MESSAGE NO: 0196201 DATE: 07 14 2000
CATEGORY: CVD TYPE: ORD
REFERENCE: REFERENCE DATE:
CASES: C - 427 - 817 - -
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PERIOD COVERED: 02 10 2000 TO

LIQ SUSPENSION DATE:

TO: DIRECTORS OF FIELD OPERATIONS
PORT DIRECTORS

FROM: DIRECTOR, TRADE ENFORCEMENT & CONTROL

RE: ORDER IN THE CVD INVESTIGATION OF CERTAIN CUT-TO-LENGTH
CARBON-QUALITY STEEL PLATE FROM FRANCE (C-427-817)


1. ON 02/10/2000, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PUBLISHED IN THE
FEDERAL REGISTER ITS COUNTERVAILING DUTY ORDER IN THE
INVESTIGATION OF CERTAIN CUT-TO-LENGTH CARBON QUALITY STEEL PLATE
FROM FRANCE

2. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ORDER, THE PRODUCTS COVERED ARE CERTAIN
HOT-ROLLED CARBON-QUALITY STEEL: (1) UNIVERSAL MILL PLATES (I.E.,
FLAT-ROLLED PRODUCTS ROLLED ON FOUR FACES OR IN A CLOSED BOX
PASS, OF A WIDTH EXCEEDING 150 MM BUT NOT EXCEEDING 1250 MM, AND
OF A NOMINAL OR ACTUAL THICKNESS OF NOT LESS THAN 4 MM, WHICH ARE
CUT-TO-LENGTH (NOT IN COILS) AND WITHOUT PATTERNS IN RELIEF), OF
IRON OR NON-ALLOY-QUALITY STEEL; AND (2) FLAT-ROLLED PRODUCTS,
HOT-ROLLED, OF A NOMINAL OR ACTUAL THICKNESS OF 4.75 MM OR MORE
AND OF A WIDTH WHICH EXCEEDS 150 MM AND MEASURES AT LEAST TWICE
THE THICKNESS, AND WHICH ARE CUT-TO-LENGTH (NOT IN COILS).
STEEL PRODUCTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS SCOPE ARE OF RECTANGULAR,
SQUARE, CIRCULAR OR OTHER SHAPE AND OF RECTANGULAR OR NON-
RECTANGULAR CROSS-SECTION WHERE SUCH NON-RECTANGULAR CROSS-
SECTION IS ACHIEVED SUBSEQUENT TO THE ROLLING PROCESS (I.E.,
PRODUCTS WHICH HAVE BEEN "WORKED AFTER ROLLING") -- FOR EXAMPLE,
PRODUCTS WHICH HAVE BEEN BEVELED OR ROUNDED AT THE EDGES. STEEL
PRODUCTS THAT MEET THE NOTED PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT ARE
PAINTED, VARNISHED OR COATED WITH PLASTIC OR OTHER NON-METALLIC
SUBSTANCES ARE INCLUDED WITHIN THIS SCOPE. ALSO, SPECIFICALLY
INCLUDED IN THIS SCOPE ARE HIGH STRENGTH, LOW ALLOY (HSLA)
STEELS. HSLA STEELS ARE RECOGNIZED AS STEELS WITH MICRO-ALLOYING
LEVELS OF ELEMENTS SUCH AS CHROMIUM, COPPER, NIOBIUM, TITANIUM,
VANADIUM, AND MOLYBDENUM.

STEEL PRODUCTS TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS SCOPE, REGARDLESS OF
HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE OF THE UNITED STATES (HTSUS)
DEFINITIONS, ARE PRODUCTS IN WHICH: (1) IRON PREDOMINATES, BY
WEIGHT, OVER EACH OF THE OTHER CONTAINED ELEMENTS, (2) THE CARBON
CONTENT IS TWO PERCENT OR LESS, BY WEIGHT, AND (3) NONE OF THE
ELEMENTS LISTED BELOW IS EQUAL TO OR EXCEEDS THE QUANTITY, BY
WEIGHT, RESPECTIVELY INDICATED:
1.80 PERCENT OF MANGANESE, OR
1.50 PERCENT OF SILICON, OR
1.00 PERCENT OF COPPER, OR
0.50 PERCENT OF ALUMINUM, OR
1.25 PERCENT OF CHROMIUM, OR
0.30 PERCENT OF COBALT, OR
0.40 PERCENT OF LEAD, OR
1.25 PERCENT OF NICKEL, OR
0.30 PERCENT OF TUNGSTEN, OR
0.10 PERCENT OF MOLYBDENUM, OR
0.10 PERCENT OF NIOBIUM, OR
0.41 PERCENT OF TITANIUM, OR
0.15 PERCENT OF VANADIUM, OR
0.15 PERCENT ZIRCONIUM.

ALL PRODUCTS THAT MEET THE WRITTEN PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION, AND IN
WHICH THE CHEMISTRY QUANTITIES DO NOT EQUAL OR EXCEED ANY ONE OF
THE LEVELS LISTED ABOVE, ARE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS ORDER
UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED. THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTS
ARE SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THIS ORDER: (1) PRODUCTS CLAD,
PLATED, OR COATED WITH METAL, WHETHER OR NOT PAINTED, VARNISHED
OR COATED WITH PLASTIC OR OTHER NON-METALLIC SUBSTANCES; (2) SAE
GRADES (FORMERLY AISI GRADES) OF SERIES 2300 AND ABOVE; (3)
PRODUCTS MADE TO ASTM A710 AND A736 OR THEIR PROPRIETARY
EQUIVALENTS; (4) ABRASION-RESISTANT STEELS (I.E., USS AR 400, USS
AR 500); (5) PRODUCTS MADE TO ASTM A202, A225, A514 GRADE S, A517
GRADE S, OR THEIR PROPRIETARY EQUIVALENTS; (6) BALL BEARING
STEELS; (7) TOOL STEELS; AND (8) SILICON MANGANESE STEEL OR
SILICON ELECTRIC STEEL.
THE MERCHANDISE SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER IS CLASSIFIED IN THE HTSUS
UNDER SUBHEADINGS: 7208.40.3030, 7208.40.3060, 7208.51.0030,
7208.51.0045, 7208.51.0060, 7208.52.0000, 7208.53.0000,
7208.90.0000, 7210.70.3000, 7210.90.9000, 7211.13.0000,
7211.14.0030, 7211.14.0045, 7211.90.0000, 7212.40.1000,
7212.40.5000, 7212.50.0000, 7225.40.3050, 7225.40.7000,
7225.50.6000, 7225.99.0090, 7226.91.5000, 7226.91.7000,
7226.91.8000, 7226.99.0000.

ALTHOUGH THE HTSUS SUBHEADINGS ARE PROVIDED FOR CONVENIENCE AND
CUSTOMS PURPOSES, THE WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE MERCHANDISE
UNDER THIS ORDER IS DISPOSITIVE.

3. FOR FURTHER REPORTING PURPOSES THIS CASE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED
INVESTIGATION NUMBER C-427-817.

4. FOR IMPORTS OF CERTAIN CUT-TO-LENGTH CARBON-QUALITY STEEL
PLATE FROM FRANCE, THE CUSTOMS SERVICE SHALL SUSPEND LIQUIDATION
OF SUCH SHIPMENTS ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE, FOR
CONSUMPTION ON OR AFTER 07/26/1999. EFFECTIVE 02/10/2000,
CUSTOMS SHALL REQUIRE A CASH DEPOSIT EQUAL TO THE SUBSIDY RATES
SHOWN BELOW:

MFR/PRODUCER CUSTOMS ID AD VALOREM
SUBSIDY RATE

USINOR (INCLUDING SOLLAC S.A.,C-427-817-002 5.56 PERCENT
CREUSOT LOIRE INDUSTRIE S.A.)

GTS INDUSTRIES, S.A. C-427-817-001 6.86 PERCENT

ALL OTHERS C-427-817-000 6.80 PERCENT

5. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER BY CUSTOMS
OFFICERS, PLEASE CONTACT VIA E-MAIL, THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE
SUPERVISORY CHANNELS, OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY LIAISON, USING THE
ATTRIBUTE "HQ OAB." THE IMPORTING PUBLIC AND OTHER INTERESTED
PARTIES SHOULD CONTACT CYNTHIA THIRUMALAI, OFFICE OF AD/CVD
ENFORCEMENT, IMPORT ADMINISTRATION, INTERNATIONAL TRADE
ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, AT (202) 482-4087.

6. THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON THE RELEASE OF THIS INFORMATION.

PAUL SCHWARTZ