[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 27 (Friday, February 8, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7527-7528]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 08-538]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[FA-437-804, A-471-806, C-437-805]


Sulfanilic Acid From Hungary and Portugal: Final Results of 
Sunset Reviews and Revocation of Orders

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: On October 1, 2007, the Department of Commerce (``the 
Department'') published in the Federal Register the notice of 
initiation of the five-year sunset reviews of the antidumping duty 
orders on sulfanilic acid from Hungary and Portugal and the 
countervailing duty order on sulfanilic acid from Hungary, pursuant to 
section 751(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (``the Act''). 
Because the domestic interested party has withdrawn its participation 
and substantive responses in these sunset reviews, the Department is 
revoking these antidumping and countervailing duty orders.

DATES: Effective Date: November 8, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Devta Ohri or Brandon Farlander, 
Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3853 or (202) 482-0182, 
respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On November 8, 2002, the Department issued antidumping duty orders 
on sulfanilic acid from Hungary and Portugal (67 FR 68100) and a 
countervailing duty order on sulfanilic acid from Hungary (67 FR 
68101). On October 1, 2007, the Department

[[Page 7528]]

initiated sunset reviews of these orders. See Initiation of Five-year 
(Sunset) Reviews, 72 FR 55742 (October 1, 2007).
    On October 12, 2007, and October 31, 2007, we received notices of 
intent to participate and substantive responses, respectively, in these 
sunset reviews from a domestic interested party. Based on this 
information, on October 23, 2007, we informed the U.S. International 
Trade Commission (``ITC'') that there was domestic interest in 
continuation of these orders. Also, on November 21, 2007, we informed 
the ITC that we did not receive adequate substantive responses from any 
respondent parties and, as a result, we would be conducting expedited 
sunset reviews of these orders.
    On January 28, 2008, we received a letter from the domestic 
interested party that it was withdrawing its notices of intent to 
participate in these sunset reviews and that it was no longer 
interested in continuation of these orders. In addition, on January 29, 
2008, the domestic interested party filed a letter withdrawing its 
substantive response from the records of these sunset reviews. Because 
the Department has not expended substantial resources in conducting 
these expedited sunset reviews, we are accepting the domestic 
interested party's withdrawal of its notices of intent to participate 
and substantive responses. Therefore, the Department determines that 
there is no domestic participation or adequate substantive responses 
from a domestic interested party.

Scope of the Order

    Imports covered by this order are all grades of sulfanilic acid 
(``sulfanilic acid'' or ``subject merchandise''), which include 
technical (or crude) sulfanilic acid, refined (or purified) sulfanilic 
acid, and sodium salt of sulfanilic acid.
    Sulfanilic acid is a synthetic organic chemical produced from the 
direct sulfonation of aniline and sulfuric acid. Sulfanilic acid is 
used as a raw material in the production of optical brighteners, food 
colors, specialty dyes, and concrete additives. The principal 
differences between the grades are the undesirable quantities of 
residual aniline and alkali insoluble materials present in the 
sulfanilic acid. All grades are available as dry, free flowing powers.
    Technical sulfanilic acid, currently classifiable under the 
subheading 2921.42.22 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States (``HTSUS''), contains 96 percent minimum sulfanilic acid, 1.0 
percent maximum aniline, and 1.0 percent maximum alkali insoluble 
materials. Refined sulfanilic acid, also currently classifiable under 
2921.42.22 of the HTSUS, contains 98 percent minimum sulfanilic acid, 
0.5 percent maximum aniline, and 0.25 percent maximum alkali insoluble 
materials.
    Sodium salt (sodium sulfanilate), currently classifiable under the 
HTSUS subheading 2921.42.90, is a powder, granular, or crystalline 
material which contains 75 percent minimum equivalent sulfanilic acid, 
0.5 percent maximum aniline based on the equivalent sulfanilic acid 
content, and 0.25 percent maximum alkali insoluble materials based on 
the equivalent sulfanilic acid content.
    Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and 
customs purposes, the written description of the scope of this order is 
dispositive.

Determination to Revoke

    Pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.218(d)(1)(iii)(B)(3), if no domestic interested party files a 
notice of intent to participate, the Department shall, within 90 days 
after the initiation of the review, issue a final determination 
revoking the order. None of the respondent interested parties responded 
to the notices of initiation. Further, because the domestic interested 
party has withdrawn its notices of intent to participate and its 
substantive responses in these sunset reviews, the Department finds 
that no domestic interested part is participating in these sunset 
reviews.\1\ Therefore, consistent with 19 CFR 351.222(i)(1)(i) and 
section 751(c)(3) of the Act, we are revoking these antidumping and 
countervailing duty orders. The effective date of revocation is 
November 8, 2007, the fifth anniversary of the date of the Department 
published these antidumping duty orders and the countervailing duty 
order. See 19 CFR 351.222(i)(2)(i).
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    \1\ The statue requires revocation of an order within 90 days of 
initiating a sunset review when no party responds to the notice of 
initiation. See section 751(c)(3)(A) of the Act. However, in this 
case, even though the domestic interested party withdrew its 
participation after the 90-day period had expired, we find no basis 
to continue the orders.
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Effective Date of Revocation

    Pursuant to section 751(c)(3)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.222(i)(2)(i), the Department will instruct U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection to terminate the suspension of liquidation of the 
merchandise subject to this order entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, 
on or after November 8, 2007. Entries of subject merchandise prior to 
the effective date of revocation will continue to be subject to 
suspension of liquidation and antidumping and countervailing duty 
deposit requirements. The Department will complete any pending 
administrative reviews of these orders and will conduct administrative 
reviews of subject merchandise entered prior to the effective date of 
revocation in response to appropriately filed requests for review.
    These five-year (sunset) reviews and notice are in accordance with 
sections 751(c) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: January 29, 2008.
David M. Spooner,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 08-538 Filed 2-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-05-M