2024-09621. Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet From Türkiye: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2022-2023

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that common alloy aluminum sheet (CAAS) from the Republic of Türkiye (Türkiye) was sold in the United States at less than normal value during the period of review (POR) April 1, 2022, through March 31, 2023. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

DATES:

Applicable May 3, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mark Hoadley, AD/CVD Operations, Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On April 27, 2021, Commerce published the antidumping duty order on common alloy aluminum sheet from Türkiye.^[1] On June 12, 2023, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.221(c)(i), Commerce initiated an administrative review of the Order, covering eight producers/exporters: Aluminyum Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.; Assan Aluminyum Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. (Assan); Kibar Americas, Inc.; Kibar Dis Ticaret A.S.; Panda Aluminyum A.S.; PMS Metal Profil Aluminyum Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.; TAC Metal Ticaret Anonim Sirketi; and Teknik Aluminyum Sanayi A.S. (Teknik).^[2]

Pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), on December 11, 2023, Commerce determined that it was not practicable to complete the preliminary results of this review within 245 days and extended the deadline for the preliminary results of this review until April 26, 2024.^[3]

For a detailed description of the events that followed the initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.^[4] A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is attached as an appendix to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is available 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 Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/​public/​FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

Scope of the Order

The merchandise subject to the Order is CAAS from Türkiye. Products subject to the Order are currently classified under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings 7606.11.3060, 7606.11.6000, 7606.12.3096, 7606.12.6000, 7606.91.3095, 7606.91.6095, 7606.92.3035, and 7606.92.6095. Further, merchandise that falls within the scope of the Order may also be entered into the United States under HTSUS subheadings 7606.11.3030, 7606.12.3015, 7606.12.3025, 7606.12.3035, 7606.12.3091, 7606.91.3055, 7606.91.6055, 7606.92.3025, 7606.92.6055, 7607.11.9090. Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise subject to this scope is dispositive. For a complete description of the scope of the Order, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with section 751(a) of the Act. We calculated constructed export price in accordance with section 772 of the Act and normal value in accordance with section 773 of the Act. For a full description of the methodology underlying these preliminary results, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Preliminary Results of the Review

We preliminarily determine the following weighted-average dumping margins for the period April 1, 2022, through March 31, 2023:

Exporter or producer	Weight- average dumping margin (percent)
Assan Aluminyum Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S	1.49
Teknik Aluminyum Sanayi A.S	2.59
Non-Selected Companies	2.04

Rate for Companies Not Individually Examined

Generally, when calculating margins for non-selected respondents, Commerce looks to section 735(c)(5) of the Act for guidance, which provides instructions for calculating the all-others rate in an investigation. Section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provides that when calculating the all-others rate, Commerce will exclude any zero and de minimis weighted-average dumping margins, as well as any weighted-average dumping margins based on total facts available. Accordingly, Commerce's usual practice has been to average the margins for selected respondents, excluding margins that are zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts available. In this review, we calculated a weighted-average dumping margin of 1.49 percent for Assan and 2.59 percent for Teknik. In accordance with section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act, Commerce has assigned the average of these two calculated weighted-average dumping margins, 2.04 percent, to the non-selected companies in these preliminary results.

Disclosure and Public Comment

Commerce intends to disclose the calculations performed for these preliminary results of review to interested parties within five days of the date of publication of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b). Interested parties may submit case briefs to Commerce no later than 30 days after the date of publication of this notice.^[5] Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than seven days after the date for filing case briefs.^[6] Interested parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) a statement of the issue; and (2) a table of authorities.^[7]

As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), in prior proceedings, we have encouraged interested parties to provide an executive summary of their brief that should be limited to five pages total, including footnotes. In this review, we instead request that interested parties provide, at the beginning of their briefs, a public executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs.^[8] Further, we request that interested parties limit their executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. We intend to use the executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum that will accompany the final results in this administrative review. We request that interested parties include footnotes for relevant citations in the executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).^[9]

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, filed electronically via ACCESS. An electronically filed hearing request must be received successfully in its entirety by ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain: (1) the party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; (3) whether any participant is a foreign national; and (4) a list of issues the party intends to discuss. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to those raised in the respective case and rebuttal briefs. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a date and time to be determined.^[10]

Unless otherwise extended, Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review, including the results of its analysis of the issues raised in any written briefs, not later than 120 days after the date of publication of this notice, pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(1).

Assessment Rates

Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1), Commerce will determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries of subject merchandise in accordance with the final results of this review. Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP no earlier than 35 days after the date of publication of the final results of this administrative review in the Federal Register . If a timely summons is filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade, the assessment instructions will direct CBP not to liquidate relevant entries until the time for parties to file a request for a statutory injunction has expired ( i.e., within 90 days of publication).

If Assan's or Teknik's weighted-average dumping margin is not zero or de minimis ( i.e., less than 0.50 percent) in the final results of this review, Commerce intends to calculate importer-specific assessment rates on the basis of the ratio of the total amount of dumping calculated for each importer's examined sales to the total entered value of those sales. Where we do not have entered values for all U.S. sales to a particular importer, we will calculate an importer-specific, per-unit assessment rate on the basis of the ratio of the total amount of dumping calculated for the importer's examined sales to the total quantity of those sales.^[11] To determine whether an importer-specific, per-unit assessment rate is de minimis, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.106(c)(2), we also will calculate an importer-specific ad valorem ratio based on estimated entered values. If either Assan's or Teknik's weighted-average dumping margin is zero or de minimis or where an importer-specific ad valorem assessment rate is zero or de minimis, we will instruct CBP to liquidate appropriate entries without regard to antidumping duties.^[12]

In accordance with Commerce's “automatic assessment” practice, for entries of subject merchandise during the POR produced by Assan or Teknik for which they did not know that the merchandise was destined for the United States, we intend to instruct CBP to liquidate those entries at the all-others rate in the original less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation ( i.e., 4.85 percent) if there is no rate for the intermediate company(ies) involved in the transaction.^[13]

Cash Deposit Requirements

The following cash deposit requirements will be effective for all shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the final results of this administrative review, as provided for by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) the company-specific cash deposit rate for Assan and Teknik will be equal to the weighted-average dumping margin established in the final results of this review for each respondent (except, if that rate is de minimis, then the cash deposit rate will be zero); (2) for producers or exporters not covered in this review but covered in a prior segment of the proceeding, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the company-specific rate published for the most recently-completed segment of this proceeding in which they were reviewed; (3) if the exporter is not a firm covered in this review or a prior segment of the proceeding but the producer is, then the cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the most recently completed segment of this proceeding for the producer of the merchandise; and (4) the cash deposit rate for all other producers or exporters will continue to be 4.85 percent, the all-others rate established in the less-than-fair-value investigation.^[14] These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

Notification to Importers

This notice serves as a preliminary reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2) to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in Commerce's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping duties.

Notification to Interested Parties

We are issuing and publishing these preliminary results in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.213(h) and 351.221(b)(4).

Dated: April 26, 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

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Scope of the Order

IV. Affiliation

V. Companies Not Selected for Individual Examination

VI. Discussion of the Methodology

VII. Currency Conversion

VIII. Recommendation

Footnotes

1.   See Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet from Bahrain, Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Oman, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Southern Africa, Spain, Taiwan and the Republic of Turkey: Antidumping Duty Orders,86 FR 22139 (April 27, 2021) ( Order).

2.   See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Review,88 FR 38021 (June 12, 2023).

3.   See Memorandum, “Extension of Deadline for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review,” dated December 11, 2023.

4.   See Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Results of the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet from Türkiye; 2022-2023,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).

5.   See19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii).

6.   See19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Administrative Protective Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings,88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29, 2023) ( APO and Service Final Rule).

7.   See19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).

8.  We use the term “issue” here to describe an argument that Commerce would normally address in a comment of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

9.   See APO and Service Final Rule.

10.   See19 CFR 351.310(c).

11.   See19 CFR 351.212(b)(1).

12.   See19 CFR 352.106(c)(2); see also Antidumping Proceeding: Calculation of the Weighted-Average Dumping Margin and Assessment Rate in Certain Antidumping Proceedings; Final Modification,77 FR 8101, 8103 (February 14, 2012).

13.  For a full discussion of this practice, see Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings: Assessment of Antidumping Duties,68 FR 23954 (May 6, 2003).

14.   See Order, 85 FR at 17866.