CSMS Message: 17-000687

Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Forged Steel Fittings from the People's Republic of China, Italy and Taiwan

On October 25, 2017, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated its less-than-fair-value and countervailing duty investigations on “forged steel fittings from the People's Republic of China (PRC), Italy, and Taiwan” (Initiation Notices). These investigations have been assigned the following case numbers: A-570-067 and C-570-068 (the People's Republic of China), A-475-839 (Italy) and A-583-863 (Taiwan).

The Scope of Merchandise covered by these investigations reads as follows:

The merchandise covered by this investigation is carbon and alloy forged steel fittings,
whether unfinished (commonly known as blanks or rough forgings) or finished. Such fittings are
made in a variety of shapes including, but not limited to, elbows, tees, crosses, laterals, couplings, reducers, caps, plugs, bushings and unions. Forged steel fittings are covered regardless of end finish, whether threaded, socket-weld or other end connections.

While these fittings are generally manufactured to specifications ASME B16.11, MSS SP-
79, and MSS SP-83, ASTM A105, ASTM A350 and ASTM A182, the scope is not limited to fittings made to these specifications.

The term forged is an industry term used to describe a class of products included in
applicable standards, and does not reference an exclusive manufacturing process. Forged steel
fittings are not manufactured from casting. Pursuant to the applicable standards, fittings may also be machined from bar stock or machined from seamless pipe and tube.

All types of fittings are included in the scope regardless of nominal pipe size (which may
or may not be expressed in inches of nominal pipe size), pressure rating (usually, but not
necessarily expressed in pounds of pressure, e.g., 2,000 or 2M; 3,000 or 3M; 6,000 or 6M; 9,000 or 9M), wall thickness, and whether or not heat treated.

Excluded from this scope are all fittings entirely made of stainless steel. Also excluded are
flanges, butt weld fittings, and nipples.

Subject carbon and alloy forged steel fittings are normally entered under HTSUS
7307.99.1000, 7307.99.3000, 7307.99.5045, and 7307.99.5060. They also may be entered under
HTSUS 7307.92.3010, 7307.92.3030, 7307.92.9000, and 7326.19.0010.

The HTSUS subheadings and specifications are provided for convenience and customs
purposes; the written description of the scope 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 determination, 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) on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, 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 Friday, November 24, 2017, 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 p.m., 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, 14th Street and 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%20User%20Guide.pdf

ACCESS: Handbook on Electronic Filing Procedures
https://access.trade.gov/help/Handbook%20on%20Electronic%20Filling%20Procedures.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 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.

For Further Information Contact:

AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230:

Irene Gorelik at (202) 482-6905 or Robert Palmer at (202) 482-9068 (Antidumping Duty Investigation from Taiwan);
Katherine Johnson at (202) 482-4929 or Renato Barreda at (202) 482-0317 (Antidumping Duty Investigation from the People's Republic of China (PRC));
Denisa Ursu at (202) 482-2285 or Michael Bowen at (202) 482-0768 (Antidumping Duty Investigation from Italy) and
Brian Smith at (202) 482-1766 or Jaron Moore at (202) 482-3640 (Countervailing Duty Investigation from the People's Republic of China).