```

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 244 (Thursday, December 19, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 103780-103782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30065]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-428-848]

Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks From Germany: Preliminary Results 
and Rescission, In Part of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 
2023

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily 
determines that countervailable subsidies were provided to BGH 
Edelstahl Siegen GmbH (BGH), a producer and exporter of forged steel 
fluid end blocks (fluid end blocks) from Germany. The period of review 
(POR) is January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. In addition, 
Commerce is rescinding this review, in part, with respect to one 
company. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary 
results.

DATES: Applicable December 19, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Accorsi or Shane Subler, AD/CVD 
Operations, Office VIII, Enforcement and Compliance, International 
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution 
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3149 or (202) 
482-6241, respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On March 5, 2024, based on timely requests for review, Commerce 
initiated this administrative review of the countervailing duty order 
on fluid end blocks from Germany.\1\ On April 10, 2024, Commerce 
selected BGH and Schmiedewerke Gr ditz GmbH (SWG) as the mandatory 
respondents in this review.\2\ On July 22, 2024, Commerce

[[Page 103781]]

tolled certain deadlines in this administrative proceeding by seven 
days.\3\ On September 25, 2024, Commerce extended the deadline for the 
preliminary results of this review until December 10, 2024.\4\ 
Additionally, on December 9, 2024, Commerce tolled the deadline to 
issue the preliminary results in this administrative review by 90 
days.\5\ The deadline for the preliminary results is now March 10, 
2025.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Reviews, 89 FR 15827 (March 5, 2024) (Initiation 
Notice); see also Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks from the People's 
Republic of China, the Federal Republic of Germany, India, and 
Italy: Countervailing Duty Orders, and Amended Final Affirmative 
Countervailing Duty Determination for the People's Republic of 
China, 86 FR 7535 (January 29, 2021) (Order).
    \2\ See Commerce's Letter, '' Countervailing Duty 
Questionnaire,'' dated April 10, 2024.
    \3\ See Memorandum, ``Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Proceedings,'' dated July 22, 2024.
    \4\ See Memorandum, ``Extension of Deadline for Preliminary 
Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review,'' dated 
September 25, 2024.
    \5\ See Memorandum, ``Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Proceedings,'' dated December 9, 2024.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For a complete description of the events that followed the 
initiation of this review, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.\6\ 
A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is 
provided as the appendix to this notice. The Preliminary Decision 
Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via 
Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to 
registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete 
version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly 
at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Results and Partial Recission of the Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Review; 2023: Forged Steel Fluid End Blocks from 
Germany,'' dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this 
notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scope of the Order

    The products covered by the Order are fluid end blocks from 
Germany. For a complete description of the scope of the Order, see the 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

Rescission of Administrative Review, In Part

    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3), Commerce will rescind an 
administrative review when there are no reviewable suspended entries of 
subject merchandise. Based on our analysis of U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) information, SWG had no entries of subject merchandise 
during the POR. On August 14, 2024, we notified parties that we intend 
to rescind this administrative review with respect to the one company 
which has no reviewable suspended entries.\7\ No parties commented on 
the notification of intent to rescind the review, in part. We are, 
therefore, rescinding the administrative review of SWG. For further 
information, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum at the ``Partial 
Rescission of Administrative Review'' section.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \7\ See Memorandum, ``Notice of Intent to Rescind Review, in 
Part,'' dated August 14, 2024.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Methodology

    Commerce is conducting this administrative review in accordance 
with 751(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). For 
each of the subsidy programs found countervailable, Commerce 
preliminarily determines that there is a subsidy, i.e., a financial 
contribution by an ``authority'' that gives rise to a benefit to the 
recipient, and that the subsidy is specific.\8\ For a full description 
of the methodology underlying our conclusions, see the Preliminary 
Decision Memorandum.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding 
financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding 
benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preliminary Results of Review

    As a result of this review, we preliminarily determine the 
following net countervailable subsidy rate for the POR, January 1, 
2023, through December 31, 2023:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            Subsidy rate
                          Company                           (percent  ad
                                                              valorem)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BGH Edelstahl Siegen GmbH \9\.............................         3.51
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclosure

    Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis 
performed to interested parties for these preliminary results within 
five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public 
announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this 
notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Public Comment

    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii), interested parties may submit 
case briefs to Commerce no later than 30 days after the date of 
publication of this notice. Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised 
in the case briefs, may be filed not later than five days after the 
date for filing case briefs.\10\ Interested parties who submit case 
briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding must submit: (1) a table 
of contents listing each issue; and (2) a table of authorities.\11\ All 
briefs must be filed electronically using ACCESS. An electronically 
filed document must be received successfully in its entirety in ACCESS 
by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the established deadline.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ As discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum, 
Commerce has found the following companies to be cross-owned with 
BGH Edelstahl Siegen GmbH: Boschgotthardsh[uuml]tte O. Breyer GmbH, 
BGH Edelstahlwerke GmbH, RPS Rohstoff-, Press- und Schneidbetrieb 
Siegen GmbH, and SRG Schrott und Recycling GmbH.
    \10\ See 19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Administrative Protective 
Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29, 
2023) (APO and Service Procedures).
    \11\ See 19 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), in prior 
proceedings we have encouraged interested parties to provide an 
executive summary of their briefs that should be limited to five pages 
total, including footnotes. In this review, we instead request that 
interested parties provide at the beginning of their briefs a public, 
executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs.\12\ Further, 
we request that interested parties limit their executive summary of 
each issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. We 
intend to use the executive summaries as the basis of the comment 
summaries included in the issues and decision memorandum that will 
accompany the final results in this administrative review. We request 
that interested parties include footnotes for relevant citations in the 
executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce has amended certain 
of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 
351.303(f).\13\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \12\ We use the term ``issue'' here to describe an argument that 
Commerce would normally address in a comment of the Issues and 
Decision Memorandum.
    \13\ See APO and Service Procedures.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to 
request a hearing must submit a written request to the Assistant 
Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, filed electronically via 
ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time within 30 days after the date of 
publication of this notice. Requests should contain: (1) the party's 
name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants; 
and (3) a list of issues to be discussed. Oral presentations at the 
hearing will be limited to issues raised in the briefs. If a request 
for a hearing is made, Commerce will inform parties of the scheduled 
date for the hearing.\14\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \14\ See 19 CFR 351.310(d).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assessment Rates

    Consistent with section 751(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.212(b)(2), upon issuance of the final results, Commerce shall 
determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, 
countervailing duties on all appropriate

[[Page 103782]]

entries covered by this review. Commerce intends to issue assessment 
instructions to CBP no earlier than 35 days after the date of 
publication of the final results of this review in the Federal 
Register. If a timely summons is filed at the U.S. Court of 
International Trade, the assessment instructions will direct CBP not to 
liquidate relevant entries until the time for parties to file a request 
for a statutory injunction has expired (i.e., within 90 days of 
publication).
    For the company listed above for which the review is being 
rescinded, Commerce will instruct CBP to assess countervailing duties 
on all appropriate entries at a rate equal to the cash deposit of 
estimated countervailing duties required at the time of entry, or 
withdrawal from warehouse, for consumption, during the period January 
1, 2023, through December 31, 2023, in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.212(c)(1)(i). Commerce intends to issue rescission instructions to 
CBP no earlier than 35 days after the date of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register.
    Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP regarding 
BGH no earlier than 35 days after the date of publication of the final 
results of this review in the Federal Register. If a timely summons is 
filed at the U.S. Court of International Trade, the assessment 
instructions will direct CBP not to liquidate relevant entries until 
the time for parties to file a request for a statutory injunction has 
expired (i.e., within 90 days of publication).

Cash Deposit Requirements

    Pursuant to section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, Commerce intends to 
instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing 
duties in the amount indicated above with regard to shipments of 
subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for 
consumption on or after the date of publication of the final results of 
this review. For all non-reviewed firms, we will instruct CBP to 
continue to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing duties at 
the most recent company-specific or all-others rate (i.e., 6.29 
percent),\15\ applicable to the company. These cash deposit 
instructions, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further 
notice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ See Order, 86 FR at 7536.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notification to Interested Parties

    We are issuing and publishing these preliminary results in 
accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19 CFR 
351.221(b)(4).

    Dated: December 12, 2024.
Abdelali Elouaradia,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Partial Rescission of Review
IV. Scope of the Order
V. Subsidies Valuation Information
VI. Economic Diversification
VII. Interest Rate Benchmarks
VIII. Analysis of Programs
IX. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2024-30065 Filed 12-18-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
```