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Jeffrey I. Kessler
Department of Commerce
16 October 2020
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 201 (Friday, October 16, 2020)] [Notices] [Page 65791] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2020-22958] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-580-908, A-583-869, A-549-842, A-552-828] Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires From the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. DATES: Applicable October 16, 2020. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leo Ayala at (202) 482-3945 (Republic of Korea (Korea) and Thailand); Lauren Caserta at (202) 482-4737 (Taiwan); and Jasun Moy at (202) 482-8194 (the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnam)), AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background On June 22, 2020, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigations of imports of passenger vehicle and light truck tires (passenger tires) from Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.\1\ Currently, the preliminary determinations are due no later than November 9, 2020. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ See Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires from the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 85 FR 38854 (June 29, 2020). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Postponement of Preliminary Determinations Section 733(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), requires Commerce to issue the preliminary determination in an LTFV investigation within 140 days of the date on which Commerce initiated the investigation. However, section 733(c)(1) of the Act permits Commerce to postpone the preliminary determination until no later than 190 days after the date on which Commerce initiated the investigation if: (A) The petitioner makes a timely request for a postponement; or (B) Commerce concludes that the parties concerned are cooperating, that the investigation is extraordinarily complicated, and that additional time is necessary to make a preliminary determination. Under 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner must submit a request for postponement 25 days or more before the scheduled date of the preliminary determination and must state the reasons for the request. Commerce will grant the request unless it finds compelling reasons to deny the request. On October 1, 2020, the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC (the petitioner) submitted a timely request that Commerce postpone the preliminary determinations in these LTFV investigations.\2\ The petitioner stated that it requests postponement due to the complexity of selecting the mandatory respondents and obtaining initial and supplemental questionnaire responses. Under the current timeline, the petitioner believes that Commerce will not have complete responses and sufficient information to issue these preliminary determinations.\3\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ See Petitioner's Letter, ``Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires from the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Petitioner's Request for Extension of Preliminary Determination,'' dated October 1, 2020. \3\ Id. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- For the reasons stated above, and because there are no compelling reasons to deny the request, Commerce, in accordance with section 733(c)(1)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(e), is postponing the deadline for the preliminary determinations by 50 days (i.e., 190 days after the date on which these investigations were initiated). As a result, Commerce will issue its preliminary determinations no later than December 29, 2020. In accordance with section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the deadline for the final determinations in these investigations will continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determinations, unless postponed at a later date. Notification to Interested Parties This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 733(c)(2) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1). Dated: October 9, 2020. Jeffrey I. Kessler, Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance. [FR Doc. 2020-22958 Filed 10-15-20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P