2020-02908. Acetone From Belgium: Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value  

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    AGENCY:

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

    SUMMARY:

    The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that imports of acetone from Belgium are being, or are Start Printed Page 8250likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV), as provided in section 735 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. The final weighted-average dumping margins are listed below in the section entitled “Final Determination Margins.”

    DATES:

    Applicable February 13, 2020.

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    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

    Alex Cipolla, AD/CVD Operations, Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-4956.

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    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Background

    On September 24, 2019, Commerce published in the Federal Register the preliminary affirmative determination of sales at LTFV, the postponement of the final determination, and the extension of provisional measures, in the antidumping duty (AD) investigation of acetone from Belgium.[1] Commerce invited comments from interested parties on the Preliminary Determination.[2] INEOS Europe AG (INEOS Europe) filed a case brief, and the petitioner [3] filed a rebuttal brief.[4] A summary of the events that occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by interested parties for this final determination, may be found in the Issues and Decision Memorandum.[5] 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 http://access.trade.gov,, and to all parties in the Central Records Unit, room B8024 of the main Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/​frn/​. The signed and electronic versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

    Scope of the Investigation

    The product covered by this investigation is acetone from Belgium. Commerce did not receive any scope comments subsequent to the Preliminary Determination and, therefore, the scope has not been updated since the Preliminary Determination. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

    Period of Investigation

    The POI is January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018.

    Verification

    As provided in section 782(i) of the Act, we conducted the cost and sales verifications in Antwerp, Belgium, and Mobile, Alabama, between November 4 and December 6, 2019. We used standard verification procedures, including an examination of relevant accounting and production records, and original source documents provided by the respondents.

    Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs by parties in this investigation are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. For a list of the issues raised and addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, see Appendix II.

    Changes Since the Preliminary Determination

    Based on our analysis of the comments received and our findings at verification, we made certain changes to the margin calculations. For a discussion of these changes, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

    All-Others Rate

    Section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provides that Commerce shall determine an estimated all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for exporters and producers individually investigated, excluding any zero and de minimis margins, and any margins determined entirely under section 776 of the Act.

    In this investigation, Commerce calculated an estimated weighted-average dumping margin for INEOS Europe. Accordingly, the all-others rate in this investigation is the weighted-average dumping margin calculated for INEOS Europe.

    Final Determination Margins

    Commerce determines that the following estimated weighted-average dumping margins exist:

    Exporter/producerEstimated weighted- average dumping margin (percent)
    INEOS Europe AG28.10
    All Others28.10

    Disclosure

    We will disclose to interested parties the calculations performed in this final determination within five days of any public announcement of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

    Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation

    In accordance with section 735(c)(1)(B) of the Act, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to continue to suspend liquidation of all appropriate entries of acetone from Belgium, as described in Appendix I of this notice, which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after September 24, 2019, the date of publication of the Preliminary Determination.

    Furthermore, pursuant to section 735(c)(1)(B)(ii) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit for such entries of merchandise equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin, as follows: (1) The cash deposit rate for the respondent listed above will be equal to the respondent-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin determined in this final determination; (2) if the exporter is not a respondent identified above but the producer is, then the cash deposit rate will be equal to the respondent-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin established for that producer of the subject merchandise; and (3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters will be equal to the all-others estimated weighted-average dumping margin.Start Printed Page 8251

    International Trade Commission Notification

    In accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, we will notify the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) of the final affirmative determination of sales at LTFV. Because the final determination in this proceeding is affirmative, in accordance with section 735(b)(2)(B) of the Act, the ITC will make its final determination as to whether the domestic industry in the United States is materially injured, or threatened with material injury, by reason of imports of acetone from Belgium no later than 45 days after our final determination. If the ITC determines that material injury or threat of material injury does not exist, the proceeding will be terminated, and all cash deposits will be refunded. If the ITC determines that such injury does exist, Commerce will issue an antidumping duty order directing CBP to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, antidumping duties on all imports of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the effective date of the suspension of liquidation, as discussed above in the “Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation” section.

    Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Orders

    This notice will serve as the only reminder to parties, subject to administrative protective order (APO), of their responsibility concerning the destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of return/destruction or APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

    Notification to Interested Parties

    We are issuing and publishing this determination and notice in accordance with sections 735(d) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.210(c).

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    Dated: February 6, 2020.

    Jeffrey I. Kessler,

    Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

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    Appendix I

    Scope of the Investigation

    The merchandise covered by this investigation is all grades of liquid or aqueous acetone. Acetone is also known under the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) name propan-2-one. In addition to the IUPAC name, acetone is also referred to as ß-ketopropane (or beta-ketopropane), ketone propane, methyl ketone, dimethyl ketone, DMK, dimethyl carbonyl, propanone, 2-propanone, dimethyl formaldehyde, pyroacetic acid, pyroacetic ether, and pyroacetic spirit. Acetone is an isomer of the chemical formula C3H6O, with a specific molecular formula of CH3COCH3 or (CH3)2CO.

    The scope covers both pure acetone (with or without impurities) and acetone that is combined or mixed with other products, including, but not limited to, isopropyl alcohol, benzene, diethyl ether, methanol, chloroform, and ethanol. Acetone that has been combined with other products is included within the scope, regardless of whether the combining occurs in third countries.

    The scope also includes acetone that is commingled with acetone from sources not subject to this investigation.

    For combined and commingled products, only the acetone component is covered by the scope of this investigation. However, when acetone is combined with acetone components from sources not subject to this investigation, those third country acetone components may still be subject to other acetone investigations.

    Notwithstanding the foregoing language, an acetone combination or mixture that is transformed through a chemical reaction into another product, such that, for example, the acetone can no longer be separated from the other products through a distillation process (e.g., methyl methacrylate (MMA) or Bisphenol A (BPA)), is excluded from this investigation.

    A combination or mixture is excluded from these investigations if the total acetone component (regardless of the source or sources) comprises less than 5 percent of the combination or mixture, on a dry weight basis.

    The Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) registry number for acetone is 67-64-1.

    The merchandise covered by this investigation is currently classifiable under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings 2914.11.1000 and 2914.11.5000. Combinations or mixtures of acetone may enter under subheadings in Chapter 38 of the HTSUS, including, but not limited to, those under heading 3814.00.1000, 3814.00.2000, 3814.00.5010, and 3814.00.5090. The list of items found under these HTSUS subheadings is non-exhaustive. Although these HTSUS subheadings and CAS registry number are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this investigation is dispositive.

    Appendix II

    List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum

    I. Summary

    II. Background

    III. Scope of the Investigation

    IV. Discussion of the Issues

    Comment 1: Whether Commerce Should Adjust Ineos Europe's Tolling Costs

    Comment 2: Whether Commerce Should Use Ineos Europe's Actual Demurrage Expenses

    V. Recommendation

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    Footnotes

    1.  See Acetone from Belgium: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures, 84 FR 49999 (September 24, 2019) (Preliminary Determination), and accompanying Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

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    2.  See Preliminary Determination, 84 FR at 50000; s ee also Memorandum, “Antidumping Duty Investigation of Acetone from Belgium: Briefing Schedule,” dated December 30, 2019.

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    3.  The petitioner is the Coalition for Acetone Fair Trade, the members of the Coalition for Acetone Fair Trade are AdvanSix Inc., Altivia Petrochemicals, LLC, and Olin Corporation.

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    4.  See INEOS Europe's Letter, “Acetone from Belgium: Case Brief,” dated January 7, 2020; see also Petitioner's Letter, “Acetone from Belgium: Petitioners' Rebuttal Brief,” dated January 13, 2020.

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    5.  See Memorandum, “Issues and Decision Memorandum for the Final Affirmative Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Acetone from Belgium,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and Decision Memorandum).

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    [FR Doc. 2020-02908 Filed 2-12-20; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P>

Document Information

Published:
02/13/2020
Department:
International Trade Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
2020-02908
Dates:
Applicable February 13, 2020.
Pages:
8249-8251 (3 pages)
Docket Numbers:
A-423-814
PDF File:
2020-02908.Pdf
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