Notice2025-06134
Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products From Brazil: Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional Measures
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Published
April 10, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade Administration
Abstract
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that certain corrosion-resistant steel products (CORE) from Brazil are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation is July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 68 (Thursday, April 10, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 68 (Thursday, April 10, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15333-15337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-06134]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-351-862]
Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products From Brazil:
Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value,
Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional
Measures
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily
determines that certain corrosion-resistant steel products (CORE) from
Brazil are being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at
less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation is July 1,
2023, through June 30, 2024. Interested parties are invited to comment
on this preliminary determination.
[[Page 15334]]
DATES: Applicable April 10, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carter Sherwin or Nathan Araya, AD/CVD
Operations, Office II, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-4260 or (202) 482-3401,
respectively.
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 October 2,
2024.\1\ On January 28, 2025, Commerce postponed the preliminary
determination of this investigation until April 3, 2025.\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
<a href="https://access.trade.gov">https://access.trade.gov</a>. In addition, a complete version of the
Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx">https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx</a>.
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\1\ See Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products from
Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa,
Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the Socialist Republic
of Vietnam: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 89 FR
80196 (October 2, 2024) (Initiation Notice).
\2\ See Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products from
Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa,
Taiwan, the Republic of T[uuml]rkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and
the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Postponement of Preliminary
Determinations of Antidumping Duty Investigations, 90 FR 8260
(January 28, 2025).
\3\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary
Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Certain
Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products from Brazil,'' dated concurrently
with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision
Memorandum).
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Scope of the Investigation
The product covered by this investigation is CORE from Brazil. 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\ in
the Initiation Notice, Commerce 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\ Commerce is not preliminarily modifying the scope
language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. See the scope in
Appendix I to this notice. In the Preliminary Scope Decision
Memorandum, Commerce established the deadline for parties to submit
scope case and rebuttal briefs.\7\
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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 Memorandum, ``Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum,''
dated concurrently with this notice (Preliminary Scope Decision
Memorandum).
\7\ Id.
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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. Constructed export prices
have been calculated in accordance with section 772(b) 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.
All-Others Rate
Sections 733(d)(1)(ii) and 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that, in
the preliminary determination, Commerce shall determine an estimated
all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually
examined. 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 rates that
are zero, de minimis, or determined entirely under section 776 of the
Act.
Commerce has preliminarily calculated estimated weighted-average
dumping margins for Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN) and Usiminas
Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais S.A. (Usiminas) that are not zero, de
minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available. Commerce
calculated the all-others rate using a weighted average of the
estimated weighted-average dumping margins calculated for the examined
respondents using each company's publicly-ranged values for the
merchandise under consideration.\8\
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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. sales
values 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 all other producers and exporters.
See, e.g., 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, 53662
(September 1, 2010), and accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum
at Comment 1. As complete publicly ranged sales data were available,
Commerce based the all-others rate on the publicly ranged sales data
of the mandatory respondents. For a complete analysis of the data,
see the All-Others Rate Calculation Memorandum.
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Preliminary Determination
Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated
weighted-average dumping margins exist:
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Weighted-
average
Exporter/producer dumping
margin
(percent)
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Companhia Siderurgica Nacional; Companhia Metalurgica Prada \10\
\9\........................................................ 137.76
Usiminas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais S.A.; Unigal Ltda.; \12\ 31.53
Solu[ccedil]oes em Aco Usiminas \11\.......................
All Others.................................................. 118.63
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Suspension of Liquidation
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\9\ Commerce preliminarily determines that CSN and Companhia
Metalurgica Prada are a single entity. See Preliminary Decision
Memorandum.
\10\ CSN preliminarily received a preliminary net subsidy rate
of 1.76 percent in the companion CVD investigation; however, none of
the countervailable subsidies were export related. Therefore, no CVD
offset/adjustment is being made to the cash deposit rate.
\11\ Commerce preliminarily determines that Usiminas, Unigal
Ltda., and Solu[ccedil]oes em Aco Usiminas are a single entity. See
Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
\12\ Usiminas preliminarily received a de minimis rate of 0.33
percent in the companion CVD investigation. As a result, no CVD
offset/adjustment is being made to the cash deposit rate.
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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
[[Page 15335]]
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 section
733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), 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.
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. As stated above, because Commerce did not find
countervailable export related subsidies for CSN and Usiminas received
a de minimis subsidy rate in the companion CVD investigation, Commerce
has not offset the estimated weighted-average dumping margin in this
preliminary determination.\13\ Additionally, because the all-others
rate is calculated based on the rates for CSN and Usiminas, the all-
others weighted-average dumping margin will remain at 118.82
percent.\14\
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\13\ See Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
\14\ Id.
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These suspension of liquidation instructions will remain in effect
until further notice.
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).
Consistent with 19 CFR 351.224(e), Commerce will analyze and, if
appropriate, correct any timely allegations of significant ministerial
errors by amending the preliminary determination. However, consistent
with 19 CFR 351.224(d), Commerce will not consider incomplete
allegations that do not address the significance standard under 19 CFR
351.224(g) following the preliminary determination. Instead, Commerce
will address such allegations in the final determination together with
issues raised in the case briefs or other written comments.
Verification
As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to
verify the information relied upon in making its final determination.
Public Comment
Case briefs or other written comments, excluding scope comments,
may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance no later than seven days after the date on which the last
verification report is issued in this investigation.\15\ Rebuttal
briefs, limited to issues raised in case briefs, may be filed not later
than five days after the date for filing case briefs.\16\ Interested
parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding
must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each issue; and (2) a
table of authorities.\17\
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\15\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(i); see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for
general filing requirements).
\16\ See 19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Administrative Protective
Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29,
2023) (APO and Service Final Rule).
\17\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).
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As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), in prior
proceedings we have encouraged interested parties to provide an
executive summary of their briefs that should be limited to five pages
total, including footnotes. In this investigation, we instead request
that interested parties provide at the beginning of their briefs a
public, executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs.
Further, we request that interested parties limit their executive
summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not including
citations. We intend to use the public executive summaries as the basis
of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum
that will accompany the final determination in this investigation. We
request that interested parties include footnotes for relevant
citations in the public executive summary of each issue. Note that
Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the
service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).\18\
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\18\ See APO and Service Final Rule.
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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:
(1) the party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of
participants and whether any participant is a foreign national; and (3)
a list of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is
made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a date and time 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 March 31 and April 1, 2025, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e), Steel
Dynamics, Inc., Nucor Corporation, Wheeling-Nipon Steel, Inc., and the
United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied
Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC (the
petitioners), and CSN, respectively, requested that Commerce postpone
the final determination and that provisional measures be extended to a
period not to exceed six months.\19\ 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 exporter
accounts for a significant proportion of exports of the subject
merchandise; and (3) no compelling reasons for denial
[[Page 15336]]
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.
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\19\ See Petitioners' Letter, ``Request for Postponement of
Final Determination,'' dated March 31, 2025; see also CSN's Letter,
``Request to Postpone the Final Determination,'' dated April 1,
2025.
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U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Notification
In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify
the ITC of its preliminary determination. If the final determination is
affirmative, the ITC will determine before the later of 120 days after
the date of this preliminary determination or 45 days will determine
before the later of 120 days after the date of this preliminary
determination or 45 days after the final determination whether these
imports 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: April 3, 2025.
Christopher Abbott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the
non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for
Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix I
Scope of the Investigation
The products covered by this investigation are certain flat-
rolled steel products, either clad, plated, or coated with
corrosion-resistant metals such as zinc, aluminum, or zinc-,
aluminum-, nickel- or iron-based alloys, whether or not corrugated
or painted, varnished, laminated, or coated with plastics or other
non-metallic substances in addition to the metallic coating. The
products covered include coils that have a width of 12.7 mm or
greater, regardless of form of coil (e.g., in successively
superimposed layers, spirally oscillating, etc.). The products
covered also include products not in coils (e.g., in straight
lengths) of a thickness less than 4.75 mm and a width that is 12.7
mm or greater and that measures at least 10 times the thickness. The
products covered also include products not in coils (e.g., in
straight lengths) of a thickness of 4.75 mm or more and a width
exceeding 150 mm and measuring at least twice the thickness. The
products described above may be rectangular, square, circular, or
other shape and include products of either rectangular or non-
rectangular cross-section where such cross-section is achieved
subsequent to the rolling process, i.e., products which have been
``worked after rolling'' (e.g., products which have been beveled or
rounded at the edges).
For purposes of the width and thickness requirements referenced
above:
(1) 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 forth above, and
(2) where the width and thickness vary for a specific product
(e.g., the thickness of certain products with non-rectangular cross-
section, the width of certain products with non-rectangular shape,
etc.), the measurement at its greatest width or thickness applies.
Steel products included in the scope of this investigation are
products in which:
(1) iron predominates, by weight, over each of the other
contained elements; and (2) the carbon content is 2 percent or less,
by weight.
Subject merchandise also includes corrosion-resistant steel 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 other processing that would
not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the
investigation if performed in the country of manufacture of the in-
scope corrosion resistant steel.
All products that meet the written physical description are
within the scope of this investigation unless specifically excluded.
The following products are outside of and/or specifically excluded
from the scope of this investigation:
<bullet> Flat-rolled steel products either plated or coated with
tin, lead, chromium, chromium oxides, both tin and lead (``terne
plate'') or both chromium and chromium oxides (``tin free steel''),
whether or not painted, varnished or coated with plastics or other
non-metallic substances in addition to the metallic coating;
<bullet> Clad products in straight lengths of 4.7625 mm or more
in composite thickness and of a width which exceeds 150 mm and
measures at least twice the thickness;
<bullet> Certain clad stainless flat-rolled products, which are
three-layered corrosion-resistant carbon steel flat-rolled products
less than 4.75 mm in composite thickness that consist of a carbon
steel flat-rolled product clad on both sides with stainless steel in
a 20%-60%-20% ratio;
Also excluded from the scope of the antidumping duty
investigations on corrosion resistant steel from Taiwan are any
products covered by the existing antidumping duty order on corrosion
resistant steel from Taiwan. See Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel
Products from India, Italy, the People's Republic of China, the
Republic of Korea and Taiwan: Amended Final Affirmative Antidumping
Determination for India and Taiwan, and Antidumping Duty Orders, 81
FR 48390 (July 25, 2016); Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products from
Taiwan: Notice of Third Amended Final Determination of Sales at Less
Than Fair Value Pursuant to Court Decision and Partial Exclusion
from Antidumping Duty Order, 88 FR 58245 (August 25, 2023).
Also excluded from the scope of the antidumping duty
investigation on corrosion-resistant steel from the United Arab
Emirates and the antidumping duty and countervailing duty
investigations on corrosion-resistant steel from the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam are any products covered by the existing
antidumping and countervailing duty orders on corrosion-resistant
steel from the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Korea
and the antidumping duty order on corrosion-resistant steel from
Taiwan. See Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products from India,
Italy, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea and
Taiwan: Amended Final Affirmative Antidumping Determination for
India and Taiwan, and Antidumping Duty Orders, 81 FR 48390 (July 25,
2016); see also Certain Corrosion-Resistant Steel Products from
India, Italy, Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of China:
Countervailing Duty Order, 81 FR 48387 (July 25, 2016). This
exclusion does not apply to imports of corrosion-resistant steel
that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption in
the United States for which the relevant importer and exporter
certifications have been completed and maintained and all other
applicable certification requirements have been met such that the
entry is entered into the United States as not subject to the
antidumping and countervailing duty orders on corrosion-resistant
steel from the People's Republic of China, the antidumping and
countervailing duty orders on corrosion-resistant steel from the
Republic of Korea, or the antidumping duty order on corrosion-
resistant steel from Taiwan.
The products subject to the investigation are currently
classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
(HTSUS) under item numbers: 7210.30.0030, 7210.30.0060,
7210.41.0000, 7210.49.0030, 7210.49.0040, 7210.49.0045,
7210.49.0091, 7210.49.0095, 7210.61.0000, 7210.69.0000,
7210.70.6030, 7210.70.6060, 7210.70.6090, 7210.90.6000,
7210.90.9000, 7212.20.0000, 7212.30.1030, 7212.30.1090,
7212.30.3000, 7212.30.5000, 7212.40.1000, 7212.40.5000,
7212.50.0000, 7212.60.0000, 7225.91.0000, 7225.92.0000,
7226.99.0110, and 7226.99.0130.
The products subject to the investigation may also enter under
the following HTSUS item numbers: 7210.90.1000, 7215.90.1000,
7215.90.3000, 7215.90.5000, 7217.20.1500, 7217.30.1530,
7217.30.1560, 7217.90.1000, 7217.90.5030, 7217.90.5060,
7217.90.5090, 7225.99.0090, 7226.99.0180, 7228.60.6000,
7228.60.8000, and 7229.90.1000. The HTSUS subheadings above are
provided for convenience and customs purposes only. The written
description of the scope of the investigation is dispositive.
Appendix II
List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Period of Investigation
IV. Scope Comments
V. Affiliation and Single Entity Treatment
VI. Discussion of the Methodology
VII. Adjustments to Cash Deposit Rates for Export Subsidies in the
Companion Countervailing Duty Investigation
VIII. Currency Conversion
[[Page 15337]]
IX. Recommendation
[FR Doc. 2025-06134 Filed 4-9-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
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