Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Italy: Extension of Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review

AGENCY:

Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice of extension of time limit of the final results of antidumping duty administrative review.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (“the Department”) is extending the time limits of the final results of the antidumping duty administrative review of stainless steel sheet and strip in coils (“SSSS”) from Italy. This review covers the period July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

January 16, 2003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephen Bailey, AD/CVD Enforcement Group III, Office 9, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-1102.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Applicable Statute and Regulations

Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (“Act”), are references to the provisions effective January 1, 1995, the effective date of the amendments made to the Act by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the Department's regulations are to the regulations codified at 19 CFR part 351 (2001).

Background

On July 2, 2001, the Department published in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on SSSS from Italy. See Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or Suspended Investigation; Opportunity to Request Administrative Review, 66 FR 34910 (July 2, 2001). On July 31, 2001, domestic industry parties from the original investigation (“petitioners”), ThyssenKrupp Acciai Speciali Terni S.p.A. (“TKAST”) , a producer and exporter of subject merchandise, and ThyssenKrupp AST USA, Inc. (“TKAST USA”), requested that the Department conduct an administrative review of the antidumping duty order. On August 20, 2001, the Department initiated an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on SSSS from Italy with regard to TKAST. See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews and Requests for Revocation in Part, 66 FR 43570 (August 20, 2001). On March 5, 2002, the Department extended the time limit for the preliminary results of this administrative review by 90 days. See Notice of Extension of Time Limit of the Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Italy, 67 FR 9960 (March 5, 2002). On May 13, 2002, we again extended the preliminary results of administrative review, this time by 25 days. See Notice of Extension of Time Limit of the Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Italy, 67 FR 32015 (May 13, 2002). On July 26, 2002, the Department extended the time limit for the preliminary results in this administrative review another five days. See Notice of Extension of Time Limit of the Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Italy, 67 FR 50421 (August 2, 2002).

On August 7, 2002 we issued our preliminary results of administrative review. See Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review: Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Italy, 67 FR 51224 (August 7, 2002). On December 10, 2002, the Department extended the time limit for the final results to January 14, 2003. See Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils from Italy: Extension of Time Limit of Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 67 FR 75846 (December 10, 2002). The final results of administrative review are currently due January 14, 2003.

Extension of Time Limit of Final Results

Section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act states that if it is not practicable to complete the review within the time specified, the administering authority may extend the 120-day period, following the date of publication of the preliminary results, to issue its final results by 60 days. Since the Department has already extended these final results 40 days, the Department is allowed to further extend the final results by an additional 20 days. Completion of the final results of this review within the 120-day period is not practicable for the following reasons:

• The review involves a large number of transactions and complex adjustments.
• The review includes complex sales and cost issues which require the Department to analyze a significant amount of information pertaining to sales practices, manufacturing costs and corporate relationships.
• The review requires the Department to issue for comment from interested parties a Department decision concerning the relationship between certain selling agents and their employer Ken-Mac Metals, Inc.

Therefore, in accordance with section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act, we are extending the time period for issuing the final results of review by 20 days until February 3, 2003.