Antidumping: Granular polytetrafluoroethylene resin from Japan,
[Federal Register: May 10, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 89)]
[Notices]
[Page 24510-24511]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10my05-22]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A 588-707]
Granular Polytetrafluoroethylene Resin from Japan: Notice of Intent to Rescind Antidumping Duty Administrative Review
AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
[[Page 24511]]
SUMMARY: On September 22, 2004, the Department of Commerce published a notice of initiation of an administrative review of the antidumping duty order on granular polytetrafluoroetheylene resin from Japan for the period August 1, 2003, through July 31, 2004. The Department intends to rescind this review after determining that the party requesting the review did not have entries during the period of review upon which to assess antidumping duties.
EFFECTIVE DATE: May 10, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dunyako Ahmadu at (202) 482-0198 or Richard Rimlinger at (202) 482-4477, AD/CVD Operations, Office 5, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On August 28, 1988, the Department of Commerce (the Department) published the antidumping duty order for granular polytetrafluroetheylene (PTFE) resin from Japan. See Antidumping Duty Order; Granular Polytetrafluoroethylene Resin from Japan, 53 FR 32267 (August 28, 1988). On August 3, 2004, we published a notice of opportunity to request an administrative review of this order for the period August 1, 2003, through July 31, 2004. See Notice of Opportunity to Request Administrative Review of Antidumping Duty Order, Finding or Suspended Investigation, 69 FR 46496 (August 3, 2004). On August 30, 2004, Asahi Glass Fluoropolymers Ltd., a Japanese producer and exporter of the subject merchandise, and AGC Chemicals America, an affiliated U.S. importer of subject merchandise (collectively AGC), made a timely request that the Department conduct an administrative review of AGC. On September 22, 2004, in accordance with section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 as amended (the Act), the Department published in the Federal Register a notice of initiation of this antidumping duty administrative review. See Notice of Initiation of Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews and Request for Revocation in Part, 69 FR 56745 (September 22, 2004). On October 8, 2004, the Department issued its antidumping duty questionnaire to AGC.
On November 2, 2004, AGC submitted a letter to the Department indicating that it did not have any shipments or entries of subject merchandise during the period of review but had one U.S. sale of PTFE resin during the period of review. As a result, on November 29, 2004, the Department issued a memorandum recommending rescission of the 2003- 2004 administrative review and invited interested parties to comment. See Memorandum to Barbara E. Tillman, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary dated November 29, 2004, (November 29 Memorandum). On December 10, 2004, AGC submitted comments in disagreement with the recommendation in the November 29 Memorandum. AGC argued that the Department does not have an established practice of conditioning an administrative review on the existence of entries during the period of review and that the Department's interpretation of 19 CFR 351.213(e) in this instance is inconsistent with the plain meaning of the regulation. AGC also argued that because no review of AGC's sales has occurred since the imposition of the antidumping duty order on August 28, 1988, the 2003-2004 administrative review would determine a more accurate deposit rate and, therefore, the Department should not rescind the administrative review.
Rescission of Review
Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3), we will rescind an administrative review in whole or only with respect to a particular exporter or producer if we conclude that during the period of review there were no entries, exports, or sales of the subject merchandise, as the case may be. Contrary to AGC's position that rescission of the 2003-2004 administrative review would not be in accordance with law and that the Department does not have an established practice of rescinding an administrative review based solely on the absence of entries, the Department's practice, supported by substantial precedent, requires that there be entries during the period of review upon which to assess antidumping duties, irrespective of the export-price or constructed export-price designation of U.S. sales. See, e.g., Stainless Steel Plate in Coils from Taiwan: Final Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 68 FR 63067 (November 7, 2003), and Stainless Steel Plate in Coils From Taiwan: Final Rescission of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 69 FR 20859 (April 19, 2004). Given that AGC had no entries of subject merchandise during the period of review and that AGC has no entry under suspension of liquidation that corresponds to the sale which occurred during the period of review, we would be unable to assess any antidumping duties resulting from this administrative review. See November 29 Memorandum. Accordingly, we intend to rescind the 2003-2004 administrative review.
Public Comment
Any interested party may request a hearing within 20 days of publication of this notice. Any hearing, if requested, will be held 34 days after the date of publication of this notice, or the first working day thereafter. Interested parties may submit case briefs not later than 20 days after the date of publication of this notice. Rebuttal briefs, which must be limited to issues raised in such briefs, must be filed not later than 7 days from the case brief after the date of publication of this notice. 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. We will issue our final decision concerning the conduct of the review no later than 120 days from the date of publication of this notice.
Further, absent the completion of the 2003-2004 administrative review, the cash-deposit rate will remain at 51.45 percent and the all other rate will continue to be 91.74 percent (see Final Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, 53 FR 25191 (July 5, 1988)).
This notice is published in accordance with section 777(i) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(d)(4).
Dated: May 3, 2005. Joseph A. Spetrini, Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. E5-2237 Filed 5-9-05; 8:45 am]
