[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 200 (Thursday, October 15, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65346-65349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22801]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-489-839]
Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet From Turkey: Preliminary Affirmative
Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Preliminary Negative
Determination of Critical Circumstances, Postponement of Final
Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines
that common alloy aluminum sheet (aluminum sheet) from Turkey is being,
or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value
(LTFV). The period of investigation is January 1, 2019 through December
31, 2019. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary
determination.
DATES: Applicable October 15, 2020.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sean Carey, AD/CVD Operations, Office
VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3964.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section
733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on April 7,
2020.\1\ On July 29, 2020, Commerce postponed the preliminary
determination of this investigation, and the revised deadline is now
October 6, 2020.\2\ For a complete description of the events that
followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary
Decision Memorandum.\3\ A list of topics included in the Preliminary
Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II 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 https://access.trade.gov. In
addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can
be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed
and the electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are
identical in content.
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\1\ See Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet from Bahrain, Brazil,
Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Republic
of Korea, Oman, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain,
Taiwan and the Republic of Turkey: Initiation of Less-Than-FairValue
Investigations, 85 FR 19444 (April 7, 2020) (Initiation Notice).
\2\ See Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet from Bahrain, Brazil,
Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Republic
of Korea, Oman, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain,
Taiwan, and the Republic of Turkey: Postponement of Preliminary
Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 85 FR
45576 (July 29, 2020).
\3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary
Affirmative Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation
of Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet from Turkey,'' dated concurrently
with, and hereby adopted by this notice (Preliminary Decision
Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation
The products covered by this investigation are aluminum sheet from
Turkey. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation,
see Appendix I.
Scope Comments
In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations,\4\ the
Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise
issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).\5\ Certain interested
parties commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in
the Initiation Notice. For a summary of the product coverage comments
and rebuttal responses submitted to the record for this investigation,
and accompanying discussion and analysis of all comments timely
received, see the Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum.\6\ As
discussed in the Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum, Commerce is
preliminarily modifying the scope language as it appeared in the
Initiation Notice. See the revised scope in Appendix I to this notice.
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\4\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule,
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997).
\5\ See Initiation Notice.
\6\ See Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet from Bahrain, Brazil,
Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Republic
of Korea, Oman, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain,
Taiwan, and Turkey: Scope Comments Decision Memorandum for the
Preliminary Determinations,'' dated October 6, 2020 (Preliminary
Scope Decision Memorandum).
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The deadline to submit scope case briefs is established in the
Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum. There will be no further
opportunity for comments on scope-related issues.\7\
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\7\ Case briefs, other written comments, and rebuttal briefs
submitted in response to this preliminary LTFV determination should
not include scope-related issues. See ``Public Comment'' section of
this notice.
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[[Page 65347]]
Methodology
Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with
section 731 of the Act. Commerce has calculated export prices in
accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. Normal value is calculated
in accordance with section 773 of the Act. For a full description of
the methodology underlying the preliminary determination, see the
Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
Preliminary Negative Determination of Critical Circumstances
In accordance with section 733(e) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.206,
Commerce preliminarily determines that critical circumstances do not
exist with respect to imports of aluminum sheet by Assan or Teknik, and
do not exist with respect to imports of aluminum sheet by all other
exporters or producers not individually examined. For a full
description of the methodology and results of Commerce's analysis, see
the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
All-Others Rate
Section 733(d)(1)(A)(ii) of the Act provides that in the
preliminary determination Commerce shall determine an estimated all-
others rate for all exporters and producers not individually examined.
Pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act, this rate shall be an
amount equal to the weighted average of the estimated weighted-average
dumping margins established for exporters and producers individually
investigated, excluding any zero and de minimis margins, and any
margins determined entirely under section 776 of the Act. Pursuant to
section 735(c)(5)(B) of the Act, if the estimated weighted-average
dumping margins established for all exporters and producers
individually examined are zero, de minimis, or determined based
entirely on facts otherwise available, Commerce may use any reasonable
method to establish the estimated weighted-average dumping margin for
all other producers or exporters.
Commerce calculated an individual estimated weighted-average
dumping margin for Assan Aluminyum Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. (Assan) of
12.65 percent and an individual estimated weighted-average dumping
margin of 12.90 percent for Teknik Aluminyum Sanayi A.S. (Teknik), the
only individually examined exporters/producers in this investigation.
Commerce calculated the rate for the companies not selected for
individual examination using a simple average of the estimated
weighted-average dumping margins calculated for Assan and Teknik and
each company's publicly-ranged values for the merchandise under
consideration.\8\ This margin was assigned to all other producers and
exporters, pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act.
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\8\ With two respondents under examination, Commerce normally
calculates: (A) A weighted-average of the estimated weighted-average
dumping margins calculated for the examined respondents; (B) a
simple average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins
calculated for the examined respondents; and (C) a weighted-average
of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins calculated for the
examined respondents using each company's publicly-ranged U.S. sale
quantities for the merchandise under consideration. Commerce then
compares (B) and (C) to (A) and selects the rate closest to (A) as
the most appropriate rate for producers and exporters not subject to
individual examination. See Ball Bearings and Parts Thereof from
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom: Final Results
of Antidumping Duty Administrative Reviews, Final Results of
Changed-Circumstances Review, and Revocation of an Order in Part, 75
FR 53661, 53663 (September 1, 2010). For a complete analysis of the
data, see Memorandum ``Preliminary Determination Calculation for the
`All-Others' Rate,'' dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by,
this notice.
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Preliminary Determination
Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated
weighted-average dumping margins exist:
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\9\ See Memorandum, ``Antidumping Duty Investigation of Common
Alloy Aluminum Sheet from Turkey: Preliminary Determination Margin
Calculation for Assan Aluminyum Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.,'' dated
concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice.
\10\ See Memorandum, ``Antidumping Duty Investigation of Common
Alloy Aluminum Sheet from Turkey: Preliminary Determination Margin
Calculation for Teknik Aluminyum Sanayi A.S.,'' dated concurrently
with, and hereby adopted by, this notice.
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Estimated Cash deposit
weighted- rates
average (adjusted for
Exporter/producer dumping subsidy
margin offset(s))
(percent) (percent)
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Assan Aluminyum Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. \9\ 12.65 12.11
(Assan)....................................
Teknik Aluminyum Sanayi A.S. (Teknik)....... \10\ 12.90 12.90
All Others.................................. 12.71 12.30
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Suspension of Liquidation
In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation
of entries of subject merchandise, as described in Appendix I, entered,
or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal Register. Further, pursuant
to 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash
deposit equal to the rates indicated above.
Further, pursuant to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.205(d), where appropriate, Commerce will instruct CBP to require a
cash deposit equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin or
the estimated all-others rate, as follows: (1) The cash deposit rate
for the respondents listed above will be equal to the company-specific
estimated weighted-average dumping margins determined in this
preliminary determination; (2) if the exporter is not a respondent
identified above, but the producer is, then the cash deposit rate will
be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping
margin established for that producer of the subject merchandise; and
(3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters will be
equal to the all-others estimated weighted-average dumping margin.
These suspension of liquidation instructions will remain in effect
until further notice.
Commerce normally adjusts cash deposits for estimated antidumping
duties by the amount of export subsidies countervailed in a companion
countervailing duty (CVD) proceeding when CVD provisional measures are
in effect. Commerce preliminarily made an affirmative determination
that Assan received countervailable export subsidies \11\ and
therefore, has offset the estimated weighted-average dumping margin by
the appropriate CVD rate. Any such adjusted cash deposit rate may be
found in the ``Preliminary Determination'' section above.
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\11\ See Common Alloy Aluminum Sheet from The Republic of
Turkey: Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination,
Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Critical Circumstances in
Part, and Alignmentof Final Determination with Final Antidumping
Duty Determination, 85 FR 49629 (August 14, 2020) (CVD Aluminum
Sheet Prelim).
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Should provisional measures in the companion CVD investigation
expire prior to the expiration of provisional measures in this LTFV
investigation, Commerce will direct CBP to begin collecting estimated
antidumping duty cash deposits unadjusted for countervailed export
subsidies at the time that the provisional CVD measures expire. These
suspension of liquidation instructions will remain in effect until
further notice.
While Commerce normally adjusts cash deposits for estimated
antidumping duties by the amount of export subsidies countervailed in a
companion countervailing duty (CVD) proceeding when CVD provisional
measures are in
[[Page 65348]]
effect, we have preliminarily not adjusted the cash deposit rate listed
above for Teknik because the preliminary CVD margin was de minimis,\12\
and thus, no CVD cash deposits are currently being collected.
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\12\ See CVD Aluminum Sheet Prelim.
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Section 733(e)(2) of the Act provides that, given an affirmative
determination of critical circumstances, any suspension of liquidation
shall apply to unliquidated entries of subject merchandise entered, or
withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the later of (a)
the date which is 90 days before the date on which the suspension of
liquidation was first ordered, or (b) the date on which notice of
initiation of the investigation was published. Commerce preliminarily
finds that critical circumstances do not exist for imports of subject
merchandise. Therefore, the provisions under section 733(e)(2) of the
Act do not apply.
Disclosure
Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis
performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination
within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public
announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this
notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).
Verification
Commerce is currently unable to conduct on-site verification of the
information relied upon in making its final determination in this
investigation. Accordingly, we intend to take additional steps in lieu
of on-site verification. Commerce will notify interested parties of any
additional documentation or information required.
Public Comment
Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance. A timeline for the
submission of case briefs and written comments will be notified to
interested parties at a later date. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues
raised in case briefs, may be submitted no later than seven days after
the deadline date for case briefs.\13\ Note that Commerce has modified
certain of its requirements for serving documents containing business
proprietary information until further notice.\14\ Pursuant to 19 CFR
351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal
briefs in this investigation 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.
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\13\ See 19 CFR 351.309; see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for general
filing requirements).
\14\ See Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements
Due to COVID-19; Extension of Effective Period, 85 FR 41363 (July
10, 2020).
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Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to
request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal
briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for
Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days
after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain
the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of
participants, whether any participant is a foreign national, and a list
of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made,
Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be
determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and
location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.
Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional
Measures
Section 735(a)(2) of the Act provides that a final determination
may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the date of the
publication of the preliminary determination if, in the event of an
affirmative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement
is made by exporters who account for a significant proportion of
exports of the subject merchandise, or in the event of a negative
preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by
the petitioner. Section 351.210(e)(2) of Commerce's regulations
requires that a request by exporters for postponement of the final
determination be accompanied by a request for extension of provisional
measures from a four-month period to a period not more than six months
in duration.
On September 11 and 22, 2020, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e), Assan
and Teknik requested, respectively, that Commerce postpone the final
determination and that provisional measures be extended to a period not
to exceed six months.\15\
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\15\ See Assan's Letter, ``Request to Extend Final Determination
and Provisional Measures,'' dated September 11, 2020; and Teknik's
Letter, ``Request to Postpone Final Determination and to Extend
Provisional Measures,'' dated September 22, 2020.
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In accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.210(b)(2)(ii), because: (1) The preliminary determination is
affirmative; (2) the requesting exporters account for a significant
proportion of exports of the subject merchandise; and (3) no compelling
reasons for denial exist, Commerce is postponing the final
determination and extending the provisional measures from a four-month
period to a period not greater than six months. Accordingly, Commerce
will make its final determination no later than 135 days after the date
of publication of this preliminary determination, pursuant to section
735(a)(2) of the Act.
International Trade Commission Notification
In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify
the International Trade Commission (ITC) of its preliminary
determination. If the final determination is affirmative, then the ITC
will determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this
preliminary determination or 45 days after the final determination
whether imports of aluminum sheet from Turkey are materially injuring,
or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry.
Notification to Interested Parties
This determination is issued and published in accordance with
sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c).
Dated: October 6, 2020.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix I--Scope of the Investigation
The products covered by this investigation are common alloy
aluminum sheet, which is a flat-rolled aluminum product having a
thickness of 6.3 mm or less, but greater than 0.2 mm, in coils or
cut-to-length, regardless of width. Common alloy sheet within the
scope of this investigation includes both not clad aluminum sheet,
as well as multi-alloy, clad aluminum sheet. With respect to not
clad aluminum sheet, common alloy sheet is manufactured from a 1XXX-
, 3XXX-, or 5XXX-series alloy as designated by the Aluminum
Association. With respect to multi-alloy, clad aluminum sheet,
common alloy sheet is produced from a 3XXX-series core, to which
cladding layers are applied to either one or both sides of the core.
The use of a proprietary alloy or non-proprietary alloy that is not
specifically registered by the Aluminum Association as a discrete
1XXX-, 3XXX-, or 5XXX-series alloy, but that otherwise has a
chemistry that is consistent with these designations, does not
remove an otherwise in-scope product from the scope.
Common alloy sheet may be made to ASTM specification B209-14 but
can also be made to other specifications. Regardless of
specification, however, all common alloy sheet meeting the scope
description is included in the scope. Subject merchandise includes
common alloy sheet that has been further processed in a third
country, including but not limited to annealing, tempering,
painting, varnishing, trimming, cutting, punching, and/or slitting,
or any
[[Page 65349]]
other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise
from the scope of this investigation if performed in the country of
manufacture of the common alloy sheet.
Excluded from the scope of this investigation is aluminum can
stock, which is suitable for use in the manufacture of aluminum
beverage cans, lids of such cans, or tabs used to open such cans.
Aluminum can stock is produced to gauges that range from 0.200 mm to
0.292 mm, and has an H-19, H-41, H-48, H-39, or H-391 temper. In
addition, aluminum can stock has a lubricant applied to the flat
surfaces of the can stock to facilitate its movement through
machines used in the manufacture of beverage cans. Aluminum can
stock is properly classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS) subheadings 7606.12.3045 and 7606.12.3055.
Where the nominal and actual measurements vary, a product is
within the scope if application of either the nominal or actual
measurement would place it within the scope based on the definitions
set for the above.
Common alloy sheet is currently classifiable under HTSUS
subheadings 7606.11.3060, 7606.11.6000, 7606.12.3096, 7606.12.6000,
7606.91.3095, 7606.91.6095, 7606.92.3035, and 7606.92.6095. Further,
merchandise that falls within the scope of this investigation may
also be entered into the United States under HTSUS subheadings
7606.11.3030, 7606.12.3015, 7606.12.3025, 7606.12.3035,
7606.12.3091, 7606.91.3055, 7606.91.6055, 7606.92.3025,
7606.92.6055, 7607.11.9090. Although the HTSUS subheadings are
provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written
description of the scope of this investigation is dispositive.
Appendix II--List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Scope of Investigation
V. Scope Comments
VI. Discussion of the Methodology
VII. Preliminary Negative Determination of Critical Circumstances
VIII. Currency Conversion
IX. Recommendation
[FR Doc. 2020-22801 Filed 10-14-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P