Document headings vary by document type but may contain
                    the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document
the number of the CFR title and the number of each part
                      the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly
                      related to
the agency docket number / agency internal file number
the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in
                      the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory
                      Actions See the
                    Document Drafting Handbook
                    for more details.
 Department of Commerce International Trade Administration [A-851-805]
 AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
 SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESBR) from the Czech Republic is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is October 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.
 DATES: Applicable June 27, 2022.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leo Ayala or Myrna Lobo, AD/CVD Operations, Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3945 or (202) 482-2371, respectively.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Background This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce published the notice of initiation of this investigation on December 10, 2021.[1]
                    
                     On March 31, 2022, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation until June 14, 2022.[2]
                    
                     For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, 
                    *see*
                     the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.[3]
                    
                     A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II 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.* Scope of the Investigation The product covered by this investigation is ESBR from the Czech Republic. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, 
                    *see*
                     Appendix I. Scope Comments In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations,[4]
                    
                     the 
                    *Initiation Notice*
                     set aside a period of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage (
                    *i.e.,*
                     scope).[5]
                    
                     The petitioner commented on the scope affirming the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the 
                    *Initiation Notice.*
                     No other interested party submitted scope comments. Commerce is not preliminarily modifying the scope language as it appeared in the 
                    *Initiation Notice. See*
                     the scope in Appendix I to this notice. Methodology Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 731 of the Act. Commerce has calculated export prices in accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. Normal value is calculated in accordance with section 773 of the Act. For a full description of the methodology underlying the preliminary determination, 
                    *see*
                     the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. All-Others Rate Commerce calculated an individual estimated weighted-average dumping margin for Synthos Kralupy A.S. (Synthos), the only individually examined exporter/producer in this investigation. Because the only individually calculated dumping margin is not zero, 
                    *de minimis,*
                     or based entirely on facts otherwise available, the estimated weighted-average dumping margin calculated for Synthos is the margin assigned to all other producers and exporters, pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act. Preliminary Determination Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated weighted-average dumping margin exists: Exporter/producer
Estimated 
                             weighted-average 
                             dumping margin 
                             (percent)Synthos Kralupy A.S
6.03All Others
6.03
 Suspension of Liquidation In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise, as described in Appendix I, entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of this notice in the 
                    **Federal Register**
                    . Further, pursuant to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin or the estimated all-others rate, as follows: (1) the cash deposit rate for the respondents listed above will be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margins determined in this preliminary determination; (2) if the exporter is not a respondent identified above, but the producer is, then the cash deposit rate will be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margin established for that producer of the subject merchandise; and (3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters will be equal to the all-others estimated weighted-average dumping margin. Disclosure Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination 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). Verification As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to verify the information relied upon in making its final determination. Public Comment Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than seven days after the date on which the last 
                    ( print page 38061)
                    verification report is issued in this investigation.[6]
                    
                     Rebuttal briefs may be submitted seven days after the date that case briefs are due. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2), parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this investigation are encouraged to submit with each argument: (1) a statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of the argument; and (3) a table of authorities. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain the party's name, address, and telephone number, the number of participants, whether any participant is a foreign national, and a list of the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date. Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional Measures Section 735(a)(2) of the Act provides that a final determination may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the date of the publication of the preliminary determination if, in the event of an affirmative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by exporters who account for a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise, or in the event of a negative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by the petitioner. Section 351.210(e)(2) of Commerce's regulations requires that a request by exporters for postponement of the final determination be accompanied by a request for extension of provisional measures from a four-month period to a period not more than six months in duration. On June 10, 2022, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e), Synthos requested that Commerce postpone the final determination and that provisional measures be extended to a period not to exceed six months.[7]
                    
                     In accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(2)(ii), because: (1) the preliminary determination is affirmative; (2) the requesting exporter accounts for a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise; and (3) no compelling reasons for denial exist, Commerce is postponing the final determination and extending the provisional measures from a four-month period to a period not greater than six months. Accordingly, Commerce will make its final determination no later than 135 days after the date of publication of this preliminary determination. International Trade Commission Notification In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) of its preliminary determination. If the final determination is affirmative, the ITC will determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this preliminary determination or 45 days after the final determination whether imports of ESBR from the Czech Republic are materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry. Notification to Interested Parties This determination is issued and published in accordance with sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c) and 19 CFR 351.210(g). Dated: June 14, 2022. Lisa W. Wang, Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
 Appendix I—Scope of the Investigation The products covered by this investigation are cold-polymerized emulsion styrene-butadiene rubber (ESB rubber). The scope of the investigation includes, but is not limited to, ESB rubber in primary forms, bales, granules, crumbs, pellets, powders, plates, sheets, strip, 
                        *etc.*
                         ESB rubber consists of non-pigmented rubbers and oil-extended non-pigmented rubbers, both of which contain at least one percent of organic acids from the emulsion polymerization process. ESB rubber is produced and sold in accordance with a generally accepted set of product specifications issued by the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers (IISRP). The scope of the investigation covers grades of ESB rubber included in the IISRP 1500 and 1700 series of synthetic rubbers. The 1500 grades are light in color and are often described as “Clear” or “White Rubber.” The 1700 grades are oil-extended and thus darker in color, and are often called “Brown Rubber.” Specifically excluded from the scope of this investigation are products which are manufactured by blending ESB rubber with other polymers, high styrene resin master batch, carbon black master batch (
                        *i.e.,*
                         IISRP 1600 series and 1800 series) and latex (an intermediate product). The products subject to this investigation are currently classifiable under subheadings 4002.19.0015 and 4002.19.0019 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). ESB rubber is described by Chemical Abstracts Services (CAS) Registry No. 9003-55-8. This CAS number also refers to other types of styrene butadiene rubber. Although the HTSUS subheadings and CAS registry number are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this investigation is dispositive. Appendix II—List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum I. Summary II. Background III. Period of Investigation IV. Scope of the Investigation V. Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional Measures VI. Affiliation VII. Discussion of the Methodology VIII. Product Comparisons IX. Date of Sale X. Export Price XI. Normal Value XII. Calculation of Normal Value Based on Comparison-Market Prices XIII. Currency Conversion XIV. Verification XV. Recommendation


# Footnotes

1.
    
                         
                        *See Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber from the Czech Republic, Italy, and the Russian Federation: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations,*86 FR 70447 (December 10, 2021) (
                        *Initiation Notice*). Back to Citation
 2.
    
                         
                        *See Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber from the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation,*87 FR 18767 (March 31, 2022). Back to Citation
 3.
    
                         
                        *See*
                         Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber from the Czech Republic” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum). Back to Citation
 4.
    
                         
                        *See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule,*62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997). Back to Citation
 5.
    
                         
                        *See Initiation Notice.* Back to Citation
 6.
    
                         
                        *See*19 CFR 351.309; 
                        *see also*19 CFR 351.303 (for general filing requirements). Back to Citation
 7.
    
                         
                        *See*
                         Synthos' Letter, “Emulsion Styrene-Butadiene Rubber from the Czech Republic: Request to Postpone Deadline for Issuing the Final Determination” dated June 10, 2022. Back to Citation


[FR Doc. 2022-13542 Filed 6-24-22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P