act, and to publish an annual list and quarterly updates of the type and amount of those subsidies. We hereby provide the Department's annual list of subsidies on articles of cheese that were imported during the period October 1, 2002, through September 30, 2003.

The Department has developed, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, information on subsidies (as defined in section 702(h) of the Act) being provided either directly or indirectly by foreign governments on articles of cheese subject to an in-quota rate of duty. The appendix to this notice lists the country, the subsidy program or programs, and the gross and net amounts of each subsidy for which information is currently available.

The Department will incorporate additional programs which are found to constitute subsidies, and additional information on the subsidy programs listed, as the information is developed.

The Department encourages any person having information on foreign government subsidy programs which benefit articles of cheese subject to an in-quota rate of duty to submit such information in writing to the Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230.

This determination and notice are in accordance with section 702(a) of the Act.

Dated: December 19, 2003.

James J. Jochum,

Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.

APPENDIX

SUBSIDY PROGRAMS ON CHEESE SUBJECT TO AN IN-QUOTA RATE OF DUTY

Country	Program(s)	Gross1 Subsidy ($/lb)	Net2 Subsidy ($/lb)
Austria	European Union (EU) Restitution Payments	$ 0.1	$ 0.1
Belgium	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.05	$ 0.05
Canada	Export Assistance on Certain Types of Cheese	$ 0.25	$ 0.25
Denmark	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.04	$ 0.04
Finland	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.14	$ 0.14
France	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.12	$ 0.12
Germany	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.05	$ 0.05
Greece	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.07	$ 0.07
Ireland	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.08	$ 0.08
Italy	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.07	$ 0.07
Luxembourg	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.07	$ 0.07
Netherlands	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.04	$ 0.04
Norway	Indirect (Milk) Subsidy	$ 0.34	$ 0.34
	Consumer Subsidy	$ 0.16	$ 0.16
		$ 0.50	$ 0.50
Portugal	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.05	$ 0.05
Spain	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.06	$ 0.06
Switzerland	Deficiency Payments	$ 0.07	$ 0.07
U.K.	EU Restitution Payments	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
1 Defined in 19 U.S.C. 1677(5).
2 Defined in 19 U.S.C. 1677(6).