19 U.S.C. § 1677e (CUSTOMS DUTIES)
§ 1677e. Determinations on basis of facts available
(a) In general
If—
(1) necessary information is not available on the record, or
(2) an interested party or any other person—
(A) withholds information that has been requested by the administering authority or the Commission under this subtitle,
(B) fails to provide such information by the deadlines for submission of the information or in the form and manner requested, subject to subsections (c)(1) and (e) of section 1677m of this title,
(C) significantly impedes a proceeding under this subtitle, or
(D) provides such information but the information cannot be verified as provided in section 1677m(i) of this title,
the administering authority and the Commission shall, subject to section 1677m(d) of this title, use the facts otherwise available in reaching the applicable determination under this subtitle.
(b) Adverse inferences
(1) In general
If the administering authority or the Commission (as the case may be) finds that an interested party has failed to cooperate by not acting to the best of its ability to comply with a request for information from the administering authority or the Commission, the administering authority or the Commission (as the case may be), in reaching the applicable determination under this subtitle—
(A) may use an inference that is adverse to the interests of that party in selecting from among the facts otherwise available; and
(B) is not required to determine, or make any adjustments to, a countervailable subsidy rate or weighted average dumping margin based on any assumptions about information the interested party would have provided if the interested party had complied with the request for information.
(2) Potential sources of information for adverse inferences
An adverse inference under paragraph (1)(A) may include reliance on information derived from—
(A) the petition,
(B) a final determination in the investigation under this subtitle,
(C) any previous review under section 1675 of this title or determination under section 1675b of this title, or
(D) any other information placed on the record.
(c) Corroboration of secondary information
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), when the administering authority or the Commission relies on secondary information rather than on information obtained in the course of an investigation or review, the administering authority or the Commission, as the case may be, shall, to the extent practicable, corroborate that information from independent sources that are reasonably at their disposal.
(2) Exception
The administrative authority and the Commission shall not be required to corroborate any dumping margin or countervailing duty applied in a separate segment of the same proceeding.
(d) Subsidy rates and dumping margins in adverse inference determinations
(1) In general
If the administering authority uses an inference that is adverse to the interests of a party under subsection (b)(1)(A) in selecting among the facts otherwise available, the administering authority may—
(A) in the case of a countervailing duty proceeding—
(i) use a countervailable subsidy rate applied for the same or similar program in a countervailing duty proceeding involving the same country; or
(ii) if there is no same or similar program, use a countervailable subsidy rate for a subsidy program from a proceeding that the administering authority considers reasonable to use; and
(B) in the case of an antidumping duty proceeding, use any dumping margin from any segment of the proceeding under the applicable antidumping order.
(2) Discretion to apply highest rate
In carrying out paragraph (1), the administering authority may apply any of the countervailable subsidy rates or dumping margins specified under that paragraph, including the highest such rate or margin, based on the evaluation by the administering authority of the situation that resulted in the administering authority using an adverse inference in selecting among the facts otherwise available.
(3) No obligation to make certain estimates or address certain claims
If the administering authority uses an adverse inference under subsection (b)(1)(A) in selecting among the facts otherwise available, the administering authority is not required, for purposes of subsection (c) or for any other purpose—
(A) to estimate what the countervailable subsidy rate or dumping margin would have been if the interested party found to have failed to cooperate under subsection (b)(1) had cooperated; or
(B) to demonstrate that the countervailable subsidy rate or dumping margin used by the administering authority reflects an alleged commercial reality of the interested party.
(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title VII, § 776, as added Pub. L. 96–39, title I, § 101, July 26, 1979, 93 Stat. 186; amended Pub. L. 98–573, title VI, § 618, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 3037; Pub. L. 100–418, title I, §§ 1326(d)(1), 1331, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1204, 1207; Pub. L. 103–465, title II, § 231(c), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4896; Pub. L. 114–27, title V, § 502, June 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 383.)
heading: Amendments
text: 2015—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–27, § 502(1), inserted par. (1) designation and heading before “If the administering”, substituted “under this subtitle—” for “under this subtitle, may use”, inserted “(A) may use” before “an inference that is adverse”, substituted “facts otherwise available; and” for “facts otherwise available. Such adverse inference may include”, added subpar. (B), inserted par. (2) designation, heading, and “An adverse inference under paragraph (1)(A) may include” before “reliance on information”, and redesignated former pars. (1) to (4) as subpars. (A) to (D), respectively, of par. (2) and realigned margins.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–27, § 502(2), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and inserted heading, substituted “Except as provided in paragraph (2), when the” for “When the”, and added par. (2).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–27, § 502(3), added subsec. (d).
1994—Pub. L. 103–465 amended section generally, substituting present provisions for provisions relating to verification of information, certification of submissions, and determinations required to be made on best information available.
1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–418, § 1331(1), (3), added subsec. (a). Former subsec. (a) redesignated (b).
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–418, § 1331(1), (2), redesignated former subsec. (a) as (b) and in heading substituted “Verification” for “General rule”.
Subsec. (b)(3)(A). Pub. L. 100–418, § 1326(d)(1), which directed the amendment of this subtitle by substituting “subparagraph (C), (D), (E), (F), or (G) of section 1677(9) of this title” for “subparagraph (C), (D), (E), or (F), of section 1677(9) of this title” was executed to subsec. (b)(3)(A) of this section by substituting “section 1677(9)(C), (D), (E), (F), or (G) of this title” for “section 1677(9)(C), (D), (E), or (F) of this title” to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–418, § 1331(1), redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c).
1984—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 98–573 amended subsec. (a) generally, which prior to amendment read as follows: “Except with respect to information the verification of which is waived under section 1673b(b)(2) of this title, the administering authority shall verify all information relied upon in making a final determination in an investigation. In publishing such a determination, the administering authority shall report the methods and procedures used to verify such information. If the administering authority is unable to verify the accuracy of the information submitted, it shall use the best information available to it as the basis for its determination, which may include the information submitted in support of the petition.”
heading: Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 103–465 effective, except as otherwise provided, on the date on which the WTO Agreement enters into force with respect to the United States [Jan. 1, 1995], and applicable with respect to investigations, reviews, and inquiries initiated and petitions filed under specified provisions of this chapter after such date, see section 291 of Pub. L. 103–465, set out as a note under section 1671 of this title.
heading: Effective Date of 1988 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 100–418 applicable with respect to investigations initiated after Aug. 23, 1988, and to reviews initiated under section 1673e(c) or 1675 of this title after Aug. 23, 1988, see section 1337(b) of Pub. L. 100–418, set out as a note under section 1671 of this title.
heading: Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 98–573 effective Oct. 30, 1984, see section 626(a) of Pub. L. 98–573, set out as a note under section 1671 of this title.