NOTICES
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[C-475-817]
Oil Country Tubular Goods From Italy; Preliminary Results of
Sunset Review of
Countervailing Duty Order
Monday, October 30, 2000
AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade
Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of preliminary results of full Sunset Review: oil
country tubular goods from Italy.
SUMMARY: On July 3, 2000, the Department of Commerce ("the
Department") initiated a sunset review of the countervailing duty
order on oil country tubular goods ("OCTG") from Italy (65 FR
41053) pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as
amended ("the Act"). On the basis of substantive responses filed by
domestic and respondent interested parties, the Department
determined to conduct a full review. As a result of this review, the
Department preliminarily finds that revocation of the
countervailing duty order would likely lead to continuation or
recurrence of subsidies at the levels indicated in the Preliminary
Results of Review section of this notice.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 30, 2000.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John P. Maloney, Jr. or
James Maeder, Office of Policy for Import Administration,
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-1503 or (202) 482-3330,
respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Statute and Regulations
This review is being conducted pursuant to sections 751(c) and 752
of the Act. The Department's procedures for the conduct of sunset
reviews are set forth in Procedures for Conducting Five-Year
("Sunset") Reviews of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Orders, 63 FR 13516 (March 20, 1998) ("Sunset Regulations") and in
19 CFR part 351 (2000) in general. Guidance on methodological or
analytical issues relevant to the Department's conduct of sunset
reviews is set forth in the Department's Policy Bulletin 98.3--Policies
Regarding the Conduct of Five-Year ("Sunset") Reviews of
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders; Policy Bulletin, 63
FR 18871 (April 16, 1998) ("Sunset Policy Bulletin").
Background
On July 3, 2000, the Department initiated a sunset review of the
countervailing duty order on oil country tubular goods from
Italy (65 FR 41053), pursuant to section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of
1930, as amended, ("the Act"). The Department received a notice of
intent to participate on behalf of U.S. Steel Group, a unit of USX
Corporation, IPSCO Tubulars, Inc., Lone Star Steel Company,
Maverick Tube Corporation, Newport Steel and Koppel Steel
Divisions of NS Group, Grant-Prideco, and North Star Steel Ohio
(collectively, "domestic interested parties"), within the applicable
deadline (July 18, 2000) specified in section 351.218(d)(1)(i) of the
Sunset Regulations. Domestic interested parties claimed
interested-party status under section 771(9)(C) of the Act, as U.S.
manufacturers of the domestic like product. U.S. Steel Group, IPSCO
Steel, Inc., Maverick Tube Corporation, Koppel Steel Corporation,
and North Star Steel Ohio were petitioners in the investigation and
have been involved in this proceeding since its inception.
On August 1, 2000, we received a response from the European
Union Delegation of the European Commission ("EC") expressing its
willingness to participate in this review as the authority responsible
for defending the interest of the Member States of the European
Union ("EU") (see August 1, 2000, Response of the EC at 3). On
August 1, 2000, we received a response from the Government of
Italy ("GOI") expressing its willingness to participate in this review
as the authority
*64669
responsible for defending the interests of
the Italian steel industry. The GOI and EC note that they have in the
past participated in this proceeding (see August 1, 2000, Response
of the EC at 3, and the August 1, 2000, Response of the GOI at 2).
On August 2, 2000, we received complete substantive responses
from domestic interested parties, within the 30-day deadline
specified in the Sunset Regulations under section 351.218(d)(3)(i),
and a complete substantive response from Dalmine S.p.A.
("Dalmine"), a foreign producer and exporter of the subject
merchandise, and a respondent interested party under section
771(9)(A) of the Act.
We received rebuttal comments from domestic interested parties
and Dalmine, on August 7, 2000. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.218
(e)(2)(i), the Department determined to conduct a full (240-day)
sunset review of this order. [FN1]
FN1 See August 22, 2000, Memorandum for Jeffrey A. May, Re: Oil
Country Tubular Goods from Italy; Adequacy of Respondent
Interested Parties' Response to the Notice of Initiation.
Scope of Review
The merchandise covered by this review is OCTG, hollow steel
products of circular cross-section, including only oil well casing and
tubing pipe, of iron (other than cast iron) or steel (both carbon and
alloy), whether seamless or welded, whether or not conforming to
American Petroleum Institute (API) or non-API specifications,
whether finished or unfinished (including green tubes and limited
service OCTG products). This scope does not cover casing or tubing
pipe containing 10.5 percent or more of chromium, or drill pipe. The
OCTG subject to this order are currently classified in the Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) under item numbers:
7304.20.10.10, 7304.20.10.20, 7304.20.10.30, 7304.20.10.40,
7304.20.10.50, 7304.20.10.60, 7304.20.10.80, 7304.20.20.10,
7304.20.20.20, 7304.20.20.30, 7304.20.20.40, 7304.20.20.50,
7304.20.20.60, 7304.20.20.80, 7304.20.30.10, 7304.20.30.20,
7304.20.30.30, 7304.20.30.40, 7304.20.30.50, 7304.20.30.60,
7304.20.30.80, 7304.20.40.10, 7304.20.40.20, 7304.20.40.30,
7304.20.40.40, 7304.20.40.50, 7304.20.40.60, 7304.20.40.80,
7304.20.50.15, 7304.20.50.30, 7304.20.50.45, 7304.20.50.60,
7304.20.50.75, 7304.20.60.15, 7304.20.60.30, 7304.20.60.45,
7304.20.60.60, 7304.20.60.75, 7305.20.20.00, 7305.20.40.00,
7305.20.60.00, 7305.20.80.00, 7306.20.10.30, 7306.20.10.90,
7306.20.20.00, 7306.20.30.00, 7306.20.40.00, 7306.20.60.10,
7306.20.60.50, 7306.20.80.10, and 7306.20.80.50. Although the
HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs
purposes, our written description of the scope of this proceeding is
dispositive.
Analysis of Comments Received
All issues raised in the substantive responses and rebuttals by parties
to this sunset review are addressed in the "Issues and Decision
Memorandum" ("Decision Memo") from Jeffrey A. May, Director,
Office of Policy, Import Administration, to Troy H. Cribb, Acting
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, dated October 23,
2000, which is hereby adopted by this notice. The issues discussed
in the attached Decision Memo include the likelihood of continuation
or recurrence of countervailable subsidies and the net subsidy likely
to prevail were the order revoked. Parties can find a complete
discussion of all issues raised in this review and the corresponding
recommendations in this public memorandum which is on file in the
Central Records Unit, room B-099, of the main Commerce building.
In addition, a complete version of the Decision Memo can be
accessed directly on the Web at www.enforcement.trade.gov/frn, under the
heading "Italy." The paper copy and electronic version of the
Decision Memo are identical in content.
Preliminary Results of Review
We preliminarily determine that revocation of the countervailing
duty order on oil country tubular goods from Italy would be likely
to lead to continuation or recurrence of countervailable subsidies at
the rate listed below:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Producers/exporters Net countervailable subsidy
------------------------------------------------------------------
(percent)
All Producers/exporters from Italy .......................... 1.47
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Any interested party may request a hearing within 30 days of
publication of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.310(c). Any
hearing, if requested, will be held on December 18, 2000, in
accordance with 19 CFR 351.310(d). Interested parties may submit
case briefs no later than December 11, 2000, in accordance with 19
CFR 351.309(c)(1)(i). Rebuttal briefs, which must be limited to issues
raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than December 15,
2000. The Department will issue a notice of final results of this
sunset review, which will include the results of its analysis of issues
raised in any such briefs, no later than February 28, 2001.
This five-year ("sunset") review and notice are in accordance with
sections 751(c), 752, and 777(i)(1) of the Act.
Dated: October 23, 2000.
Troy H. Cribb,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-27809 Filed 10-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P