2014-05972. Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Line Pipe From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of Expedited Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

On December 2, 2013, the Department of Commerce (“the Department”) initiated a sunset review of the countervailing duty (“CVD”) order on circular welded carbon quality steel line pipe (“line pipe”) from the People's Republic of China (“PRC”) pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (“the Act”). On the basis of a notice of intent to participate and an adequate substantive response filed on behalf of the domestic interested parties and an inadequate response from respondent interested parties (in this case, no response), the Department conducted an expedited sunset review of this CVD order pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(B) and (C). As a result of this sunset review, the Department finds that revocation of the CVD order would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy at the level indicated in the “Final Results of Review” section of this notice.

DATES:

Effective Date: March 19, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kristen Johnson, Office III, AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On December 2, 2013, the Department initiated a sunset review of the CVD order on line pipe from the PRC pursuant to section 751(c) of the Act.^[1] The Department received a notice of intent to participate in the review on behalf of United States Steel Corporation (“US Steel”), Maverick Tube Corporation (“Maverick”), American Cast Iron Pipe Company (“ACIPCO”), JMC Steel Group, Stupp Corporation, Tex-Tube Company, TMK IPSCO, and Welspun Tubular LLC USA, (collectively, “the domestic industry”) within the deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(1)(i). Each of these companies claimed interested party status under section 771(9)(C) of the Act, as a domestic producer of the domestic like product.

The Department received adequate substantive responses collectively from the domestic industry within the 30-day deadline specified in 19 CFR 351.218(d)(3)(i). The Department did not receive a substantive response from any government or respondent interested party to the proceeding. Because the Department received no response from the respondent interested parties, the Department conducted an expedited review of this CVD order, pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.218(e)(1)(ii)(C)(2).

Scope of the Order

The merchandise covered by this order is circular welded carbon quality steel pipe of a kind used for oil and gas pipelines (welded line pipe).

The welded line pipe products that are the subject of this order are currently classifiable in the HTSUS under subheadings 7306.19.10.10, 7306.19.10.50, 7306.19.51.10, and 7306.19.51.50. While HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this order is dispositive.

For a full description of the scope, see “Issues and Decision Memorandum for the Final Results of Expedited Sunset Review of the Countervailing Duty Order on Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Line Pipe from the People's Republic of China” from Christian Marsh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations, to Paul Piquado, Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, dated concurrently with this final notice, and hereby adopted by this notice (“Issues and Decision Memorandum”).

Analysis of Comments Received

All issues raised in this review are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. The issues discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum include the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy and the net countervailable subsidy likely to prevail if the order were revoked. Parties can find a complete discussion of all issues raised in this expedited sunset review and the corresponding recommendations in this public memorandum which is on file electronically via the Enforcement and Compliance Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (IA ACCESS). IA ACCESS is available to registered users at http://iaaccess.trade.gov and in the Central Records Unit, room 7046 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly on the Internet at http://enforcement.trade.gov/​frn/​index.html. The signed Issues and Decision Memorandum and the electronic versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

Final Results of Review

We determine that revocation of the CVD order on line pipe from the PRC would be likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of a countervailable subsidy at the rates listed below:

Producers/exporters	Net countervailable subsidy (percent)
Huludao Companies	33.43
Liaoning Northern Steel Pipe Co., Ltd.	40.05
All Others Rate	36.74

Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Order

This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (“APO”) of their responsibility concerning the return or destruction of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Timely notification of return/destruction of 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.

We are issuing and publishing the results and notice in accordance with sections 751(c), 752(b), and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

Exporter	Weighted-­average margin (Percent)
Grobest & I-Mei Industrial (Vietnam)	25.76

Dated: March 11, 2014.

Paul Piquado,

Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Footnotes

1.  See Initiation of Five-Year (“Sunset”) Review, 78 FR 72061 (December 2, 2013).