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AGENCY:
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY:
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that imports of brass rod from Mexico are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV) for the period of investigation (POI) April 1, 2022, through March 31, 2023.
DATES:
Applicable April 22, 2024.
Start Further InfoFOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Frank Schmitt or Jacob Waddell, AD/CVD Operations, Office VI, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-4880 or (202) 482-1369, respectively.
End Further Info End Preamble Start Supplemental InformationSUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On December 1, 2023, Commerce published in the Federal Register its Preliminary Determination in the LTFV investigation of brass rod from Mexico, in which it also postponed the final determination until April 15, 2024.[1] We invited interested parties to comment on the Preliminary Determination.[2]
A summary of the events that occurred since Commerce published the Preliminary Determination, as well as a full discussion of the issues raised by parties for this final determination, may be found in the Issues and Decision Memorandum.[3] The Issues and Decisions 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 https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.
Scope of the Investigation
The product covered by this investigation is brass rod from Mexico. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.
Scope Comments
During this investigation, Commerce received scope comments from parties. Commerce issued a Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum to address these comments and set aside a period for parties to address scope issues in scope-specific case and rebuttal briefs.[4] We did not receive timely comments from any interested parties on the Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum. Thus, we did not make any changes to the scope of the investigation from the scope published in the Preliminary Determination, as noted in Appendix I.[5]
Verification
Commerce verified the sales and cost information submitted by Industrias Unidas S.A. de C.V. (IUSA) for use in our final determination, consistent with section 782(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). We used standard verification procedures, including an examination of relevant sales and accounting records, and original source documents provided by IUSA.[6] `
Analysis of Comments Received
All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs submitted by interested parties in this investigation are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of the issues addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum is attached to this notice as Appendix II.
Changes Since the Preliminary Determination
We made certain changes to the margin calculations for IUSA since the Preliminary Determination. 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 the estimated weighted-average dumping margin for all other producers and exporters not individually investigated shall be equal to the weighted average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for individually investigated exporters and producers, excluding rates that are zero, de minimis, or determined entirely under section 776 of the Act, i.e., facts otherwise available.
In this investigation, Commerce assigned a rate to ALEAMEX S.A. de C.V. based entirely on facts available. Therefore, the only rate that is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available is the rate calculated for IUSA. Consequently, Commerce assigned the estimated weighted-average dumping margin calculated for IUSA to all other producers and exporters of the merchandise under consideration, pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act.
Final Determination
Commerce determines that the following estimated weighted-average dumping margins exist:
Exporter/producer Weighted-average dumping margin (percent) Industrias Unidas S.A. de C.V 6.51 ALEAMEX S.A. de C.V 29.43 All Others 6.51 Disclosure
Commerce intends to disclose the calculations performed in connection with this final determination to Start Printed Page 29306 interested parties within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register , in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).
Continuation 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 suspend liquidation of all entries of subject merchandise, as described in Appendix I of this notice, which were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after December 1, 2023, the date of publication of the Preliminary Determination in the Federal Register . These suspension of liquidation instructions will remain in effect until further notice.
Pursuant to section 735(c)(1)(B)(ii) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(d), upon publication of this notice, we will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal for estimated antidumping duties for such entities as follows: (1) the cash deposit rate for the respondents listed in the table above is the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin listed for the respondent in the table; (2) if the exporter is not a respondent identified in the table above, but the producer is, then the cash deposit rate is the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin listed for the producer of the subject merchandise in the table above; and (3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters is the all-others estimated weighted-average dumping margin listed in the table above.
U.S. International Trade Commission Notification
In accordance with section 735(d) of the Act, Commerce will notify the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) of this final affirmative determination of sales at LTFV. Because Commerce's final determination is affirmative, in accordance with section 735(b)(2) 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 or sales (or the likelihood of sales) for importation of brass rod no later than 45 days after this final determination. If the ITC determines that such injury does not exist, this proceeding will be terminated, all cash deposits posted will be refunded, and suspension of liquidation will be lifted. 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 in the “Continuation of Suspension of Liquidation” section above.
Administrative Protective Order
This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to an administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of return or 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.
Notification to Interested Parties
This final determination and this notice are issued and published pursuant to sections 735(d) and 777(i) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(c).
Start SignatureDated: April 15, 2024.
Ryan Majerus,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix I
Scope of the Investigation
The products covered by this investigation are brass rod and bar (brass rod), which is defined as leaded, low-lead, and no-lead solid brass made from alloys such as, but not limited to the following alloys classified under the Unified Numbering System (UNS) as C27450, C27451, C27460, C34500, C35000, C35300, C35330, C36000, C36300, C37000, C37700, C48500, C67300, C67600, and C69300, and their international equivalents.
The brass rod subject to this investigation has an actual cross-section or outside diameter greater than 0.25 inches but less than or equal to 12 inches. Brass rod cross-sections may be round, hexagonal, square, or octagonal shapes as well as special profiles ( e.g., angles, shapes), including hollow profiles.
Standard leaded brass rod covered by the scope contains, by weight, 57.0-65.0 percent copper; 0.5-3.0 percent lead; no more than 1.3 percent iron; and at least 15 percent zinc. No-lead or low-lead brass rod covered by the scope contains by weight 59.0-76.0 percent copper; 0-1.5 percent lead; no more than 0.35 percent iron; and at least 15 percent zinc. Brass rod may also include other chemical elements ( e.g., nickel, phosphorous, silicon, tin, etc.).
Brass rod may be in straight lengths or coils. Brass rod covered by this investigation may be finished or unfinished, and may or may not be heated, extruded, pickled, or cold-drawn. Brass rod may be produced in accordance with ASTM B16, ASTM B124, ASTM B981, ASTM B371, ASTM B453, ASTM B21, ASTM B138, and ASTM B927, but such conformity to an ASTM standard is not required for the merchandise to be included within the scope.
Excluded from the scope of this investigation is brass ingot, which is a casting of unwrought metal unsuitable for conversion into brass rod without remelting, that contains, by weight, at least 57.0 percent copper and 15.0 percent zinc.
The merchandise covered by this investigation is currently classifiable under subheadings 7407.21.9000, 7407.21.7000, and 7407.21.1500 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Products subject to the scope may also enter under HTSUS subheadings 7403.21.0000, 7407.21.3000, and 7407.21.5000. The HTSUS subheadings and UNS alloy designations are provided for convenience and customs purposes. The written description of the scope of the investigation is dispositive.
Appendix II
Topic Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Scope of the Investigation
V. Changes Since the Preliminary Determination
VI. Application of Facts Available and AFA
VII. Discussion of the Issues
Comment 1: Date of Sale in the Comparison Market
Comment 2: Freight Expenses in the U.S. Market
VIII. Recommendation
End Supplemental InformationFootnotes
1. See Brass Rod from Mexico: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures,88 FR 83913 (December 1, 2023) ( Preliminary Determination), and accompanying Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
Back to Citation2. See Preliminary Determination, 88 FR at 83913.
Back to Citation3. See Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Final Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value in the Investigation of Brass Rod from Mexico,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and Decision Memorandum).
Back to Citation4. See Memorandum, “Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum,” dated September 25, 2023 (Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum).
Back to Citation5. See Brass Rod from India: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination,88 FR 87407 (December 18, 2023).
Back to Citation6. See Memoranda, “Verification of Sales Response of Industrias Unidas S.A. de C.V.,” dated February 15, 2024; “Verification of the Constructed Export Price Sales Response of Industrias Unidas S.A. de C.V.,” dated February 15, 2024; and “Verification of the Cost Response of Industrias S.A. de C.V.,” dated February 16, 2024.
Back to Citation[FR Doc. 2024-08458 Filed 4-19-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
Document Information
- Published:
- 04/22/2024
- Department:
- International Trade Administration
- Entry Type:
- Notice
- Document Number:
- 2024-08458
- Dates:
- Applicable April 22, 2024.
- Pages:
- 29305-29306 (2 pages)
- Docket Numbers:
- A-201-858
- PDF File:
- 2024-08458.pdf