CSMS Message: 18-000141

Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value and Countervailing Duty Investigations: Large Diameter Welded Pipe from Canada, Greece, India, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Turkey

On February 9, 2018, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated its less-than-fair-value investigations of “Large Diameter Welded Pipe from Canada, Greece, India, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Turkey” and countervailing duty investigations of “Large Diameter Welded Pipe from India, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Turkey” (Initiation Notices). These investigations have been assigned the following case numbers: A-122-863 (Canada); A-484-803 (Greece); A-533-881 (India); A-570-077 (China); A-580-897 (Korea); A-489-833 (Turkey); C-533-882 (India); C-570-078 (China); C-580-898 (Korea); and C-489-834 (Turkey).

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

The merchandise covered by these investigations is welded carbon and alloy steel pipe, more
than 406.4 mm (16 inches) in nominal outside diameter (large diameter welded pipe), regardless of wall thickness, length, surface finish, grade, end finish, or stenciling. Large diameter welded pipe may be used to transport oil, gas, slurry, steam, or other fluids, liquids, or gases. It may also be used for structural purposes, including, but not limited to, piling. Specifically, not included is large diameter welded pipe produced only to specifications of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) for water and sewage pipe.

Large diameter welded pipe used to transport oil, gas, or natural gas liquids is normally
produced to the American Petroleum Institute (API) specification 5L. Large diameter welded pipe may also be produced to American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards A500, A252, or A53, or other relevant domestic specifications, grades and/or standards. Large diameter welded pipe can be produced to comparable foreign specifications, grades and/or standards or to proprietary specifications, grades and/or standards, or can be non-graded material. All pipe meeting the physical description set forth above is covered by the scope of these investigations, whether or not produced according to a particular standard.

Subject merchandise also includes large diameter welded pipe that has been further processed in a third country, including but not limited to coating, painting, notching, beveling, cutting, punching, welding, or any other processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigations if performed in the country of manufacture of the in-scope large diameter welded pipe.

Excluded from the scope are any products covered by the existing antidumping duty orders on welded line pipe from the Republic of Korea, welded line pipe from the Republic of Turkey, and welded ASTM A-312 stainless steel pipe from Korea, as well as any products covered by the existing countervailing duty order on welded line pipe from Turkey. See Welded Line Pipe from the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Turkey: Antidumping Duty Orders, 80 FR 75056 (December 1, 2015); Welded ASTM A-312 Stainless Steel Pipe from South Korea: Antidumping Duty Order, 57 FR 62300 (December 30, 1992); and Welded Line Pipe from the Republic of Turkey: Countervailing Duty Order, 80 FR 75054 (December 1, 2015).

The large diameter welded pipe that is subject to these investigations is currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) under subheadings 7305.11.1030, 7305.11.1060, 7305.11.5000, 7305.12.1030, 7305.12.1060, 7305.12.5000, 7305.19.1030, 7305.19.1060, 7305.19.5000, 7305.31.4000, 7305.31.6010, 7305.31.6090, 7305.39.1000 and 7305.39.5000. While the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of these investigations 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 March 1, 2018, 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 March 12, 2018, which is the next business day after 10 calendar days from the initial comments deadline. Commerce requests that any factual information the parties consider relevant to the scope of the investigation be submitted during this time period. However, if a party subsequently finds that additional factual information pertaining to the scope of the investigation 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. ET, 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, 1401 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, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230:

Antidumping Duty Investigations:
Susan Pulongbarit at (202) 482-4031 (Canada);
Brittany Bauer at (202) 482-3860 (Greece);
Jaron Moore at (202) 482-3640 (India);
Kabir Archuletta at (202) 482-8024 (China);
Jesus Saenz at (202) 482-8184 (Korea); and
Rebecca Janz at (202) 482-2972 (Turkey)

Countervailing Duty Investigations:
Robert Palmer at (202) 482-9068 (India);
Jerry Huang at (202) 482-4047 (China);
George Ayache at (202) 482-2623 (Korea); and
Ajay Menon at (202) 482-1993 (Turkey)