[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 204 (Tuesday, October 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72994-72995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23443]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-570-084; C-570-085]


Certain Quartz Surface Products From the People's Republic of 
China: Rescission of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Changed 
Circumstances Reviews; AM Stone

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is rescinding the 
changed circumstances reviews (CCR) of the antidumping duty (AD) and 
countervailing duty (CVD) orders on certain quartz surface products 
(quartz surface products) from the People's Republic of China (China) 
regarding quartz surface products imported by AM Stone & Cabinets, Inc. 
(AM Stone) into the United States and exported by Universal Quartz and 
Stone Industrial SDN BHD (Universal Quartz).

DATES: Applicable October 24, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ajay Menon, AD/CVD Operations, Office 
IX, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, 
DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0208.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On October 21, 2022, Commerce published in the Federal Register the 
final results of a scope ruling regarding imports of quartz surface 
products manufactured in China and further processed in Malaysia, 
finding that such imports are covered by the scope of the Orders.\1\ 
Moreover, because exporters of quartz surface products from Malaysia 
export both subject and non-subject merchandise, Commerce established a 
scope certification process for all imports of quartz surface products 
from Malaysia. Commerce also determined that certain companies 
processing Chinese quartz slab in Malaysia, including Universal Quartz, 
were

[[Page 72995]]

ineligible to participate in this scope certification process, but 
indicated that they could request reconsideration of their exclusion 
from the certification process in a future segment of the 
proceeding.\2\
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    \1\ See Certain Quartz Surface Products from the People's 
Republic of China: Final Scope Ruling on Malaysian Processed Quartz 
Slab and Recission of the Circumvention Inquiry, 87 FR 64009, 64010 
(October 21, 2022).
    \2\ Id., 87 FR at 64010.
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    On June 26, 2023, based on a request filed by AM Stone,\3\ Commerce 
initiated a CCR to determine whether Universal Quartz is eligible to 
certify that its quartz surface products are not produced from Chinese-
origin quartz slab.\4\ On July 26, 2023, AM Stone filed a timely 
request for administrative review for its exporter, Universal 
Quartz.\5\ On September 11, 2023, Commerce initiated AD and CVD 
administrative reviews of Universal Quartz, among other Malaysian 
exporters.\6\
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    \3\ See AM Stone's Letter, ``Request for Changed Circumstances 
Review of Universal Quartz,'' dated May 11, 2023.
    \4\ See Certain Quartz Surface Products from the People's 
Republic of China: Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Changed Circumstances Reviews; AM Stone, 88 FR 41385 (June 26, 2023) 
(Initiation Notice).
    \5\ See AM Stone's Letter, ``Request for Administrative Review--
Quartz Surface Products from the People's Republic of China,'' dated 
July 26, 2023.
    \6\ See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Reviews, 88 FR 62322, 62335 (September 11, 2023) 
(Initiation of Reviews).
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Rescission of Review

    Commerce has recently determined that a CCR is not the appropriate 
segment to reconsider ineligible parties' exclusion from a 
certification process, where that ineligibility was due to a party's 
failure to cooperate in a prior segment of a proceeding.\7\ Commerce 
explained that an administrative review is the proper segment of a 
proceeding for a party deemed ineligible from participating in a 
certification process to request reconsideration of its eligibility to 
certify, absent evidence of a changed circumstance.\8\ In light of 
Solar Cells, Commerce has reevaluated AM Stone's CCR request and 
determines that a party's newfound willingness to participate is not a 
changed circumstance sufficient to warrant such a review. Additionally, 
as noted above, Commerce recently initiated AD and CVD administrative 
reviews of Universal Quartz, among other exporters.\9\ As a result, 
consistent with Solar Cells, Commerce will reevaluate the eligibility 
of Universal Quartz to participate in the certification process as part 
of these administrative reviews. Consequently, we are rescinding this 
CCR with respect to Universal Stone.
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    \7\ See Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Orders on 
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled 
Into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: Final Scope 
Determination and Final Affirmative Determinations of Circumvention 
With Respect to Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, 88 FR 
57419 (August 23, 2023) (Solar Cells), and accompanying Vietnam 
Issues and Decision Memorandum at Comment 19 (finding that Commerce 
has no basis to conduct a changed circumstances review absent 
evidence of a changed circumstance).
    \8\ Id.
    \9\ See Initiation of Reviews, 88 FR at 62335.
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Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Order

    This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to 
administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility 
concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under 
APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written 
notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or 
conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to 
comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a sanctionable 
violation.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 
751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended and 19 
CFR 351.213(d)(4).

    Dated: October 19, 2023.
James Maeder,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2023-23443 Filed 10-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P