Sodium Gluconate, Gluconic Acid, and Derivative Products From the People's Republic of China: Postponement of Preliminary Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation

AGENCY:

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

DATES:

Applicable May 1, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Magd Zalok at (202) 482-4162; Stephen Bailey at (202) 482-0193, AD/CVD Operations, Office IV, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On December 20, 2017, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated a less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation of imports of sodium gluconate, gluconic acid, and derivative products from the People's Republic of China. Currently, the preliminary determination is due no later than May 14, 2018.

Postponement of Preliminary Determination

Section 733(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), requires Commerce to issue the preliminary determination in an LTFV investigation within 140 days after the date on which Commerce initiated the investigation. However, section 733(c)(1) of the Act permits Commerce to postpone the preliminary determination until no later than 190 days after the date on which Commerce initiated the investigation if: (A) The petitioner makes a timely request for a postponement; or (B) Commerce concludes that the parties concerned are cooperating, and determines that the investigation is extraordinarily complicated such that additional time is necessary to make a preliminary determination. Under 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner must submit a request for postponement 25 days or more before the scheduled date of the preliminary determination and must state the reasons for the request. Commerce will grant the request unless it finds compelling reasons to deny the request.

On April 4, 2018, the petitioner submitted a timely request that Commerce postpone the preliminary determination in the LTFV investigation. The petitioner stated that it requests the postponement in order to provide Commerce with sufficient time to develop the record in this proceeding through additional questionnaires and gather information from the interested parties on the surrogate values used to value the mandatory respondents' factors of production.

For the reasons stated above and because there are no compelling reasons to deny the request, Commerce, in accordance with section 733(c)(1)(A) of the Act, is postponing the deadline for the preliminary determination by 50 days (i.e., 190 days after the date on which this investigation was initiated). As a result, Commerce will issue its preliminary determination no later than July 2, 2018. In accordance with section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the deadline for the final determination of this investigation will continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determination, unless postponed at a later date.

This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 733(c)(2) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).