Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar From the Republic of Turkey: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review and Intent To Rescind in Part; 2018

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that producers/exporters of steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) from the Republic of Turkey (Turkey) received countervailable subsidies during the period of review (POR) January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.

DATES:

Applicable March 25, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nicholas Czajkowski or Konrad Ptaszynski, 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) 482-1395 or (202) 482-6187, respectively.

Background

On January 17, 2020, Commerce published a notice of initiation of an administrative review for the countervailing duty order on rebar from Turkey. On April 24, 2020, Commerce exercised its discretion to toll all deadlines in administrative reviews by 50 days. On July 21, 2020, Commerce tolled all deadlines in preliminary and final results of administrative reviews by an additional 60 days. On October 23, 2020, Commerce further extended the deadline for the preliminary results of this administrative review by 120 days, until March 19, 2021.

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as the appendix to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at http://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/.

Scope of the Order

The merchandise covered by the order is steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) imported in either straight length or coil form regardless of metallurgy, length, diameter, or grade. For a complete description of the scope, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this administrative review in accordance with section 751(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). For each subsidy program found countervailable, we preliminarily find that there is a subsidy, i.e., a government-provided financial contribution that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient, and that the subsidy is specific. For a full description of the methodology underlying our conclusions, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Intent To Rescind Administrative Review, in Part

It is Commerce's practice to rescind an administrative review of a countervailing duty order, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3), when there are no reviewable entries of subject merchandise during the POR for which liquidation is suspended. Normally, upon completion of an administrative review, the suspended entries are liquidated at the countervailing duty assessment rate calculated for the review period. Therefore, for an administrative review of a company to be conducted, there must be a reviewable, suspended entry that Commerce can instruct CBP to liquidate at the calculated countervailing duty assessment rate calculated for the review period. According to the CBP import data, except for the two mandatory respondents Icdas and Kaptan) and two other companies (Colakoglu Dis Ticaret A.S. and Coakoglu Metalurji A.S.), the remaining 21 companies subject to this review did not have reviewable entries of subject merchandise during the POR for which liquidation is suspended. Accordingly, in the absence of reviewable, suspended entries of subject merchandise during the POR, we intend to rescind this administrative review with respect to the 21 additional companies, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3).

Rate for Non-Selected Companies Under Review

There are two companies for which a review was requested, which were not selected as mandatory respondents or found to be cross-owned with a mandatory respondent. Because the rate calculated for the mandatory respondent, Kaptan, was above de minimis and not based entirely on facts available, we applied the subsidy rate calculated for Kaptan to these two non-selected companies. This methodology for establishing the subsidy rate for the non-selected companies is consistent with our practice and with section 705(c)(5)(A) of the Act.

Preliminary Results of the Review

We preliminarily find that the net countervailable subsidy rates for the period January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2018, are as follows:

Assessment Rates

Consistent with section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, upon issuance of the final results, Commerce shall determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, countervailing duties on all appropriate entries covered by this review. If the rate calculated for any respondent, in the final results is zero or de minimis, we will instruct CBP to liquidate all appropriate entries of subject merchandise without regard to countervailing duties. Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP no earlier than 35 days after the date of publication of the final results of this review in the Federal Register. If a timely summons is filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade, the assessment instructions will direct CBP not to liquidate relevant entries until the time for parties to file a request for a statutory injunction has expired (i.e., within 90 days of publication).

Cash Deposit Requirements

Pursuant to section 751(a)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties in the amounts shown for each of the respective companies listed above, except, where the rate calculated in the final results is zero or de minimis, no cash deposit will be required on shipments of the subject merchandise entered or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the final results of this review. For all non-reviewed firms, CBP will continue to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties at the all-others rate or the most recent company-specific rate applicable to the company, as appropriate. These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

Disclosure and Public Comment

Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed in reaching the preliminary results within five days of publication of these preliminary results. Because Commerce intends to request additional information after these preliminary results, interested parties will be provided an opportunity to submit written comments (case briefs) at a date to be determined by Commerce and rebuttal comments (rebuttal briefs) within seven days after the time limit for filing case briefs. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(d)(2), rebuttal briefs must be limited to issues raised in the case briefs. Parties who submit arguments are requested to submit with the argument: (1) A statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities. All briefs must be filed electronically using ACCESS.

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing must do so within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice by submitting a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, using Enforcement and Compliance's ACCESS system. Hearing requests should contain: (1) The party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; and (3) a list of the issues to be discussed. Issues addressed at the hearing will be limited to those raised in the briefs. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a date and time to be determined. Parties should confirm the date and time of the hearing two days before the scheduled date. Parties are reminded that all briefs and hearing requests must be filed electronically using ACCESS and received successfully in their entirety by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.

Unless the deadline is extended, Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative review, including the results of our analysis of the issues raised by the parties in their comments, no 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 Interested Parties

These preliminary results of review are issued and published in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213 and 351.221(b)(4).

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Intent To Rescind the Administrative Review, in Part

IV. Non-Selected Rate

V. Scope of the Order

VI. Subsidies Valuation Information

VII. Analysis of Programs

VIII. Recommendation