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 Department of Commerce International Trade Administration [C-570-017]
 AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
 SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of passenger vehicle and light truck tires (passenger tires) from the People's Republic of China (PRC). The period of investigation is January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2013. We invite interested parties to comment on this preliminary determination.
 DATES: *Effective Date:*
                         Insert date of publication in the 
                        **Federal Register**
                        .
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Halle or Jason Rhoads, AD/CVD Operations, Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230; telephone 202.482.0176, 202.482.0123, respectively.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Scope of the Investigation The products covered by this investigation are certain passenger tires from the PRC. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, 
                    *see*
                     the Memorandum from Christian Marsh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations to Paul Piquado, Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, “Countervailing Duty Investigation of Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires from the People's Republic of China: Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Determination,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum). 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 
                    *http://access.trade.gov,*
                     and is available to all parties in the Central Records Unit, room 7046 of the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at 
                    *http://trade.gov/​enforcement.*
                     The signed Preliminary Decision Memorandum and the electronic versions of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum are identical in content. Methodology The Department is conducting this countervailing duty (CVD) investigation in accordance with section 701 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). For each of the subsidy programs found countervailable, we preliminarily determine 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.[1]
                    
                     For a full description of the methodology underlying our preliminary conclusions, 
                    *see*
                     the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. The Department notes that, in making these findings, we relied, in part, on facts available and, because one or more respondents did not act to the best of their ability to respond to the Department's requests for information, we drew an adverse inference where appropriate in selecting from among the 
                    ( print page 71094)
                    facts otherwise available.[2]
                    
                     For further information, 
                    *see*
                     “Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences” in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. Alignment As noted in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum, in accordance with section 705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(4), we are aligning the final CVD determination in this investigation with the final determination in the companion antidumping duty (AD) investigation of passenger tires from the PRC based on a request made by Petitioner.[3]
                    
                     Consequently, the final CVD determination will be issued on the same date as the final AD determination, which is currently scheduled to be issued no later than April 6, 2015, unless postponed. Critical Circumstances, in Part In accordance with section 703(e)(1) of the Act, we preliminarily find that critical circumstances exist with respect to imports of passenger tires from the PRC for Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co., Ltd. (Yongsheng) and all other exporters or producers not individually examined. A discussion of our determination can be found in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. Preliminary Determination and Suspension of Liquidation In accordance with section 703(d)(1)(A)(i) of the Act, we calculated an individual estimated countervailable subsidy rate for the individually-investigated exporters/producers of the subject merchandise.[4]
                    
                     We also calculated an all-others rate. In accordance with sections 703(d) and 705(c)(5)(A) of the Act, for companies not individually investigated, we apply an “all-others” rate, which is normally calculated by weighting the subsidy rates of the individual companies selected as mandatory respondents by those companies' exports of the subject merchandise to the United States. Under section 705(c)(5)(A)(i) of the Act, the all-others rate excludes zero and 
                    *de minimis*
                     rates calculated for the exporters and producers individually investigated as well as rates based entirely on facts otherwise available. Therefore, we have excluded the rate for Yongsheng from the all-others rate. Notwithstanding the language of section 705(c)(5)(A)(i) of the Act, we have not calculated the “all-others” rate by weight averaging the rates of the two individually investigated respondents, because doing so risks disclosure of proprietary information. Therefore, and consistent with the Department's practice where such risk exists, for the “all-others” rate, we calculated a weight average of the two responding firms' rates using publicly ranged data.[5]
                    
                     The overall preliminary estimated countervailable subsidy rates are summarized in the table below: Exporter/Producer
Subsidy rate 
                             (%)GITI Tire (Fujian) Co., Ltd. and certain cross-owned companies
17.69Cooper Kunshan Tire Co., Ltd and certain cross-owned companies
12.50Shandong Yongsheng Rubber Group Co., Ltd.
81.29All-Others
15.69
 In accordance with sections 703(d)(1)(B) and (d)(2) of the Act, we are directing U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of all entries of passenger tires from the PRC that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of the publication of this notice in the 
                    **Federal Register**
                    , and to require a cash deposit for such entries of merchandise in the amounts indicated above. Moreover, because we preliminarily find critical circumstances exist with respect to Yongsheng, and all other exporters or producers not individually examined, in accordance with section 703(e)(2)(A) of the Act, we are directing CBP to apply the suspension of liquidation to any unliquidated entries entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption by these companies, on or after the date which is 90 days prior to the date of publication of this notice in the 
                    **Federal Register**
                    . Verification As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, we intend to verify the information submitted by the respondents prior to making our final determination. Disclosure and Public Comment The Department intends to disclose to interested parties the calculations performed in connection with this preliminary determination within five days of its public announcement.[6]
                    
                     Interested parties may submit case and rebuttal briefs, as well as request a hearing.[7]
                    
                     For a schedule of the deadlines for filing case briefs, rebuttal briefs, and hearing requests, 
                    *see*
                     the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. International Trade Commission Notification In accordance with section 703(f) of the Act, we will notify the International Trade Commission (ITC) of our determination. In addition, we are making available to the ITC all non-privileged and non-proprietary information relating to this investigation. We will allow the ITC access to all privileged and business proprietary information in our files, provided the ITC confirms that it will not disclose such information, either publicly or under an administrative protective order, without the written consent of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance. In accordance with section 705(b)(2) of the Act, if our final determination is affirmative, the ITC will make its final determination within 45 days after the Department makes its final determination. This determination is issued and published pursuant to sections 703(f) and 777(i) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(c). Dated: November 21, 2014. Paul Piquado, Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
 Appendix List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum I. Summary II. Background III. Scope Comments IV. Scope of the Investigation V. Alignment VI. Respondent Selection VII. Preliminary Determination of Critical Circumstances, in Part VIII. Injury Test IX. Application of the Countervailing Duty Law to Imports from the PRC
                        ( print page 71095) X. Subsidies Valuation XI. Benchmarks and Discount Rates XII. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences XIII. Analysis of Programs XIV. ITC Notification XV. Disclosure and Public Comment XVI. Verification XVII. Conclusion


# Footnotes

1.
    
                         
                        *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. Back to Citation
 2.
    
                         
                        *See*
                         sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act. Back to Citation
 3.
    
                         Collectively, United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC. 
                        *See*
                         Letter from Petitioner, “Certain Passenger Vehicle and Light Truck Tires from the People's Republic of China—Petitioner's Request for Alignment of Countervailing Duty Investigation Final Determination Deadline with Antidumping Investigation Final Determination Deadline,” November 5, 2014. Back to Citation
 4.
    
                         The individually-investigated exporters/producers are GITI Tire (Fujian) Co., Ltd., and its cross-owned affiliated companies GITI Tire (China) Investment Company Ltd., GITI Radial Tire (Anhui) Company Ltd., GITI Tire (Hualin) Company Ltd., GITI Steel Cord (Hubei) Company Ltd., and Anhui Prime Cord Fabrics Company Ltd.; and Cooper Kunshan Tire Co., Ltd., and its cross-owned affiliated company, Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Co., Ltd. Back to Citation
 5.
    
                         
                        *See, e.g., Hardwood and Decorative Plywood from the People's Republic of China: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination; 2011,*78 FR 58283 (September 23, 2013). Back to Citation
 6.
    
                         
                        *See*19 CFR 351.224(b). Back to Citation
 7.
    
                         
                        *See*19 CFR 351.309(c)-(d), 19 CFR 351.310(c). Back to Citation


[FR Doc. 2014-28257 Filed 11-28-14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P