1. On 11/18/2013, Commerce published in the Federal Register its initiation of the antidumping duty investigation of non-oriented electrical steel (NOES) from Germany (78 FR 69041).

2. The merchandise subject to this investigation consists of NOES, which includes cold-rolled, flat-rolled, alloy steel products, whether or not in coils, regardless of width, having an actual thickness of 0.20 mm or more, in which the core loss is substantially equal in any direction of magnetization in the plane of the material. The term “substantially equal” in the prior sentence means that the cross grain direction of core loss is no more than 1.5 times the straight grain direction (i.e., the rolling direction) of core loss. NOES has a magnetic permeability that does not exceed 1.65 Tesla when tested at a field of 800 A/m (equivalent to 10 Oesteds) along (i.e., parallel to) the rolling direction of the sheet (i.e., B800 value). NOES contains by weight at least 1.25 percent of silicon but less than 3.5 percent of silicon, not more than 0.08 percent of carbon, and not more than 1.5 percent of aluminum.

NOES is subject to this investigation whether it is fully processed (fully annealed to develop final magnetic properties) or semi-processed (finished to final thickness and physical form but not fully annealed to develop final magnetic properties); whether or not it is coated (e.g., with enamel, varnish, natural oxide surface, chemically treated or phosphate surface, or other non-metallic materials). Fully processed NOES is typically made to the requirements of ASTM specification A 677, Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) specification C 2552, and/or International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) specification 60404-8-4. Semi-processed NOES is typically made to the requirements of ASTM specification A 683. However, the scope of this investigation is not limited to merchandise meeting the specifications noted above.

NOES is sometimes referred to as cold-rolled non-oriented electrical steel (CRNO), non-grain oriented (NGO), non-oriented (NO), or cold-rolled non-grain oriented (CRNGO). These terms are interchangeable.

The subject merchandise is provided for in subheadings 7225.19.0000, 7226.19.1000, and 7226.19.9000 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Subject merchandise may also be entered under subheadings 7225.50.8085, 7225.99.0090, 7226.92.5000, 7226.92.7050, 7226.92.8050, 7226.99.0180 of the HTSUS. Although HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope is dispositive.

3. This investigation has been assigned investigation number A-428-843.

4. If there are any questions by the importing public regarding this message, please contact the Call Center for the Office of AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce at (202) 482-0984. CBP ports should submit their inquiries through authorized CBP channels only. (This message was generated by O4:PO.)

5. There are no restrictions on the release of this information.

Michael B. Walsh