98-4541. Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: Steel Wire Rod From Germany  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 1998)]
    [Notices]
    [Pages 8953-8957]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-4541]
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
    
    International Trade Administration
    [A-428-822]
    
    
    Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value: 
    Steel Wire Rod From Germany
    
    AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
    Department of Commerce.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: February 23, 1998.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judith Wey Rudman or John Brinkmann, 
    Office of AD/CVD Enforcement II, Import Administration, International 
    Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and 
    Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-
    0192 or (202) 482-5288.
    
    The Applicable Statute
    
        Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the Tariff Act of 
    1930, as amended (``the Act''), are references to the provisions 
    effective January 1, 1995, the effective date of the amendments made to 
    the Act by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (``URAA''). In addition, 
    unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the Department's 
    regulations are references to the provisions codified at 19 CFR Part 
    353 (April 1997). Although the Department's new regulations, codified 
    at 19 CFR 351 (62 FR 27296; May 19, 1997), do not govern these 
    proceedings, citations to those regulations are provided, where 
    appropriate, to explain current departmental practice.
    
    Final Determination
    
        We determine that steel wire rod from Germany is being sold in the 
    United States at less than fair value (``LTFV''), as provided in 
    section 735 of the Act. The estimated margins of sales at LTFV are 
    shown in the ``Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation'' section of 
    this notice.
    
    Case History
    
        Since the preliminary determination in this investigation on 
    September 24, 1997, (62 FR 51577, October 1, 1997) (``Notice of 
    Preliminary Determination''), the following events have occurred:
        On September 29, 1997, we issued a second supplemental request for 
    information covering all sections of the questionnaire to Ispat 
    Hamburger Stahlwerke GmbH (``IHSW''), the only company to respond to 
    the Department's original antidumping duty questionnaire. IHSW 
    submitted its response to this supplemental questionnaire, including 
    revised United States, home market, cost of production (COP), and 
    constructed value (CV) databases, on October 14, 1997. At the 
    Department's request, IHSW submitted clarifications of its response on 
    October 23 and 24, 1997.
        On October 14, 1997, Connecticut Steel Group, Co-Steel Raritan, GS 
    Industries, Inc., Keystone Steel & Wire Co., North Star Steel Texas, 
    Inc., and Northwestern Steel & Wire Co. (collectively ``petitioners'') 
    informed the Department that IHSW's parent company had purchased two 
    units of Thyssen Stahl AG (``Thyssen'') and requested that the 
    Department collapse IHSW and Thyssen when determining the dumping 
    margins for these companies (see Comment 3 below).
        The Department conducted verifications of IHSW's cost and sales 
    information in November 1997, in Hamburg, Germany. The Department 
    issued the sales and cost verification reports on December 16 and 18, 
    1997, respectively, citing numerous deficiencies in IHSW's cost and 
    sales information. Because it seemed at the time that the deficiencies 
    could be corrected and that we would be able to confirm that 
    corrections made to the databases were done completely and accurately, 
    the Department allowed IHSW a final opportunity to submit revised cost 
    and sales databases. On December 19, 1997, the Department transmitted 
    to IHSW a list of specific revisions to be made to its databases (see 
    December 19, 1997, Memorandum to Gary Taverman). IHSW submitted its 
    revised response on January 9, 1998. On
    
    [[Page 8954]]
    
    January 12, 1998, IHSW notified the Department that there were certain 
    errors in the January 9 submission.
        Petitioners, IHSW, and Saarstahl AG (``Saarstahl'') submitted case 
    briefs on January 15, 1998. Petitioners and IHSW submitted rebuttal 
    briefs on January 21, 1998.
    
    Scope of Investigation
    
        The products covered by this investigation are certain hot-rolled 
    carbon steel and alloy steel products, in coils, of approximately round 
    cross section, between 5.00 mm (0.20 inch) and 19.0 mm (0.75 inch), 
    inclusive, in solid cross-sectional diameter. Specifically excluded are 
    steel products possessing the above noted physical characteristics and 
    meeting the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) 
    definitions for (a) stainless steel; (b) tool steel; (c) high nickel 
    steel; (d) ball bearing steel; (e) free machining steel that contains 
    by weight 0.03 percent or more of lead, 0.05 percent or more of 
    bismuth, 0.08 percent or more of sulfur, more than 0.4 percent of 
    phosphorus, more than 0.05 percent of selenium, and/or more than 0.01 
    percent of tellurium; or (f) concrete reinforcing bars and rods.
        The following products are also excluded from the scope of this 
    investigation:
         Coiled products 5.50 mm or less in true diameter with an 
    average partial decarburization per coil of no more than 70 microns in 
    depth, no inclusions greater than 20 microns, containing by weight the 
    following: carbon greater than or equal to 0.68 percent; aluminum less 
    than or equal to 0.005 percent; phosphorous plus sulfur less than or 
    equal to 0.040 percent; maximum combined copper, nickel and chromium 
    content of 0.13 percent; and nitrogen less than or equal to 0.006 
    percent. This product is commonly referred to as ``Tire Cord Wire 
    Rod.''
         Coiled products 7.9 to 18 mm in diameter, with a partial 
    decarburization of 75 microns or less in depth and seams no more than 
    75 microns in depth, containing 0.48 to 0.73 percent carbon by weight. 
    This product is commonly referred to as ``Valve Spring Quality Wire 
    Rod.''
         Coiled products 11 mm to 12.5 mm in diameter, with an 
    average partial decarburization per coil of no more than 70 microns in 
    depth, no inclusions greater than 20 microns, containing by weight the 
    following: carbon greater than or equal to 0.72 percent; manganese 
    0.50-1.10 percent; phosphorus less than or equal to 0.030 percent; 
    sulfur less than or equal to 0.035 percent; and silicon 0.10-0.35 
    percent. This product is free of injurious piping and undue 
    segregation. The use of this excluded product is to fulfill contracts 
    for the sale of Class III pipe wrap wire in conformity with ASTM 
    specification A648-95 and imports of this product must be accompanied 
    by such a declaration on the mill certificate and/or sales invoice. 
    This excluded product is commonly referred to as ``Semifinished Class 
    III Pipe Wrap Wire.''
        The products under investigation are currently classifiable under 
    subheadings 7213.91.3000, 7213.91.4500, 7213.91.6000, 7213.99.0030, 
    7213.99.0090, 7227.20.0000, and 7227.90.6050 of the HTSUS. Although the 
    HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, 
    our written description of the scope of this investigation is 
    dispositive.
    
    Exclusion of Pipe Wrap Wire
    
        As stated in the Notice of Preliminary Determination, North 
    American Wire Products Corporation (NAW), an importer of the subject 
    merchandise from Germany, requested that the Department exclude steel 
    wire rod used to manufacture Class III pipe wrapping wire from the 
    scope of the investigations of steel wire rod from Canada, Germany, 
    Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. On December 22, 1997, NAW submitted 
    to the Department a proposed exclusion definition. On December 30, 1997 
    and January 7, 1998, petitioners submitted letters concurring with the 
    definition of the scope exclusion and agreeing to the exclusion of this 
    product from the scope of the investigation. We have reviewed NAW's 
    request and petitioners' comments and have excluded steel wire rod for 
    manufacturing Class III pipe wrapping wire from the scope of the four 
    concurrent investigations (see Memorandum to Richard W. Moreland dated 
    January 9, 1998).
    
    Period of Investigation
    
        The period of investigation (``POI'') is January 1 through December 
    31, 1996.
    
    Facts Available
    
        At the preliminary determination, the Department found that 
    Brandenburg Elektrostahlwerk GmbH (``Brandenburg''), Saarstahl, and 
    Thyssen ``have clearly failed to cooperate to the best of their ability 
    in this investigation, as they have not responded to the Department's 
    antidumping questionnaire.'' See Notice of Preliminary Determination. 
    Accordingly, the Department based the antidumping rate for these 
    companies on facts otherwise available and assigned them the highest 
    margin from the petition (as adjusted by the Department), 153.10 
    percent.
        With regard to IHSW, the Department found that ``despite the 
    detailed requests for supplemental information issued by the Department 
    and the extension of time granted to IHSW to file its responses, IHSW's 
    questionnaire responses remained seriously deficient.'' See Notice of 
    Preliminary Determination. In particular, IHSW's home market sales data 
    and cost of production information were so deficient as to render them 
    unreliable for conducting a proper LTFV analysis and sales-below-cost 
    test. Because of these deficiencies, the Department was unable to use 
    IHSW's responses to calculate a margin for the preliminary 
    determination of sales at less than fair value and therefore relied on 
    facts otherwise available. The Department stated that it would proceed 
    with the investigation and verify IHSW's information if IHSW cooperated 
    and provided ``complete and accurate'' information in response to a 
    supplemental questionnaire. We further stated that ``{i}f IHSW's 
    reported information verified, we will use such information in making 
    the final determination.''
        As stated in the ``Case History'' section above, the Department 
    issued a second supplemental questionnaire to IHSW following the 
    preliminary determination and conducted verification of IHSW's revised 
    cost and sales information. During these verifications, numerous 
    inconsistencies were found when we compared IHSW's reported cost and 
    sales data to the company's records, as noted in the verification 
    reports (see the December 16 sales verification report, the December 18 
    cost verification report, and the Memorandum to Gary Taverman dated 
    December 19, 1997). After the verifications, the Department granted 
    IHSW a final opportunity to correct the deficiencies in its cost and 
    sales databases.
        Despite allowing IHSW numerous opportunities to correct its 
    questionnaire responses, the cost and sales information submitted by 
    IHSW remains seriously deficient and unusable. The significant 
    deficiencies in the information submitted by IHSW include: (1) Failure 
    to calculate COP and CV in accordance with the Department's instruction 
    with respect to the weighting factor; (2) the multiple counting of 
    production quantities in deriving per unit COP; (3) failure to make 
    specific changes to identified errors in the coding of reported product 
    characteristics, resulting in the incorrect assignment of product 
    control numbers;
    
    [[Page 8955]]
    
    the impact is particularly significant in the U.S. sales database where 
    correcting the control numbers would affect 72 percent of the volume of 
    reported U.S. sales; and (4) numerous errors and inconsistencies in 
    IHSW's sales database which call into question the integrity of the 
    entire response. (For a more detailed discussion of the deficiencies in 
    the information IHSW has provided, see the February 13, 1998, 
    Memorandum to Richard W. Moreland.) Despite specific instructions from 
    the Department detailing what corrections should be made, IHSW's 
    January 9 response contained numerous errors in the COP and CV 
    databases. Without accurate COP and CV databases, we cannot perform a 
    reliable sales-below-cost test and LTFV analysis. Further, given IHSW's 
    repeated failure throughout the investigation to correct its 
    deficiencies and its failure to submit an accurate response on January 
    9, we cannot be certain that the problems with IHSW's responses are 
    limited to only those uncovered in our analysis of the January 9 
    submission.
        Section 776(a)(2) of the Act provides that if an interested party 
    (1) withholds information that has been requested by the Department, 
    (2) fails to provide such information in a timely manner or in the form 
    or manner requested, (3) significantly impedes a determination under 
    the antidumping statute, or (4) provides such information but the 
    information cannot be verified, the Department shall use facts 
    otherwise available in reaching the applicable determination (subject 
    to subsections 782(d) and (e)). As detailed below, the Department has 
    determined that all four respondents have failed to cooperate to the 
    best of their ability in this investigation as defined under 776(a)(2) 
    and that the use of facts otherwise available is applicable.
        IHSW's questionnaire responses constituted deficient submissions 
    within the meaning of section 782(d). Under these circumstances, 
    section 776(a) directs the Department to use facts available subject to 
    section 782(e). Section 782(e) provides that the Department shall not 
    decline to consider information that is submitted by an interested 
    party and is necessary to the determination, but does not meet all the 
    applicable requirements established by the Department, if--
        (1) The information is submitted by the deadline established for 
    its submission,
        (2) The information can be verified,
        (3) The information is not so incomplete that it cannot serve as a 
    reliable basis for reaching the applicable determination,
        (4) The interested party has demonstrated that it acted to the best 
    of its ability in providing the information and meeting the 
    requirements established by the Department with respect to the 
    information, and
        (5) The information can be used without undue difficulties.
        Thus, if any one of these criteria is not met, the Department may 
    decline to consider the information at issue in making its 
    determination. IHSW's information has arguably satisfied the first two 
    criteria. However, regarding the third criterion, whether the 
    information may serve as a ``reliable basis'' for the Department's 
    determination, as detailed above, IHSW's sales data and cost of 
    production information is so deficient as to render it unusable. In 
    particular, IHSW's failure to: (a) Correct those items on the December 
    19 list of required revisions completely and accurately; (b) submit the 
    accurate revised cost and sales databases in proper SAS format; and (c) 
    properly change the sales databases to reflect changes in the cost 
    database, calls into question the integrity of the entire January 9 
    submission. As to criterion (4), IHSW has not demonstrated that it 
    acted to the best of its ability in providing the requested information 
    because IHSW failed to comply with the Department's specific 
    instructions in the requests for information. Finally, as to criterion 
    (5), while the Department may be able to correct some of the errors in 
    IHSW's responses, this would be a difficult task involving significant 
    changes to IHSW's information, including the restructuring of many of 
    IHSW's product control numbers. To attempt to correct all of the errors 
    in IHSW's responses would be burdensome. Moreover, even if the 
    Department attempted to correct the responses, given the numerous 
    errors in IHSW's information on the record, we cannot be certain that 
    an accurate analysis could be conducted.
        IHSW has failed to provide its sales and cost information in the 
    form and manner requested under the terms of sections 782(d) and (e) of 
    the Act. The information provided by IHSW is unreliable and inadequate 
    for the purpose of calculating a LTFV margin. Section 776(a) thus 
    requires the Department to use facts otherwise available in making its 
    final determination with respect to IHSW.
        Section 776(b) provides that adverse inferences may be used for a 
    party that has failed to cooperate by not acting to the best of its 
    ability to comply with requests for information (see also the Statement 
    of Administrative Action (``SAA''), accompanying the URAA, H.R. Rep. 
    No. 316, 103rd Cong., 2d Sess. 870). As discussed above, Brandenburg, 
    IHSW, Saarstahl, and Thyssen have failed to act to the best of their 
    ability to comply with requests for information and, therefore, adverse 
    inferences are warranted with respect to all four companies. Consistent 
    with Department practice in cases where respondents refuse to 
    participate or provide seriously deficient information that precludes 
    the Department from conducting its LTFV analysis, as facts otherwise 
    available, we are basing their margins for the final determination on 
    information in the petition. As facts otherwise available, the 
    Department is continuing to assign to Brandenburg, Saarstahl, and 
    Thyssen, the companies that did not respond at all to the Department's 
    requests for information, the highest margin from the petition (as 
    adjusted by the Department), 153.10 percent. Since IHSW made some 
    effort to comply with the Department's requests for information, we are 
    continuing to assign IHSW a facts available margin based on a simple 
    average of the margins in the petition (as adjusted by the Department), 
    72.51 percent.
        Section 776(c) provides that when the Department relies on 
    secondary information (e.g., the petition) as the facts otherwise 
    available, it must, to the extent practicable, corroborate that 
    information from independent sources that are reasonably at its 
    disposal. The Department reviewed the adequacy and accuracy of the 
    secondary information in the petition from which the margins were 
    calculated during our pre-initiation analysis of the petition, to the 
    extent appropriate information was available for this purpose, (e.g., 
    import statistics, independent trade data, U.S. Bureau of Labor 
    Statistics, International Energy Agency). (See Notice of Preliminary 
    Determination and September 24, 1997, Memorandum to Richard W. 
    Moreland).
        At the preliminary determination, the Department reexamined the 
    price information provided in the petition and found it to be of 
    probative value (see the September 24, 1997, Memorandum to Richard W. 
    Moreland). The parties did not comment on this issue. For purposes of 
    the final determination, absent information to the contrary, we find 
    that the information in the petition continues to be of probative 
    value.
        All foreign manufacturers/exporters in this investigation are being 
    assigned dumping margins on the basis of facts otherwise available. 
    Section 735(c)(5) of the Act provides that where the dumping margins 
    established for all exporters and producers individually
    
    [[Page 8956]]
    
    investigated are determined entirely under section 776, the Department 
    ``* * * may use any reasonable method to establish the estimated all-
    others rate for exporters and producers not individually investigated, 
    including averaging the estimated weighted average dumping margins 
    determined for the exporters and producers individually investigated.'' 
    This provision contemplates that we weight average the facts-available 
    margins to establish the all-others rate. Where the data is not 
    available to weight average the facts available rates, the SAA, at 873, 
    provides that we may use other reasonable methods. Inasmuch as we do 
    not have the data necessary to weight average the respondents' facts 
    available margins, we are continuing to base the all-others rate on a 
    simple average of the margins in the petition (as adjusted by the 
    Department), 72.51 percent.
    
    Interested Party Comments
    
    Comment 1. The Application of Facts Available to Saarstahl
        Saarstahl contends that the Department should not use an adverse 
    inference in determining its antidumping margin. Saarstahl argues that 
    it has acted to the best of its ability to respond to the Department's 
    questionnaire, but that its financial situation has precluded it from 
    participating in this proceeding. Even if an adverse inference is made 
    in setting its margin, Saarstahl argues that the Department should use 
    the Saarstahl-specific lower margin information contained in the 
    petition rather than the 153.10% margin used in the preliminary 
    determination.
        Petitioners contend that Saarstahl's argument that the Department 
    may not use the highest dumping margin alleged in the petition as 
    adverse facts available is directly contradicted by the statute and 
    Department precedent. Further, petitioners claim that factors such as 
    Saarstahl's financial condition are immaterial to the issue of whether 
    Saarstahl cooperated in this investigation (see, e.g., Final 
    Determination of Sales at Less than Fair Value: Large Newspaper 
    Printing Presses and Components Thereof, Whether Assembled or 
    Unassembled from Germany, 61 FR 38166, 38179 (July 23, 1996)). 
    Petitioners insist that the Department acted appropriately in assigning 
    the highest margin alleged in the petition to Saarstahl for the 
    preliminary determination and should use the same rate for the final 
    determination.
        DOC Position. We disagree with Saarstahl's contention that it acted 
    to the best of its ability, given its financial hardship, to comply 
    with the Department's information requests. Under limited 
    circumstances, such as where a company immediately informs the 
    Department that it cannot comply with the Department's information 
    requests due to the liquidation of its assets, it may be appropriate 
    not to assign adverse facts available. However, where a respondent 
    continues to produce the subject merchandise but fails altogether to 
    provide information, we find that it has failed to act to the best of 
    its ability. As we explained in Certain Fresh Cut Flowers From 
    Colombia: Preliminary Results and Partial Rescission of Antidumping 
    Duty Administrative Review, 62 FR 16772, 16775 (April 8, 1997), an 
    adverse inference is warranted where a respondent states merely ``that 
    it was on the verge of bankruptcy'' but provides no further 
    information.
        Section 782(c)(1) requires that the Department consider modifying 
    its reporting requirements where a respondent promptly notifies the 
    Department that it cannot submit information in the ``requested form 
    and manner'' and suggests ``alternative forms'' in which to submit the 
    requested information. Saarstahl made no such suggestions; it only 
    informed the Department that it would supply the requested information 
    in a letter dated June 11, 1997. Under these circumstances, we continue 
    to find that Saarstahl failed to act to the best of its ability, and 
    that an adverse inference is warranted.
        Furthermore, we agree with petitioners that the continued use of 
    the highest margin in the petition as adverse facts available for 
    Saarstahl is warranted given Saarstahl's failure to supply the 
    Department with any of the requested information. The use of the 
    highest calculated rate in the petition as adverse facts available for 
    Saarstahl is consistent with both the Act and Department practice. 
    Section 776(b) of the Act explicitly states that the Department may 
    rely upon information contained in the petition when making adverse 
    inferences. See also SAA at 870. Recently, the Department employed this 
    approach in Notice of Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair 
    Value: Collated Roofing Nails from Taiwan, 62 FR 51427, 51428 (October 
    1, 1997).
    Comment 2. The Application of Facts Available to IHSW
        Petitioners argue that IHSW's January 9 post-verification 
    submission constitutes substantial new information and should be 
    rejected by the Department in favor of facts available. Even if the 
    Department accepts IHSW's January 9 submission, petitioners contend 
    that the information submitted by IHSW remains incomplete and 
    unreliable, and therefore, the Department must use facts available for 
    the final determination.
        IHSW argues that it has been cooperative with the Department to the 
    best of its ability throughout the investigation and, as such, the 
    Department has no basis to use an adverse facts available rate for the 
    final determination. IHSW concedes that it encountered some 
    difficulties in responding to the questionnaires, but claims that its 
    difficulties in reporting information were not the result of IHSW 
    failing to act to the best of its ability, but rather the result of 
    clerical errors or how IHSW maintains its business records. Concerning 
    the submission of data post-verification, IHSW asserts that the 
    Department was properly within its discretion to request revised cost 
    and sales databases from IHSW and that the January 9 submission did not 
    constitute new information. Further, IHSW addresses the specific errors 
    cited in petitioners' case brief, arguing that its January 9 submission 
    is ``sufficiently complete'' to serve as the basis for calculating an 
    antidumping margin. Finally, IHSW contends that the information in its 
    January 9 submission has been verified and can be easily used by the 
    Department.
        DOC Position. In allowing IHSW to file its post-verification 
    submission, the Department was not permitting the submission of new 
    information, but rather permitting corrections to the information 
    already on the record, based on the findings at verification. Further, 
    the Department may request the submission of factual information at any 
    time during the proceeding, as provided for at 19 CFR 353.31(b)(1). We 
    have analyzed all of IHSW's information on the record for purposes of 
    the final determination. However, as discussed in detail in the ``Facts 
    Available'' section above, the Department has determined that: (1) IHSW 
    has failed to act to the best of its ability to provide information; 
    and (2) the information provided by IHSW remains unreliable and 
    unusable for purposes of conducting an accurate cost of production or 
    LTFV analysis (see also the February 13, 1998, Memorandum to Richard W. 
    Moreland). Therefore, we are basing our final determination margin for 
    IHSW on facts available.
    
    [[Page 8957]]
    
    Comment 3. Whether To Collapse IHSW and Thyssen and Assign Them a 
    Single Margin Rate
        IHSW argues that the Department should not consider collapsing IHSW 
    with Thyssen, as alleged in petitioners' October 14, 1997, submission. 
    IHSW asserts that petitioners' contention is unfounded because: (1) 
    IHSW and Thyssen were completely unrelated during the POI and this 
    issue would be more appropriately considered, if at all, in an 
    administrative review; (2) the acquisition occurred after the POI and 
    therefore, neither company could have exercised control over the other 
    during the POI; and (3) there is no verified information on the record 
    to determine whether the potential for shifting of production between 
    IHSW and Thyssen exists.
        Petitioners rebut IHSW's argument, stating that, for the reasons 
    detailed in their October 14, 1997, submission, the Department should 
    collapse IHSW and Thyssen and calculate a single margin rate for the 
    two companies. Petitioners contend that the relationship between IHSW 
    and Thyssen is such that it meets the criteria for collapsing the 
    companies (i.e., the producers are affiliated; the producers have 
    similar manufacturing facilities such that production can be shifted 
    between the two; and ``there is significant potential for manipulation 
    of price or production'').
        DOC Position. We disagree with petitioners. IHSW purchased 
    Thyssen's steel wire rod-producing subsidiary six months or more after 
    the POI. There is no evidence of any affiliation between these 
    companies during the POI. Further, the limited evidence concerning this 
    transaction is insufficient to determine that it established any 
    affiliation between IHSW or Thyssen or, if they are affiliated, to 
    determine that collapsing is warranted. Therefore, we have assigned the 
    companies separate cash deposit rates in this final determination. The 
    merits of petitioners' collapsing argument may be explored in the 
    context of an administrative review, if an antidumping order is issued 
    and a review requested, for the period during which the acquisition of 
    Thyssen's rod-producing subsidiary took place.
    
    Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation
    
        In accordance with section 735(c)(4)(A) of the Act, we are 
    directing the Customs Service to continue to suspend liquidation of all 
    entries of steel wire rod from Germany, as defined in the ``Scope of 
    Investigation'' section of this notice, that are entered, or withdrawn 
    from warehouse, for consumption on or after October 1, 1997, the date 
    of publication of our preliminary determination in the Federal 
    Register. For these entries, the Customs Service will require a cash 
    deposit or posting of a bond equal to the estimated amount by which the 
    normal value exceeds the export price as shown below. This suspension 
    of liquidation will remain in effect until further notice.
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    Margin  
                       MFR/producer/exporter                      percentage
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Brandenburg Elektrostahlwerk GmbH..........................       153.10
    Ispat Hamburger Stahlwerke GmbH............................        72.51
    Saarstahl AG...............................................       153.10
    Thyssen Stahl AG...........................................       153.10
    All-Others.................................................        72.51
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
        The all-others rate applies to all entries of subject merchandise 
    except for the entries of merchandise produced by the exporters/
    manufacturers listed above.
    
    ITC Notification
    
        In accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, we have notified the 
    ITC of our determination. As our final determination is affirmative, 
    the ITC will determine whether these imports are causing material 
    injury, or threat of material injury, to the industry within 45 days of 
    its receipt of this notification.
        If the ITC determines that material injury, or threat of material 
    injury, does not exist, the proceeding will be terminated and all 
    securities posted will be refunded or canceled. If the ITC determines 
    that such injury does exist, the Department will issue an antidumping 
    duty order directing Customs officials to assess 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.
        This determination is published pursuant to section 735(d) of the 
    Act.
    
        Dated: February 13, 1998.
    Robert S. LaRussa,
    Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
    [FR Doc. 98-4541 Filed 2-20-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
2/23/1998
Published:
02/23/1998
Department:
International Trade Administration
Entry Type:
Notice
Document Number:
98-4541
Dates:
February 23, 1998.
Pages:
8953-8957 (5 pages)
Docket Numbers:
A-428-822
PDF File:
98-4541.pdf