Certain Cold-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products From the Netherlands: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of final results of antidumping duty administrative review.

SUMMARY:

On May 10, 2000, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain cold-rolled carbon steel flat products from the Netherlands (65 FR 30062). This review covers one manufacturer/exporter of the subject merchandise to the United States and the period of review (POR) of August 1, 1998, through July 31, 1999. The sole respondent did not respond to our supplemental questionnaire and subsequently withdrew from this review. As a result, we based our preliminary results on adverse facts available. We did not receive comments from any interested parties, and have made no changes to our preliminary results. The final weighted-average dumping margin for the reviewed firm is listed below in the section entitled “Final Results of Review.”

EFFECTIVE DATE:

August 4, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Deborah Scott or Robert James, Enforcement Group III, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-2657 or (202) 482-0649, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On May 10, 2000, the Department published in the Federal Register (65 FR 30062) the preliminary results of the administrative review of the antidumping duty order on certain cold-rolled carbon steel flat products from the Netherlands (58 FR 44172 (August 19, 1993); see also 61 FR 47871 (September 11, 1996)). We invited parties to comment on our preliminary results. We received no comments. The Department has now completed this administrative review in accordance with section 751 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended.

Applicable Statute and Regulations

Unless otherwise stated, all citations to the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, (the Tariff Act) are references to the provisions effective January 1, 1995, the effective date of the amendments made to the Tariff Act by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA). In addition, unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the Department's regulations are to 19 CFR Part 351 (April 1, 2000).

Scope of This Review

The products covered by this review include cold-rolled (cold-reduced) carbon steel flat-rolled products, of rectangular shape, neither clad, plated nor coated with metal, whether or not painted, varnished or coated with plastics or other nonmetallic substances, in coils (whether or not in successively superimposed layers) and of a width of 0.5 inch or greater, or in straight lengths which, if of a thickness less than 4.75 millimeters, are of a width of 0.5 inch or greater and which measures at least 10 times the thickness or if of a thickness of 4.75 millimeters or more are of a width which exceeds 150 millimeters and measures at least twice the thickness, as currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) under item numbers 7209.15.0000, 7209.16.0030, 7209.16.0060, 7209.16.0090, 7209.17.0030, 7209.17.0060, 7209.17.0090, 7209.18.1530, 7209.18.1560, 7209.18.2550, 7209.18.6000, 7209.25.0000, 7209.26.0000, 7209.27.0000, 7209.28.0000, 7209.90.0000, 7210.70.3000, 7210.90.9000, 7211.23.1500, 7211.23.2000, 7211.23.3000, 7211.23.4500, 7211.23.6030, 7211.23.6060, 7211.23.6085,7211.29.2030, 7211.29.2090, 7211.29.4500, 7211.29.6030, 7211.29.6080, 7211.90.0000, 7212.40.1000, 7212.40.5000, 7212.50.0000, 7215.50.0015, 7215.50.0060, 7215.50.0090, 7215.90.5000, 7217.10.1000, 7217.10.2000, 7217.10.3000, 7217.10.7000, 7217.90.1000, 7217.90.5030, 7217.90.5060, and 7217.90.5090. Included in this review are flat-rolled products of non-rectangular cross-section where such cross-section is achieved subsequent to the rolling process (i.e., products which have been “worked after rolling”)—for example, products which have been beveled or rounded at the edges. Excluded from this review is certain shadow mask steel, i.e., aluminum-killed, cold-rolled steel coil that is open-coil annealed, has a carbon content of less than 0.002 percent, of 0.003 to 0.012 inch in thickness, 15 to 30 inches in width, and has an ultra flat, isotropic surface. These HTS item numbers are provided for convenience and Customs purposes. The written description remains dispositive.

Period of Review

The POR is August 1, 1998, through July 31, 1999. This review covers entries of certain cold-rolled carbon steel flat products from the Netherlands produced by Hoogovens Staal B.V. (Hoogovens).

Changes Since the Preliminary Results

We received no comments from interested parties, and we have made no changes to our preliminary results.

Use of Facts Available

For reasons set forth in our preliminary determination, we have determined that the use of adverse facts available is warranted in this case. In addition, we preliminarily determined that the rate assigned to Hoogovens in the current review is corroborated. See Cold-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products From the Netherlands: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 65 FR 30062 (May 10, 2000).

Section 776(b) of the Tariff Act permits the Department to use an inference that is adverse to a particular party under certain circumstances, and specifies that “[s]uch adverse inference may include reliance on information derived from (1) the petition, (2) a final determination in the investigation under this title, (3) any previous review under section 751 or determination under section 753, or (4) any other information placed on the record.” The rate we have applied to Hoogovens in the current review, 19.32 percent, is the actual rate calculated for Hoogovens in the amended final determination of the original less than fair value (LTFV) investigation.

In corroborating this rate, we note that Hoogovens has been the only respondent subject to this antidumping duty order since its inception. Hoogovens' rates, calculated for review periods subsequent to the LTFV, ranged from a high of 5.54 percent in the first administrative review period (August 18, 1993 through July 31, 1994) to a de minimis rate in the most recently completed segment of these proceedings (August 1, 1997 through July 31, 1998). However, these lower rates were calculated during review periods in which Hoogovens cooperated to the best of its ability. In the current review, Hoogovens failed to cooperate to the best of its ability. Based upon the premise that Hoogovens would have cooperated to the best of its ability if it had a dumping margin of less than 19.32 percent, and absent any evidence to the contrary, we have determined that 19.32 percent, the rate calculated for the amended final determination of the LTFV investigation, is probative of the rate that Hoogovens would have received had it fully cooperated in this review. Therefore, as adverse facts available we have assigned a margin of 19.32 percent to Hoogovens for the current review.

Final Results of Review

As a result of our review, we determine that the weighted-average margin for Hoogovens Staal B.V. for the period of August 1, 1998 through July 31, 1999 is 19.32 percent.

The Department shall determine, and the Customs Service shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries. For assessment purposes, the duty assessment rate will be an ad valorem rate applied to the entered value of the subject merchandise. The Department will issue appraisement instructions directly to the Customs Service.

Furthermore, the following deposit requirements will be effective upon publication of this notice of final results of review for all shipments of cold-rolled carbon steel flat products from the Netherlands entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication date, as provided for by section 751(a)(1) of the Tariff Act: (1) The cash deposit rate for Hoogovens will be 19.32 percent; (2) if the exporter is not a firm covered in this review, a prior review, or the original less than fair value investigation, but the manufacturer is, the cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the most recent period for the manufacturer of the merchandise; and (3) if neither the exporter nor the manufacturer is a firm covered in this review, the cash deposit rate will be 19.32 percent. This is the “all others” rate from the amended final determination in the less than fair value investigation. See Amended Final Determination Pursuant to CIT Decision: Certain Cold-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products from the Netherlands, 61 FR 47871 (September 11, 1996).

These deposit requirements shall remain in effect until publication of the final results of the next administrative review.

This notice serves as a final reminder to importers of their responsibility under 19 CFR 351.402(f) 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 the Secretary's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping duties.

This notice also serves as a reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO. Timely 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.

We are issuing and publishing this determination and notice in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act and sections 351.213 and 351.221 of the Department's regulations.