Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks from the Federal Republic of Germany, India, Italy and the Peoples Republic of China

CSMS #41285137 -Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks from the Federal Republic of Germany, India, Italy and the People’s Republic of China U.S. Customs and Border Protection sent this bulletin at 01/13/2020 04:40 PM EST   Cargo Systems Messaging Service CSMS #41285137 -Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks from the Federal Republic of Germany, India, Italy and the People’s Republic of China On January 8, 2020, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated its less-than-fair-value and countervailing duty investigations on “Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks from the Federal Republic of Germany (Germany), India, Italy and the People’s Republic of China (China)” (Initiation Notices).  These investigations have been assigned the following case numbers:  A-428-487 and C-428-848 (Germany); A-533-893 and C-533-894 (India); A-475-840 and C-475-841 (Italy); and C-570-116 (China). The Scope of Merchandise covered by these investigations reads as follows: The products covered by these investigations are forged steel fluid end blocks (fluid end blocks), whether in finished or unfinished form, and which are typically used in the manufacture or service of hydraulic pumps. The term “forged” is an industry term used to describe the grain texture of steel resulting from the application of localized compressive force. Illustrative forging standards include, but are not limited to, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) specifications A668 and A788.  For purposes of these investigations, the term “steel” denotes metal containing the following chemical elements, by weight: (i) iron greater than or equal to 60 percent; (ii) nickel less than or equal to 8.5 percent; (iii) copper less than or equal to 6 percent; (iv) chromium greater than or equal to 0.4 percent, but less than or equal to 20 percent; and (v) molybdenum greater than or equal to 0.15 percent, but less than or equal to 3 percent. Illustrative steel standards include, but are not limited to, American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) or Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) grades 4130, 4135, 4140, 4320, 4330, 4340, 8630, 15-5, 17-4, F6NM, F22, F60, and XM25, as well as modified varieties of these grades. The products covered by these investigations are: (1) cut-to-length fluid end blocks with an actual height (measured from its highest point) of 8 inches (203.2 mm) to 40 inches (1,016.0 mm), an actual width (measured from its widest point) of 8 inches (203.2 mm) to 40 inches (1,016.0 mm), and an actual length (measured from its longest point) of 11 inches (279.4 mm) to 75 inches (1,905.0 mm); and (2) strings of fluid end blocks with an actual height (measured from its highest point) of 8 inches (203.2 mm) to 40 inches (1,016.0 mm), an actual width (measured from its widest point) of 8 inches (203.2 mm) to 40 inches (1,016.0 mm), and an actual length (measured from its longest point) up to 360 inches (9,144.0 mm). The products included in the scope of these investigations have a tensile strength of at least 70 KSI (measured in accordance with ASTM A370) and a hardness of at least 140 HBW (measured in accordance with ASTM E10). A fluid end block may be imported in finished condition (i.e., ready for incorporation into a pump fluid end assembly without further finishing operations) or unfinished condition (i.e., forged but still requiring one or more finishing operations before it is ready for incorporation into a pump fluid end assembly). Such finishing operations may include: (1) heat treating; (2) milling one or more flat surfaces; (3) contour machining to custom shapes or dimensions; (4) drilling or boring holes; (5) threading holes; and/or (6) painting, varnishing, or coating. The products included in the scope of these investigations may enter under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings 7218.91.0030, 7218.99.0030, 7224.90.0015, 7224.90.0045, 7326.19.0010, 7326.90.8688, or 8413.91.9055. While these HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of the investigations is dispositive. Requirements For Submitting Comments On The Scope Of The Investigations:   Please be sure to comply with all three requirements established below. Deadline for Submitting Comments: As announced in the Initiation Notices, Commerce is setting aside a period for interested parties to raise issues regarding product coverage (scope).  The period for scope comments is intended to provide Commerce with ample opportunity to consider all comments and to consult with parties prior to the issuance of the preliminary determinations, as appropriate.  If scope comments include factual information (see 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21)), all such factual information should be limited to public information.  Commerce requests that all such comments be filed by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) January 28, 2020, which is 20 calendar days from the signature date of this notice.  Any rebuttal comments, which may include factual information, must be filed by 5:00 p.m. ET on February 7, 2020, which is 10 calendar days after the initial comments deadline.  Commerce requests that any factual information the parties consider relevant to the scope of the investigations be submitted during this time period.  However, if a party subsequently finds that additional factual information pertaining to the scope of the investigations may be relevant, the party may contact Commerce and request permission to submit the additional information.  All such comments must be filed on the records of each of the concurrent AD and CVD investigations identified above. Required Entry of Appearance: Parties wishing to participate in this segment and be included on the public service list must file a letter of appearance.  Section 351.103(d)(1) of Commerce’s regulations states that “with the exception of a petitioner filing a petition in an investigation, to be included on the public service list for a particular segment, each interested party must file a letter of appearance.”  The letter of appearance must be filed separately from any other document (with the exception of an application for APO access).  Note, the letter of appearance must state how the party qualifies as an interested party (e.g., an exporter, producer, importer of the subject merchandise) and must include a point of contact, including address, telephone/fax number and email address. All submissions to Commerce must be filed electronically using Enforcement and Compliance’s Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS).  An electronically-filed document must be received successfully in its entirety by the time, typically 5:00 p.m. ET, and date when it is due.  Documents excepted from the electronic submission requirements must be filed manually (i.e., in paper form) with Enforcement and Compliance’s APO/Dockets Unit, Room 18022, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, and stamped with the date and time of receipt by the applicable deadlines. For your convenience, Commerce has the following resources available online to assist you in complying with these electronic filing procedures:  ACCESS:Help Link  https://access.trade.gov/help.aspx ACCESS: External User Guide https://access.trade.gov/help/ACCESS_User_Guide.pdf ACCESS:Handbook on Electronic Filing Procedures https://access.trade.gov/help/Handbook_on_Electronic_Filing_Procedures.pdf Federal Register notice: Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings:  Electronic Filing Procedures; Administrative Protective Order Procedures, 76 FR 39263 (July 6, 2011) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-07-06/pdf/2011-16352.pdf Enforcement and Compliance:  Change of Electronic Filing System Name, 79 FR 69046 (November 20, 2014) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-11-20/pdf/2014-27530.pdf Enforcement and Compliance:  General Filing Requirements http://enforcement.trade.gov/filing/index.html Required Certifications: Please note that the following certification requirements are in effect for company / government officials as well as their representatives.  In all segments of antidumping duty or countervailing duty proceedings initiated on or after August 16, 2013, parties submitting factual information must use the formats for the certifications provided in 19 CFR 351.303(g) and at the end of the Final Rule.  See Certification of Factual Information to Import Administration During Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 78 FR 42678 (July 17, 2013) (Final Rule). See also the frequently asked questions regarding the Final Rule, available at http://enforcement.trade.gov/tlei/notices/factual_info_final_rule_FAQ_07172013.pdf Understanding Critical Circumstances for Antidumping and Countervailing Duties Critical circumstances is a provision in both the antidumping and countervailing Duty (AD/CVD) laws that allows for the limited retroactive imposition of duties if certain conditions are met.  Importers should be aware that entries of subject merchandise made after the initiation of an AD/CVD investigation may retroactively be subject to AD/CVD.    A finding of critical circumstances is an important tool for Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to offset possible import surges during the early period of an AD/CVD investigation.  The petitioner in an AD/CVD investigation may allege critical circumstances during an investigation up to 21 days before the date of Commerce’s final determination.  If Commerce makes a determination that critical circumstances exist, it has the statutory authority to order the retroactive suspension of liquidation and posting of a cash deposit for entries made before the issuance of a Preliminary and/or Final AD/CVD determination.  Commerce’s authority to suspend entries retroactively for AD/CVD is limited to those entries made on or after the later of: (1) 90 days before the effective date the suspension of liquidation was first ordered, or (2) the date on which the determination to initiate the investigation is published in the Federal Register.  In either case, AD/CVD cash deposits are due on entries subject to critical circumstances determinations. If, following a preliminary determination by Commerce that critical circumstances exist, both Commerce and the ITC reach a final affirmative determination of dumping or subsidization, but either agency makes a negative final determination of critical circumstances, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to lift suspension from the entries made during the 90-day critical circumstances period and refund cash deposits made with respect to those entries.  Interest is not payable on refunds of cash deposits at this stage in the AD/CVD case.  For Further Information Contact: AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230:  Katherine Johnson at (202) 482-4929 (Antidumping Duty Investigation from Germany); Yang Jin Chun at (202) 482-5760 (Antidumping Duty Investigations from India and Italy); Robert Palmer at (202) 482-9068 (Countervailing Duty Investigation from Germany); William Langley at 202-482-3861 (Countervailing Duty Investigation from India); Ethan Talbot at (202) 482-1030 (Countervailing Duty Investigation from Italy); and Janae Martin at (202) 482-0238 (Countervailing Duty Investigation from China).  Determinations related to these proceedings, issued by Commerce and the ITC, will be published in the Federal Register.  Parties may also view Commerce’s public AD/CVD instructions to CBP in ACE and “ADD CVD Search” at https://aceservices.cbp.dhs.gov/adcvdweb .     Update your subscriptions, modify your password or e-mail address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page . 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