[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 244 (Friday, December 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 82439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-27830]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Article 10.12; 
Binational Panel Review: Notice of Request for Panel Review

AGENCY: United States Section, USMCA Secretariat, International Trade 
Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of USMCA Request for Panel Review in the matter of 
Certain Softwood Lumber Products from Canada: Final Affirmative 
Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 2017-2018 (Secretariat File 
Number: USA-CDA-2020-10.12-01).

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SUMMARY: A Request for Panel Review was filed on behalf of the 
Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of 
British Columbia, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of 
Ontario, the Government of Qu[eacute]bec, Alberta Softwood Lumber Trade 
Council (``ASLTC''), British Columbia Lumber Trade Council (``BCLTC''), 
Conseil de l'Industrie forestiere du Qu[eacute]bec (``CIFQ''), Ontario 
Forest Industries Association (``OFIA''), J.D. Irving, Limited 
(``JDI''), Resolute FP Canada Inc. (``Resolute''), and West Fraser 
Mills Ltd. with the United States Section of the USMCA Secretariat on 
December 10, 2020, pursuant to USMCA Article 10.12. Panel Review was 
requested of the U.S. International Trade Administration's Final 
Results of the Countervailing Duty Administrative Review (2017-2018) in 
Certain Softwood Lumber from Canada, which was published in the Federal 
Register on December 1, 2020 (85 FR 77, 163). The USMCA Secretariat has 
assigned case number USA-CDA-2020-10.12-01 to this request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vidya Desai, Acting United States 
Secretary, USMCA Secretariat, Room 2061, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20230, 202-482-5438.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Article 10.12 of Chapter 10 of USMCA 
provides a dispute settlement mechanism involving trade remedy 
determinations issued by the Government of the United States, the 
Government of Canada, and the Government of Mexico. Following a Request 
for Panel Review, a Binational Panel is composed to review the trade 
remedy determination being challenged and issue a binding Panel 
Decision. There are established USMCA Rules of Procedure for Article 
10.12 (Binational Panel Reviews), which were adopted by the three 
governments for panels requested pursuant to Article 10.12(2) of USMCA 
which requires Requests for Panel Review to be published in accordance 
with Rule 40. For the complete Rules, please see https://can-mex-usa-sec.org/secretariat/agreement-accord-acuerdo/usmca-aceum-tmec/rules-regles-reglas/article-article-articulo_10_12.aspx?lang=eng.
    The Rules provide that:
    (a) A Party or interested person may challenge the final 
determination in whole or in part by filing a Complaint in accordance 
with Rule 44 no later than 30 days after the filing of the first 
Request for Panel Review (the deadline for filing a Complaint is 
January 11, 2021);
    (b) A Party, an investigating authority or other interested person 
who does not file a Complaint but who intends to participate in the 
panel review shall file a Notice of Appearance in accordance with Rule 
45 no later than 45 days after the filing of the first Request for 
Panel Review (the deadline for filing a Notice of Appearance is January 
25, 2021);
    (c) The panel review will be limited to the allegations of error of 
fact or law, including challenges to the jurisdiction of the 
investigating authority, that are set out in the Complaints filed in 
the panel review and to the procedural and substantive defenses raised 
in the panel review.

    December 14, 2020.
Vidya Desai,
Acting U.S. Secretary, USMCA Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2020-27830 Filed 12-17-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-GT-P