Solid Urea From the Russian Federation: Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative and New Shipper Reviews and Rescission of Administrative Review, in Part; 2014-2015

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (the Department) is conducting an administrative review and new shipper review of the antidumping duty order on solid urea from the Russian Federation (Russia). The period of review (POR) is July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015. The Department preliminarily finds that MCC EuroChem and Joint Stock Company PhosAgro-Cherepovets (PhosAgro) have not made sales of subject merchandise in the United States at prices below normal value. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

DATES:

Effective August 12, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michael Romani or Andre Gziryan, AD/CVD Operations, Office I, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0198 or (202) 482-2201, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Scope of the Order

The merchandise subject to the order is solid urea, a high-nitrogen content fertilizer which is produced by reacting ammonia with carbon dioxide. The product is currently classified under the Harmonized Tariff Schedules of the United States (HTSUS) item number 3102.10.0010. Previously such merchandise was classified under item number 480.3000 and 3102.10.0000 of the HTSUS. Although the HTSUS subheading is provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise subject to the order is dispositive.

Rescission of Administrative Review in Part

We are rescinding the administrative review in part with respect to PhosAgro.

Methodology

The Department conducted these reviews in accordance with section 751(a)(2) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Export and constructed export price are calculated in accordance with section 772(a) and 772(b) of the Act respectively. Normal value is calculated in accordance with section 773(c) of the Act.

For a full description of the methodology underlying our conclusions, see Preliminary Decision Memorandum. 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 , and to all parties in the Central Records Unit, located at room B8024 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be found at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/index.html . A list of the topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is attached as an Appendix to this notice.

Preliminary Results of the Administrative Review

As a result of this administrative review, we preliminarily determine that a weighted-average dumping margin of 0.00 percent exists for MCC EuroChem for the period July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015.

Preliminary Results of the New Shipper Review

As a result of this new shipper review, we preliminarily determine that a weighted-average dumping margin of 0.00 percent exists for merchandise produced and exported by Joint Stock Company PhosAgro-Cherepovets for the period July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015.

Disclosure and Public Comment

We intend to disclose the calculations performed for these preliminary results to the parties within five days after the date of publication of this notice. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c), interested parties may submit cases briefs not later than 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in case briefs, may be filed no later than five days after the time limit for filing the case briefs. 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.

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 document must be received successfully in its entirety by the Department's electronic records system, 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; and (3) a list of issues to be discussed. Issues raised in the hearing will be limited to those raised in the respective case briefs.

Unless the deadline is extended pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(B)(iv) of the Act, the Department will issue the final results of these reviews, including the results of its analysis of issues raised by parties in their comments, within 120 days after the publication of these preliminary results, pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h).

Assessment Rates

If a respondent's weighted-average dumping margin is above de minimis (i.e., 0.50 percent) in the final results of these reviews, the Department will calculate an importer-specific assessment rate on the basis of the ratio of the total amount of dumping calculated for each importer's examined sales and, where possible, the total entered value of sales, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(1). If the respondent's weighted-average dumping margin continues to be zero or de minimis in the final results of review, we will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) not to assess duties on any of its entries in accordance with the Final Modification for Reviews.

For entries of subject merchandise during the POR produced by MCC EuroChem or PhosAgro for which it did not know its merchandise was destined for the United States, we will instruct CBP to liquidate unreviewed entries at the all-others rate of 64.93 percent if there is no rate for the intermediate company(ies) involved in the transaction.

We intend to issue instructions to CBP 15 days after publication of the final results of these reviews.

Cash Deposit Requirements

The following deposit requirements will be effective upon publication of the notice of final results of these reviews for all shipments of solid urea from Russia entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication as provided by section 751(a)(2) of the Act: (1) The cash deposit rate with respect to the adminstrative review respondent, MCC EuroChem, will be the rate established in the final results of this administrative review; (2) for merchandise exported by manufacturers or exporters not covered in these reviews 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; (3) if the exporter is not a firm covered in these reviews, a prior review, or the original investigation but the manufacturer is, the cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the manufacturer of the merchandise for the most recently completed segment of this proceeding; (4) the cash deposit rate for all other manufacturers or exporters will continue to be 64.93 percent.

With respect to PhosAgro, the new shipper respondent, the Department established a combination cash deposit rate for this company consistent with its practice as follows: (1) For subject merchandise produced and exported by PhosAgro, the cash deposit rate will be the rate established for PhosAgro in the final results of the new shipper review; (2) for subject merchandise exported by PhosAgro, but not produced by PhosAgro, the cash deposit rate will be the rate for the all-others established in the less-than-fair-value investigation; and (3) for subject merchandise produced by PhosAgro but not exported by PhosAgro, the cash deposit rate will be the rate applicable to the exporter.

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 the Secretary's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping duties.

We are issuing and publishing the preliminary results of these reviews in accordance with sections 751(a)(1), 751(a)(2)(B) and 777(i) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213, 351.214 and 351.221(b)(4).

Appendix—List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

Summary

Background

Rescission of Administrative Review in Part

Bona Fides Analysis

Comparisons to Normal Value

A. Determination of Comparison Method

B. Results of the Differential Pricing Analysis

Date of Sale

Product Comparisons

Export Price and Constructed Export Price

Normal Value

A. Selection of Comparison Market

B. Affiliated Party Transactions and Arm's-Length Test

C. Level of Trade

D. Cost of Production Analysis

E. Calculation of Normal Value Based on Comparison Market Prices

Currency Conversion

Recommendation