2022-21130. Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber From Mexico: Preliminary Results of the Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2020-2021

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily finds that Industrias Negromex S.A. de C.V. (Negromex) did not make sales of emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESB rubber) from Mexico at less than normal value during the period of review (POR) September 1, 2020, through August 31, 2021. We invite interested parties to comment on these preliminary results.

DATES:

Applicable September 29, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Christopher Maciuba, AD/CVD Operations, Office V, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On September 12, 2017, Commerce published the antidumping duty order on ESB rubber from Mexico in the Federal Register .^[1] On November 5, 2021, Commerce initiated an administrative review of the Order, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).^[2] This review covers one producer/exporter of the subject merchandise, Negromex.

On May 19, 2022, Commerce extended the deadline for issuance of the preliminary results by 120 days, until September 30, 2022.^[3] For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of the review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.^[4]

Scope of the Order

The merchandise subject to the Order is ESB rubber from Mexico. For a complete description of the scope, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this review in accordance with section 751(a) of the Act. We have calculated constructed export price in accordance with section 772 of the Act. Normal value is calculated in accordance with section 773 of the Act.

For a full description of the methodology underlying these preliminary results, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as an appendix to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is made available to the public 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.

Preliminary Results of the Review

For these preliminary results, Commerce has calculated an estimated weighted-average dumping margin for Negromex for the period September 1, 2020, through August 31, 2021, as follows:

Exporter/producer	Weighted- average dumping margin (percent)
Industrias Negromex S.A. de C.V	0.00

Assessment Rates

Upon completion of this administrative review, Commerce shall determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries. If Negromex's weighted-average dumping margin is not zero or de minimis in the final results of this review, we will calculate importer-specific ad valorem antidumping duty assessment rates based on the ratio of the total amount of dumping calculated for the importer's examined sales during the POR to the total entered value of those same sales in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1). We will instruct CBP to assess antidumping duties on all appropriate entries covered by this review where the importer-specific assessment rate calculated in the final results of this review is not zero or de minimis. If the respondent's weighted-average dumping margin is zero or de minimis, we will instruct CBP to liquidate the appropriate entries without regard to antidumping duties. The final results of this review shall be the basis for the assessment of antidumping duties on entries of merchandise covered by this review and for future deposits of estimated duties, where applicable.^[5]

In accordance with Commerce's “automatic assessment” practice, for entries of subject merchandise during the POR produced by Negromex for which the company did not know that the merchandise was destined for the United States, we will instruct CBP to liquidate those entries at the all-others rate if there is no rate for the intermediate company(ies) involved in the transaction.^[6]

Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP no earlier than 41 days after the date of publication of the final results of this review in the Federal Register , in accordance with 19 CFR 356.8(a).

Cash Deposit Requirements

The following cash deposit requirements will be effective for all shipments of the subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication date of the final results of this administrative review, as provided by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) the cash deposit rate for Negromex will be equal to the weighted-average dumping margin established in the final results of this administrative review, except if the rate is less than 0.50 percent and, therefore, de minimis within the meaning of 19 CFR 351.106(c)(1), in which case 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, a prior review, or the original less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation, 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 19.52 percent, the all-others rate established in the LTFV investigation.^[7] These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

Disclosure and Public Comment

We intend to disclose the calculations performed to parties within five days after public announcement of the preliminary results.^[8] Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c), interested parties may submit case briefs no later than 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. 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.^[9] Parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding 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.^[10] Case and rebuttal briefs should be filed using ACCESS,^[11] and must be served on interested parties. Executive summaries should be limited to five pages total, including footnotes. Note that Commerce has temporarily modified certain of its requirements for serving documents containing business proprietary information, until further notice.^[12]

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, within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. An electronically-filed document must be received successfully in its entirety by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time Hearing requests should contain: (1) the party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; and (3) a list of issues to be discussed. 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.^[13] Parties should confirm the date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

Final Results of Review

Unless otherwise extended, Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review, including the results of any 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).

Notification to Importers

This notice also serves as a 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 POR. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in Commerce's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of doubled antidumping duties.

Notification to Interested Parties

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

Dated: September 22, 2022.

Lisa W. Wang,

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. Discussion of the Methodology

V. Currency Conversion

VI. Recommendation

Footnotes

1.   See Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber from Brazil, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, and Poland: Antidumping Duty Orders,82 FR 42790 (September 12, 2017) ( Order).

2.   See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews,86 FR 61121 (November 5, 2021).

3.   See Memorandum, “Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber from Mexico: Extension of Deadline for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review,” dated May 19, 2022.

4.   See Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Results of the Administrative Review of the Antidumping Duty Order: Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber from Mexico; 2020-2021,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).

5.   See section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act.

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

7.   See Order.

8.   See19 CFR 351.224(b).

9.   See19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements Due to COVID-19; Extension of Effective Period,85 FR 41363 (July 10, 2020) ( Temporary Rule).

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

11.   See19 CFR 351.303.

12.   See Temporary Rule.

13.   See19 CFR 351.310(d).