2022-12190. Certain Steel Nails From the Sultanate of Oman: Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of certain steel nails (steel nails) from the Sultanate of Oman (Oman). The period of investigation is January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

DATES:

Applicable June 7, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 703(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). On January 26, 2022, we published the notice of initiation of a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of steel nails from Oman.^[1] On March 3, 2022, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation until May 31, 2022.^[2] For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.^[3] A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary 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 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 Investigation

The products covered by this investigation are steel nails from Oman. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

Scope Comments

In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations,^[4] the Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage ( i.e., scope).^[5] We received several comments concerning the scope of the antidumping duty (AD) and CVD investigations of steel nails as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. We are currently evaluating the scope comments filed by the interested parties. We intend to issue our preliminary decision regarding the scope of the AD and CVD investigations on or before the preliminary determinations of the companion AD investigations, the deadline for which is July 28, 2022.^[6] We will incorporate the scope decisions from the AD investigations into the scope of the final CVD determination for this investigation after considering any relevant comments submitted in scope case and rebuttal briefs.^[7] The deadline for interested parties to submit scope case and rebuttal briefs will be established in the preliminary scope decision memorandum.

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 701 of the Act. For each of the subsidy programs found to be countervailable, Commerce preliminarily determines that there is a subsidy, i.e., a financial contribution by an “authority” that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient, and that the subsidy is specific.^[8]

All-Others Rate

Sections 703(d) and 705(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that in the preliminary determination, Commerce shall determine an estimated all-others rate for companies not individually examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of the estimated subsidy rates established for those companies individually examined, excluding any zero and de minimis rates and any rates based entirely under section 776 of the Act.

In this investigation, Commerce calculated an estimated countervailable subsidy duty rate for Oman Fasteners LLC, the only individually-examined exporter/producer in this investigation. Because the only individually calculated rate is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on fact otherwise available, the rate calculated for Oman Fasteners LLC is the rate assigned to all other producers and exporters. For a full description of the methodology underlying Commerce's analysis, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Preliminary Determination

Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated net countervailable subsidy rates exist:

Company	Subsidy rate (percent)
Oman Fasteners LLC	2.49
All Others	2.49

Suspension of Liquidation

In accordance with sections 703(d)(1)(B) and (d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register . Further, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the rates indicated above.

Disclosure

Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination within five days of its public announcement, or if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Verification

As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to verify the information relied upon in making its final determination.

Public Comment

Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than seven days after the deadline for the verification questionnaire response in this investigation. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case briefs, may be submitted no later than seven days after the deadline date for case briefs.^[9] Note that Commerce has temporarily modified certain of its requirements for serving documents containing business proprietary information, until further notice.^[10] Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), parties who submit case or rebuttal briefs in this investigation are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) a statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of participants, whether any participant is a foreign national, and a list of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

International Trade Commission Notification

In accordance with section 703(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) of its determination. If the final determination is affirmative, the ITC will determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this preliminary determination or 45 days after the final determination whether imports of nails from Oman are materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

This determination is issued and published pursuant to sections 703(f) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.205(c).

Dated: May 31, 2022.

Lisa W. Wang,

Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

The merchandise covered by this investigation is certain steel nails having a nominal shaft or shank length not exceeding 12 inches. Certain steel nails include, but are not limited to, nails made from round wire and nails that are cut from flat-rolled steel or long-rolled flat steel bars. Certain steel nails may be of one piece construction or constructed of two or more pieces. Examples of nails constructed of two or more pieces include, but are not limited to, anchors comprised of an anchor body made of zinc or nylon and a steel pin or a steel nail; crimp drive anchors; split-drive anchors, and strike pin anchors. Also included in the scope are anchors of one piece construction.

Certain steel nails may be produced from any type of steel, and may have any type of surface finish, head type, shank, point type and shaft diameter. Finishes include, but are not limited to, coating in vinyl, zinc (galvanized, including but not limited to electroplating or hot dipping one or more times), phosphate, cement, and paint. Certain steel nails may have one or more surface finishes. Head styles include, but are not limited to, flat, projection, cupped, oval, brad, headless, double, countersunk, and sinker. Shank or shaft styles include, but are not limited to, smooth, barbed, screw threaded, ring shank and fluted.

Screw-threaded nails subject to this proceeding are driven using direct force and not by turning the nail using a tool that engages with the head. Point styles include, but are not limited to, diamond, needle, chisel and blunt or no point. Certain steel nails may be sold in bulk, or they may be collated in any manner using any material.

Excluded from the scope are certain steel nails packaged in combination with one or more non-subject articles, if the total number of nails of all types, in aggregate regardless of size, is less than 25. If packaged in combination with one or more non-subject articles, certain steel nails remain subject merchandise if the total number of nails of all types, in aggregate regardless of size, is equal to or greater than 25, unless otherwise excluded based on the other exclusions below.

Also excluded from the scope are certain steel nails with a nominal shaft or shank length of one inch or less that are a component of an unassembled article, where the total number of nails is sixty (60) or less, and the imported unassembled article falls into one of the following eight groupings: (1) Builders' joinery and carpentry of wood that are classifiable as windows, French-windows and their frames; (2) builders' joinery and carpentry of wood that are classifiable as doors and their frames and thresholds; (3) swivel seats with variable height adjustment; (4) seats that are convertible into beds (with the exception of those classifiable as garden seats or camping equipment); (5) seats of cane, osier, bamboo or similar materials; (6) other seats with wooden frames (with the exception of seats of a kind used for aircraft or motor vehicles); (7) furniture (other than seats) of wood (with the exception of (i) medical, surgical, dental or veterinary furniture; and (ii) barbers' chairs and similar chairs, having rotating as well as both reclining and elevating movements); or (8) furniture (other than seats) of materials other than wood, metal, or plastics ( e.g., furniture of cane, osier, bamboo or similar materials). The aforementioned imported unassembled articles are currently classified under the following Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings: 4418.10, 4418.20, 9401.30, 9401.40, 9401.51, 9401.59, 9401.61, 9401.69, 9403.30, 9403.40, 9403.50, 9403.60, 9403.81 or 9403.89.

Also excluded from the scope of this investigation are nails suitable for use in powder-actuated hand tools, whether or not threaded, which are currently classified under HTSUS subheadings 7317.00.2000 and 7317.00.3000.

Also excluded from the scope of this investigation are nails suitable for use in gas-actuated hand tools. These nails have a case hardness greater than or equal to 50 on the Rockwell Hardness C scale (HRC), a carbon content greater than or equal to 0.5 percent, a round head, a secondary reduced-diameter raised head section, a centered shank, and a smooth symmetrical point.

Also excluded from the scope of this investigation are corrugated nails. A corrugated nail is made up of a small strip of corrugated steel with sharp points on one side.

Also excluded from the scope of this investigation are thumb tacks, which are currently classified under HTSUS subheading 7317.00.1000.

Also excluded from the scope are decorative or upholstery tacks.

Certain steel nails subject to this investigation are currently classified under HTSUS subheadings 7317.00.5501, 7317.00.5502, 7317.00.5503, 7317.00.5505, 7317.00.5507, 7317.00.5508, 7317.00.5511, 7317.00.5518, 7317.00.5519, 7317.00.5520, 7317.00.5530, 7317.00.5540, 7317.00.5550, 7317.00.5560, 7317.00.5570, 7317.00.5580, 7317.00.5590, 7317.00.6530, 7317.00.6560 and 7317.00.7500. Certain steel nails subject to this investigation also may be classified under HTSUS subheadings 7318.15.5090, 7907.00.6000, 8206.00.0000, or other HTSUS subheadings. While the HTSUS subheadings 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 Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Injury Test

IV. Scope Comments

V. Scope of the Investigation

VI. Subsidies Valuation

VII. Analysis of Programs

VIII. Recommendation

Footnotes

1.   See Certain Steel Nails from India, the Sultanate of Oman, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Republic of Turkey: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigations, 87 FR 3970 (January 26, 2022) ( Initiation Notice ).

2.   See Certain Steel Nails from India, the Sultanate of Oman, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Republic of Turkey: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Countervailing Duty Investigations, 87 FR 12080 (March 3, 2022).

3.   See Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Affirmative Determination of the Countervailing Duty Investigation of Certain Steel Nails from the Sultanate of Oman,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).

4.   See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule, 62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997).

5.   See Initiation Notice, 87 FR at 3971.

6.   See Certain Steel Nails from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Republic of Turkey: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 87 FR 30868 (May 20, 2022).

7.  The deadline for interested parties to submit scope case and rebuttal briefs will be established in the preliminary scope decision memorandum.

8.   See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.

9.   See 19 CFR 351.309; see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for general filing requirements).

10.   See Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements Due to COVID-19; Extension of Effective Period, 85 FR 41363 (July 10, 2020).