MESSAGE NO: 0234202 DATE: 08 21 2000
CATEGORY: CVD TYPE: ADM
REFERENCE: REFERENCE DATE:
CASES: C - 427 - 817 - -
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PERIOD COVERED: 02 09 2000 TO

LIQ SUSPENSION DATE:

TO: DIRECTORS OF FIELD OPERATIONS
PORT DIRECTORS

FROM: DIRECTOR, TRADE ENFORCEMENT & CONTROL

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

1. IN KEEPING WITH THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION AGREEMENT ON
SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVAILING MEASURES, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
IS DISCONTINUING THE SUSPENSION OF LIQUIDATION ON THE
COUNTERVAILING DUTY INVESTIGATION OF CERTAIN CUT-TO-LENGTH
CARBON-
QUALITY STEEL PLATE FROM FRANCE EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 23, 1999,
WHICH IS 120 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION.

2. THE PRODUCTS COVERED BY THIS SCOPE 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 THESE
INVESTIGATIONS UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED. THE
FOLLOWING PRODUCTS ARE SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THESE
INVESTIGATIONS: (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 THESE INVESTIGATIONS 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 INVESTIGATION IS DISPOSITIVE.

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

4. FIELD OFFICERS SHALL DISCONTINUE TO SUSPEND LIQUIDATION FOR
COUNTERVAILING DUTY PURPOSES ON ALL SHIPMENTS OF THE SUBJECT
MERCHANDISE ENTERED, OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE,FOR CONSUMPTION
BEGINNING NOVEMBER 23, 1999 THROUGH FEBRUARY 9, 2000. FIELD
OFFICERS SHALL CONTINUE TO SUSPEND LIQUIDATION ON ALL SHIPMENTS
ENTERED, OR WITHDRAWN FROM WAREHOUSE, FOR CONSUMPTION MADE DURING
THE PERIOD, JULY 26, 1999 THROUGH NOVEMBER 22, 1999, AND ON OR
AFTER FEBRUARY 10, 2000.

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