[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 185 (Wednesday, September 24, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49994-49995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25355]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 701-TA-373 and Nos. 731-TA-769 Through 775 
(Preliminary)]


Stainless Steel Wire Rod From Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, 
Spain, Sweden, and Taiwan

Determinations

    On the basis of the record \1\ developed in the subject 
investigations, the United States International Trade Commission 
determines, pursuant to section 703(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 
U.S.C. Sec. 1671b(a)), that there is a reasonable indication that an 
industry in the United States is materially injured or threatened with 
material injury by reason of imports from Italy of stainless steel wire 
rod,<SUP>2</SUP> provided for in subheading 7221.00.00 of the 
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States, that are alleged to be 
subsidized by the Government of Italy.
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    \1\ The record is defined in sec. 207.2(f) of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR Sec. 207.2(f)).
    \2\ For purposes of these investigations, stainless steel wire 
rod is defined as articles of stainless steel that are hot-rolled or 
hot-rolled annealed and/or pickled and/or descaled rounds, squares, 
octagons, hexagons or other shapes, in coils, that may also be 
coated with a lubricant containing copper, lime, or oxalate. 
Stainless steel wire rod is made of alloy steel containing, by 
weight, 1.2 percent or less of carbon and 10.5 percent or more of 
chromium, with or without other elements. Stainless steel wire rod 
is manufactured only by hot-rolling or hot-rolling, annealing, and/
or pickling and/or descaling, is normally sold in coiled form, and 
is of solid cross section. Most stainless steel wire rod sold in the 
United States is round in cross-sectional shape, annealed and 
pickled, and later cold-finished into stainless steel wire or small-
diameter bar, with the most common size of stainless steel wire rod 
being 5.5 millimeters (0.217 inches) in diameter. Stainless steel 
wire rod grades SF20T and K-M35FL are excluded from the scope of 
these investigations.
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    Further, the Commission determines, pursuant to section 733(a) of 
the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. Sec. 1673b(a)), that there is a 
reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is 
materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of 
imports from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Taiwan of 
stainless steel wire rod that are alleged to be sold in the United 
States at less than fair value (LTFV).

Commencement of Final Phase Investigations

    Pursuant to section 207.18 of the Commission's rules, as amended in 
61 FR 37818 (July 22, 1996), the Commission also gives notice of the 
commencement of the final phase of its investigations. The Commission 
will issue a final phase notice of scheduling which will be published 
in the Federal Register as provided in section 207.21 of the 
Commission's rules upon notice from the Department of Commerce 
(Commerce) of affirmative preliminary determinations in the 
investigations under sections 703(b) or 733(b) of the Act, as 
appropriate, or, if the preliminary determinations are negative, upon 
notice of affirmative final determinations in those investigations 
under sections 705(a) or 735(b) of the Act, as appropriate. Parties 
that filed entries of appearance in the preliminary phase of the 
investigations need not enter a separate appearance for the final phase 
of the investigations. Industrial users, and, if the merchandise under 
investigation is sold at the retail level, representative consumer 
organizations have the right to appear as parties in Commission 
antidumping and countervailing duty investigations. The Secretary will 
prepare a public service list containing the names and addresses of all 
persons, or their representatives, who are parties to the 
investigations.

[[Page 49995]]

Background

    On July 30, 1997, a petition was filed with the Commission and the 
Department of Commerce by counsel on behalf of Al Tech Specialty Steel 
Corp., Dunkirk, NY; Carpenter Technology Corp., Reading, PA; Republic 
Engineered Steels, Massilon, OH; Talley Metals Technology, Inc., 
Hartsville, SC; and the United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO/CLC, 
alleging that an industry in the United States is materially injured 
and threatened with material injury by reason of subsidized imports of 
stainless steel wire rod from Italy, and by reason of LTFV imports of 
such merchandise from Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, and 
Taiwan. Accordingly, effective July 30, 1997, the Commission instituted 
preliminary countervailing duty investigation No. 701-TA-373 
(Preliminary) and preliminary antidumping investigations Nos. 731-TA-
769 through 775 (Preliminary).
    Notice of the institution of the Commission's investigations and of 
a public conference to be held in connection therewith was given by 
posting copies of the notice in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. 
International Trade Commission, Washington, DC, and by publishing the 
notice in the Federal Register of August 6, 1997 (62 FR 42263). The 
conference was held in Washington, DC, on August 21, 1997, and all 
persons who requested the opportunity were permitted to appear in 
person or by counsel.
    The Commission transmitted its determinations in these 
investigations to the Secretary of Commerce on September 15, 1997. The 
views of the Commission are contained in USITC Publication 3060 
(September 1997), entitled ``Stainless Steel Wire Rod from Germany, 
Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, and Taiwan: Investigation No. 701-
TA-373 and Nos. 731-TA-769 through 775 (Preliminary).''


    Issued: September 19, 1997.

    By order of the Commission.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-25355 Filed 9-23-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P