Notice2024-31190
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony with the Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; Notice of Amended Final Results
Primary source
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Published
December 30, 2024
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade Administration
Abstract
On December 18, 2024, the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) issued its final judgment in Risen Energy Co., Ltd., v. United States, Court No. 23-00153, sustaining the U.S. Department of Commerce's (Commerce) remand results pertaining to the administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar cells), from the People's Republic of China (China) covering the period January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. Commerce is notifying the public that the CIT's final judgment is not in harmony with Commerce's final results of the administrative review, and that Commerce is amending the final results with respect to the countervailable subsidy rate assigned to producer and/or exporter Risen Energy Co., Ltd. (Risen).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 249 (Monday, December 30, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 106429-106430]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-31190]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[C-570-980]
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled
Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Notice of Court
Decision Not in Harmony with the Results of Countervailing Duty
Administrative Review; Notice of Amended Final Results
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: On December 18, 2024, the U.S. Court of International Trade
(CIT) issued its final judgment in Risen Energy Co., Ltd., v. United
States, Court No. 23-00153, sustaining the U.S. Department of
Commerce's (Commerce) remand results pertaining to the administrative
review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on crystalline silicon
photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar
cells), from the People's Republic of China (China) covering the period
January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. Commerce is notifying the
public that the CIT's final judgment is not in harmony with Commerce's
final results of the administrative review, and that Commerce is
amending the final results with respect to the countervailable subsidy
rate assigned to producer and/or exporter Risen Energy Co., Ltd.
(Risen).
DATES: Applicable December 28, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lingjun Wang, 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) 482-2316.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On July 11, 2023, Commerce published its Final Results in the 2020
CVD administrative review of solar cells from China. Commerce found
that the Government of China failed to cooperate to the best of its
ability and, as adverse facts available, found that Risen used and
benefited from the Export Buyer's Credit Program (EBCP).\1\
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\1\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not
Assembled into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: Final
Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2020, 88 FR
44108 (July 11, 2023) (Final Results), and accompanying Issues and
Decision Memorandum (IDM).
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After correcting ministerial errors contained in the Final Results,
on August 11, 2023, Commerce published the Amended Final Results, where
we corrected the calculation of the countervailable subsidy rate for
Risen from 14.27 percent to 18.95 percent.\2\
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\2\ See Notice of Correction to the Final Results, and Amended
Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2020
(August 11, 2023) (Amended Final Results).
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Risen appealed Commerce's Final Results/Amended Final Results to
the CIT. On August 16, 2024, the CIT remanded the Final Results/Amended
Final Results to Commerce. The CIT directed Commerce on remand to
either attempt verification of the non-use certifications to determine
more accurately what proportion of the sales
[[Page 106430]]
Risen is able to account for, or to remove at least the portion of the
EBCP rate attributable to the customers demonstrating non-use from the
calculation of Risen's overall subsidy rate.\3\
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\3\ See Risen Energy, Co., Ltd., v. United States, 724 F.Supp.3d
1356 (CIT 2024).
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In its final Remand Redetermination,\4\ issued in November 2024,
Commerce found that pro-rating Risen's subsidy rate to account for the
number of non-use certifications provided by its U.S. customers is
inconsistent with Commerce's practice and the AFA hierarchy. Commerce
removed the 5.46 percent EBCP AFA rate from Risen's total
countervailable subsidy rate.\5\ The CIT sustained Commerce's Remand
Redetermination.\6\
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\4\ See Final Results of Redetermination Pursuant to Court
Remand, Risen Energy Co., Ltd., v. United States Court No. 23-00153,
Slip Op. 2-94 (CIT August 16, 2024), dated November 13, 2024 (Remand
Redetermination), available at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/public/FinalRemandRedetermination.aspx">https://access.trade.gov/public/FinalRemandRedetermination.aspx</a>.
\5\ Id.
\6\ See Risen Energy Co., Ltd., v. United States, Slip Op. 24-
144 (CIT 2024).
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Timken Notice
In its decision in Timken,\7\ as clarified by Diamond Sawblades,\8\
the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held that, pursuant to
section 516A(c) and (e) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the
Act), Commerce must publish a notice of court decision that is not ``in
harmony'' with a Commerce determination and must suspend liquidation of
entries pending a ``conclusive'' court decision. The CIT's December 18,
2024, judgment constitutes a final decision of the CIT that is not in
harmony with Commerce's Final Results/Amended Final Results. Thus, this
notice is published in fulfillment of the publication requirements of
Timken.
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\7\ See Timken Co. v. United States, 893 F.2d 337 (Fed. Cir.
1990) (Timken).
\8\ See Diamond Sawblades Manufacturers Coalition v. United
States, 626 F.3d 1374 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (Diamond Sawblades).
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Amended Final Results
Because there is now a final court judgment, Commerce is amending
its Final Results and Amended Final Results with respect to producer
and/or exporter Risen's countervailable subsidy rate for the period of
January 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020, as follows:
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\9\ This rate applies Risen Energy Co., Ltd. and its cross-owned
companies: Risen Energy (Luoyang) Co., Ltd.; Risen Energy (Wuhai)
Co., Ltd.; Risen Energy (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.; Risen Energy (Ningbo)
Co., Ltd.; Risen Energy (Yiwu) Co., Ltd.; Zhejiang Boxin Investment
Co., Ltd.; Zhejiang Twinsel Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.; Jiangsu
Sveck New Material Co., Ltd.; Changzhou Sveck Photovoltaic New
Material Co., Ltd. (including Changzhou Sveck Photovoltaic New
Material Co., Ltd. Jintan Danfeng Road Branch); Changzhou Sveck New
Material Technology Co., Ltd.; Ninghai Risen Energy Power
Development Co., Ltd.; Risen (Ningbo) Electric Power Development
Co., Ltd.; Changzhou Jintan Ningsheng Electricity Power Co., Ltd.;
and Risen (Changzhou) Import and Export Co., Ltd.
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Subsidy
rate
Producer/ exporter (percent ad
valorem)
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Risen Energy Co., Ltd.\9\.................................. 13.49
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Cash Deposit Requirements
Because Risen does not have a superseding cash deposit rate,
Commerce will issue revised cash deposit instructions to U.S. Customs
and Border Protection (CBP).
Liquidation of Suspended Entries
At this time, Commerce remains enjoined by the CIT order from
liquidating entries that: were produced and/or exported by Risen, and
were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption during the
period January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. These entries will
remain enjoined pursuant to the terms of the injunction during the
pendency of any appeals process.
In the event the CIT's ruling is not appealed, or, if appealed,
upheld by a final and conclusive court decision, Commerce intends to
instruct CBP to assess countervailing duties on unliquidated entries of
subject merchandise produced and/or exported by Risen in accordance
with 19 CFR 351.212(b). We will instruct CBP to assess countervailing
duties on all appropriate entries covered by this review when the ad
valorem rate is not zero or de minimis. Where an ad valorem subsidy
rate is zero or de minimis,\10\ we will instruct CBP to liquidate the
appropriate entries without regard to countervailing duties.
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\10\ See 19 CFR 351.106(c)(2).
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Notification to Interested Parties
This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections
516A(c) and (e) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.
Dated: December 20, 2024.
Abdelali Elouaradia,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2024-31190 Filed 12-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
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