Notice2026-08488
Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod From Algeria: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigation
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 1, 2026
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentInternational Trade Administration
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 84 (Friday, May 1, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 84 (Friday, May 1, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23397-23400]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-08488]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[C-721-003]
Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod From Algeria: Initiation of
Countervailing Duty Investigation
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
DATES: Applicable April 27, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joshua Nixon, Office VIII, AD/CVD
Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-8361.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The Petition
On April 6, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce)
received a countervailing duty (CVD) petition concerning imports of
carbon and alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from Algeria, filed in
proper form on behalf of Charter Steel, Commercial Metals Company,
Liberty Steel USA, Nucor Corporation, and Optimus Steel, LLC
(collectively, the petitioners), domestic producers of wire rod.\1\
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\1\ See Petitioners' Letter, ``Petition for the Imposition of
Countervailing Duties,'' dated April 6, 2026 (Petition).
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Between April 10 and 20, 2026, Commerce requested supplemental
information pertaining to certain aspects of the Petition in
supplemental questionnaires.\2\ Between April 15 and 22, 2026, the
petitioners filed timely responses to these requests for additional
information.\3\
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\2\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Supplemental Questions,'' dated
April 10, 2026; see also Memorandum, ``Teleconference with Counsel
to the Petitioners,'' dated April 21, 2026.
\3\ See Petitioners' Letters, ``Petitioner's Response to 1st
Supplemental Questionnaire Regarding Algeria Countervailing Duty
Petition,'' dated April 15, 2026 (First General Issues and CVD
Supplement), and ``Petitioners' Response to 2nd Supplemental
Questionnaire Regarding Algeria Countervailing Duty Petition,''
dated April 22, 2026 (Second General Issues Supplement).
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In accordance with section 702(b)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as
amended (the Act), the petitioners allege that the Government of
Algeria (GOA) is providing countervailable subsidies, within the
meaning of sections 701 and 771(5) of the Act, to producers of wire rod
in Algeria. Consistent with section 702(b)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.202(b), for those alleged programs on which we are initiating a CVD
investigation, the Petition was accompanied by information reasonably
available to the petitioners supporting their allegations.
Commerce finds that the petitioners filed the Petition on behalf of
the domestic industry, because the petitioners are interested parties,
as defined in section 771(9)(C) of the Act. Commerce also finds that
the petitioners demonstrated sufficient industry support with respect
to the initiation of the requested CVD investigation.\4\
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\4\ See section on ``Determination of Industry Support for the
Petition,'' infra.
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Period of Investigation (POI)
Because the Petition was filed on April 6, 2026, the POI is January
1, 2025, through December 31, 2025.\5\
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\5\ See 19 CFR 351.204(b)(2).
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Scope of the Investigation
The product covered by this investigation is wire rod from Algeria.
For a full description of the scope of this investigation, see the
appendix to this notice.
Comments on the Scope of the Investigation
As discussed in the Preamble to Commerce's regulations, we are
setting aside a period for interested parties to raise issues regarding
product coverage (i.e., scope).\6\ Commerce will consider all scope
comments received from interested parties and, if necessary, will
consult with interested parties prior to the issuance of the
preliminary determination. If scope comments include factual
information, all such factual information should be limited to public
information.\7\ Commerce requests that interested parties provide at
the beginning of their scope comments a public executive summary for
each comment or issue raised in their submission. Commerce further
requests that interested parties limit their public executive summary
of each comment or issue to no more than 450 words, not including
citations. Commerce intends to use the public executive summaries as
the basis of the comment summaries included in the analysis of scope
comments. To facilitate preparation of its questionnaires, Commerce
requests that scope comments be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time
(ET) on May 18, 2026, which is the next business day after 20 calendar
days from the signature date of this notice.\8\ Any rebuttal comments,
which may include factual information, and should also be limited to
public information, must be filed by 5:00 p.m. ET on May 28, 2026,
which is 10 calendar days from the initial comment deadline.
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\6\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule,
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997) (Preamble); see also 19 CFR
351.312.
\7\ See 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) (defining ``factual
information'').
\8\ The deadline for scope comments falls on May 17, 2026, which
is a Sunday. Commerce's practice dictates that where a deadline
falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the appropriate deadline is
the next business day (in this instance, May 18, 2026). See 19 CFR
351.303(b)(1) (``For both electronically filed and manually filed
documents, if the applicable due date falls on a non-business day,
the Secretary will accept documents that are filed on the next
business day.'').
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Commerce requests that any factual information that parties
consider relevant to the scope of this investigation be submitted
during that period. However, if a party subsequently finds that
additional factual information pertaining to the scope of the
investigation may be relevant, the party must contact Commerce and
request permission to submit the additional information.
Filing Requirements
All submissions to Commerce must be filed electronically via
Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty
Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS), unless an exception
applies.\9\ An electronically filed document must be
[[Page 23398]]
received successfully in its entirety by the time and date it is due.
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\9\ See Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings:
Electronic Filing Procedures; Administrative Protective Order
Procedures, 76 FR 39263 (July 6, 2011); see also Enforcement and
Compliance; Change of Electronic Filing System Name, 79 FR 69046
(November 20, 2014), for details of Commerce's electronic filing
requirements, effective August 5, 2011. Information on using ACCESS
can be found at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/help">https://access.trade.gov/help</a> and a handbook can be
found at <a href="https://access.trade.gov/help/Handbook_on_Electronic_Filing_Procedures_March2026.pdf">https://access.trade.gov/help/Handbook_on_Electronic_Filing_Procedures_March2026.pdf</a>.
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Consultations
Pursuant to sections 702(b)(4)(A)(i) and (ii) of the Act, Commerce
notified the GOA of the receipt of the Petition and provided an
opportunity for consultations with respect to the Petition.\10\ The GOA
did not request consultations.
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\10\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Invitation for Consultations to
Discuss the Countervailing Duty Petition,'' dated April 8, 2026.
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Additionally, given the nature of certain subsidy programs alleged
in the Petitions, on April 8, 2026, Commerce issued a letter to the
Government of the People's Republic of China (GOC), providing the GOC
with the opportunity to meet with Commerce officials.\11\ The GOC did
not request to meet with Commerce officials, but submitted comments
regarding the allegations.\12\
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\11\ See Memorandum, ``Alleged Transnational Subsidy Programs,''
dated April 8, 2026.
\12\ See GOC's Letter, ``Comments on CVD Petition on Carbon and
Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Algeria: Alleged Transnational Subsidy
Programs (C-721-003),'' dated April 23, 2026.
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Determination of Industry Support for the Petition
Section 702(b)(1) of the Act requires that a petition be filed on
behalf of the domestic industry. Section 702(c)(4)(A) of the Act
provides that a petition meets this requirement if the domestic
producers or workers who support the petition account for: (i) at least
25 percent of the total production of the domestic like product; and
(ii) more than 50 percent of the production of the domestic like
product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support
for, or opposition to, the petition. Moreover, section 702(c)(4)(D) of
the Act provides that, if the petition does not establish support of
domestic producers or workers accounting for more than 50 percent of
the total production of the domestic like product, Commerce shall: (i)
poll the industry or rely on other information in order to determine if
there is support for the petition, as required by subparagraph (A); or
(ii) determine industry support using a statistically valid sampling
method to poll the ``industry.''
Section 771(4)(A) of the Act defines the ``industry'' as the
producers as a whole of a domestic like product. Thus, to determine
whether a petition has the requisite industry support, the statute
directs Commerce to look to producers and workers who produce the
domestic like product. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC),
which is responsible for determining whether ``the domestic industry''
has been injured, must also determine what constitutes a domestic like
product in order to define the industry. While both Commerce and the
ITC apply the same statutory definition regarding the domestic like
product,\13\ they do so for different purposes and pursuant to a
separate and distinct authority. In addition, Commerce's determination
is subject to limitations of time and information. Although this may
result in different definitions of the like product, such differences
do not render the decision of either agency contrary to law.\14\
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\13\ See section 771(10) of the Act.
\14\ See USEC, Inc. v. United States, 132 F.Supp.2d 1, 8 (CIT
2001) (citing Algoma Steel Corp., Ltd. v. United States, 688 F.Supp.
639, 644 (CIT 1988), aff'd Algoma Steel Corp., Ltd. v. United
States, 865 F.2d 240 (Fed. Cir. 1989)).
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Section 771(10) of the Act defines the domestic like product as ``a
product which is like, or in the absence of like, most similar in
characteristics and uses with, the article subject to an investigation
under this title.'' Thus, the reference point from which the domestic
like product analysis begins is ``the article subject to an
investigation'' (i.e., the class or kind of merchandise to be
investigated, which normally will be the scope as defined in the
petition).
With regard to the domestic like product, the petitioners do not
offer a definition of the domestic like product distinct from the scope
of the investigation.\15\ Based on our analysis of the information
submitted on the record, we have determined that wire rod, as defined
in the scope, constitutes a single domestic like product, and we have
analyzed industry support in terms of that domestic like product.\16\
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\15\ For a discussion of the domestic like product analysis as
applied to this case and information regarding industry support, see
Checklist, ``Countervailing Duty Investigation Initiation Checklist:
Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Algeria,'' at Attachment II,
``Analysis of Industry Support for the Countervailing Duty Petition
Covering Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Algeria'' (Attachment
II). This checklist is on file electronically via ACCESS.
\16\ For further discussion, see Attachment II of the Algeria
CVD Initiation Checklist.
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In determining whether the petitioners have standing under section
702(c)(4)(A) of the Act, we considered the industry support data
contained in the Petition with reference to the domestic like product
as defined in the ``Scope of the Investigation,'' in the appendix to
this notice. To establish industry support, the petitioners provided
the 2025 production for the U.S. producers that support the Petition
and compared this to the total 2025 production of the domestic like
product for the entire domestic industry.\17\ We have relied on the
data provided by the petitioners for purposes of measuring industry
support.\18\
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\17\ Id.
\18\ Id.
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Our review of the data provided in the Petition, the First General
Issues and CVD Supplement, the Second General Issues Supplement, and
other information readily available to Commerce indicates that the
petitioners have established industry support for the Petition.\19\
First, the Petition established support from domestic producers (or
workers) accounting for more than 50 percent of the total shipments of
the domestic like product and, as such, Commerce is not required to
take further action in order to evaluate industry support (e.g.,
polling).\20\ Second, the domestic producers (or workers) have met the
statutory criteria for industry support under section 702(c)(4)(A)(i)
of the Act because the domestic producers (or workers) who support the
Petition account for at least 25 percent of the total production of the
domestic like product.\21\ Finally, the domestic producers (or workers)
have met the statutory criteria for industry support under section
702(c)(4)(A)(ii) of the Act because the domestic producers (or workers)
who support the Petition account for more than 50 percent of the
production of the domestic like product produced by that portion of the
industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the Petition.\22\
Accordingly, Commerce determines that the Petition was filed on behalf
of the domestic industry within the meaning of section 702(b)(1) of the
Act.\23\
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\19\ Id.
\20\ Id.; see also section 702(c)(4)(D) of the Act.
\21\ See Attachment II of the Algeria CVD Initiation Checklist.
\22\ Id.
\23\ Id.
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Initiation of CVD Investigation
Based upon the examination of the Petition and supplemental
responses, we find that they meet the requirements of section 702 of
the Act. Therefore, we are initiating a CVD investigation to determine
whether imports of wire rod from Algeria benefit from countervailable
subsidies conferred by the GOA. In accordance with section 703(b)(1) of
the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(b)(1), unless postponed, we will make our
preliminary determination no later than 65 days after the date of this
initiation.
Based on our review of the Petition, we find that there is
sufficient information to initiate a CVD
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investigation on 21 programs alleged by the petitioners. For a full
discussion of the basis for our decision to initiate on each program,
see the Algeria CVD Initiation Checklist. A public version of the
initiation checklist for this investigation is available on ACCESS.
Respondent Selection
In the Petition, the petitioners identified three companies in
Algeria.\24\ Commerce intends to follow its standard practice in CVD
investigations and calculate company-specific subsidy rates in the
investigation. Following standard practice in CVD investigations, in
the event Commerce determines that the number of companies is large,
and it cannot individually examine each company based upon Commerce's
resources, where appropriate, Commerce intends to select mandatory
respondents based on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data for
imports under the appropriate Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States (HTSUS) subheading(s) listed in the ``Scope of the
Investigation,'' in the appendix.
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\24\ See Petition at Volume I (page 22 and Exhibit I-3).
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On April 24, 2026, Commerce released CBP data on imports of wire
rod from Algeria under administrative protective order (APO) to all
parties with access to information protected by APO and indicated that
interested parties wishing to comment on CBP data and/or respondent
selection must do so within three days of the publication date of the
notice of initiation of this investigation.\25\ Comments must be filed
electronically using ACCESS. An electronically filed document must be
received successfully in its entirety via ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. ET on the
specified deadline. Commerce will not accept rebuttal comments
regarding the CBP data or respondent selection.
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\25\ See Memorandum, ``Release of U.S. Customs and Border
Protection Entry Data,'' dated April 24, 2026.
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Interested parties must submit applications for disclosure under
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(b). Instructions for filing such
applications may be found on Commerce's website at <a href="https://www.trade.gov/administrative-protective-orders">https://www.trade.gov/administrative-protective-orders</a>.
Distribution of a Copy of the Petition
In accordance with section 702(b)(4)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.202(f), a copy of the public version of the Petition has been
provided to the GOA via ACCESS. To the extent practicable, we will
attempt to provide a copy of the public version of the Petition to each
exporter named in the Petition, as provided under 19 CFR 351.203(c)(2).
ITC Notification
We note that Algeria is not a ``Subsidies Agreement Country''
within the meaning of section 701(b) of the Act,\26\ and therefore the
ITC is not required to determine whether the allegedly subsidized
imports of subject merchandise from Algeria materially injure, or
threaten injury to, a U.S. industry. Nevertheless, Commerce will notify
the ITC of its initiation, as required by section 702(d) of the Act.
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\26\ See Status of Algeria Under the Tariff Act of 1930, As
Amended, 90 FR 34334 (July 21, 2025).
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Submission of Factual Information
Factual information is defined in 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) as: (i)
evidence submitted in response to questionnaires; (ii) evidence
submitted in support of allegations; (iii) publicly available
information to value factors of production under 19 CFR 351.408(c) or
to measure the adequacy of remuneration under 19 CFR 351.511(a)(2);
(iv) evidence placed on the record by Commerce; and (v) evidence other
than factual information described in (i)-(iv). Section 351.301(b) of
Commerce's regulations requires any party, when submitting factual
information, to specify under which subsection of 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21)
the information is being submitted \27\ and, if the information is
submitted to rebut, clarify, or correct factual information already on
the record, to provide an explanation identifying the information
already on the record that the factual information seeks to rebut,
clarify, or correct.\28\ Time limits for the submission of factual
information are addressed in 19 CFR 351.301, which provides specific
time limits based on the type of factual information being submitted.
Interested parties should review the regulations prior to submitting
factual information in this investigation.
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\27\ See 19 CFR 351.301(b).
\28\ See 19 CFR 351.301(b)(2).
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Extensions of Time Limits
Parties may request an extension of time limits before the
expiration of a time limit established under 19 CFR 351.301, or as
otherwise specified by Commerce. In general, an extension request will
be considered untimely if it is filed after the expiration of the time
limit established under 19 CFR 351.301, or as otherwise specified by
Commerce.\29\ For submissions that are due from multiple parties
simultaneously, an extension request will be considered untimely if it
is filed after 10:00 a.m. ET on the due date. Under certain
circumstances, Commerce may elect to specify a different time limit by
which extension requests will be considered untimely for submissions
which are due from multiple parties simultaneously. In such a case, we
will inform parties in a letter or memorandum of the deadline
(including a specified time) by which extension requests must be filed
to be considered timely. An extension request must be made in a
separate, standalone submission; under limited circumstances we will
grant untimely filed requests for the extension of time limits, where
we determine, based on 19 CFR 351.302, that extraordinary circumstances
exist. Parties should review Commerce's regulations concerning the
extension of time limits and the Time Limits Final Rule prior to
submitting factual information in this investigation.\30\
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\29\ See 19 CFR 351.302.
\30\ See 19 CFR 351.301; see also Extension of Time Limits;
Final Rule, 78 FR 57790 (September 20, 2013) (Time Limits Final
Rule), available at <a href="https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-20/html/2013-22853.htm">https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-20/html/2013-22853.htm</a>.
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Certification Requirements
Any party submitting factual information in an antidumping duty or
CVD proceeding must certify to the accuracy and completeness of that
information.\31\ Parties must use the certification formats provided in
19 CFR 351.303(g).\32\ Commerce intends to reject factual submissions
if the submitting party does not comply with the applicable
certification requirements.
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\31\ See section 782(b) of the Act.
\32\ See Certification of Factual Information to Import
Administration During Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Proceedings, 78 FR 42678 (July 17, 2013) (Final Rule); see also
frequently asked questions regarding the Final Rule, available at
<a href="https://enforcement.trade.gov/tlei/notices/factual_info_final_rule_FAQ_07172013.pdf">https://enforcement.trade.gov/tlei/notices/factual_info_final_rule_FAQ_07172013.pdf</a>.
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Notification to Interested Parties
Interested parties must submit applications for disclosure under
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Parties wishing to participate
in this investigation should ensure that they meet the requirements of
19 CFR 351.103(d) (e.g., by filing the required letters of appearance).
Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining
to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).\33\
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\33\ See Administrative Protective Order, Service, and Other
Procedures in Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR
67069 (September 29, 2023).
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This notice is issued and published pursuant to sections 702 and
777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.203(c).
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Dated: April 27, 2026.
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
Scope of the Investigation
The merchandise subject to this investigation covers certain
hot-rolled products of carbon steel and alloy steel, in coils, of
approximately circular cross section, less than 19.00 mm in actual
solid cross-sectional diameter. Specifically excluded are steel
products possessing the above-noted physical characteristics and
meeting the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)
definitions for (a) stainless steel; (b) tool steel; (c) high nickel
steel; (d) ball bearing steel; or (e) concrete reinforcing bars and
rods. Also excluded are free cutting steel (also known as free
machining steel) products (i.e., products that contain by weight one
or more of the following elements: 0.1 percent or more of lead, 0.05
percent or more of bismuth, 0.08 percent or more of sulfur, more
than 0.04 percent of phosphorus, more than 0.05 percent of selenium,
or more than 0.01 percent of tellurium). All products meeting the
physical description of subject merchandise that are not
specifically excluded are included in this scope.
The products under investigation are currently classifiable
under subheadings 7213.91.3011, 7213.91.3015, 7213.91.3020,
7213.91.3093, 7213.91.4500, 7213.91.6000, 7213.99.0030,
7227.20.0030, 7227.20.0080, 7227.90.6010, 7227.90.6020,
7227.90.6030, and 7227.90.6035 of the HTSUS. Products entered under
subheadings 7213.90.0090 and 7227.90.6090 of HTSUS also may be
included in this scope if they meet the physical description of
subject merchandise above. Although the HTSUS subheadings are
provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written
description of the scope of this investigation is dispositive.
[FR Doc. 2026-08488 Filed 4-30-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
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