CSMS #43442636 - Initiation of AD and CVD Investigations: Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh from Mexico

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CSMS #43442636 - Initiation of AD and CVD Investigations: Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh from Mexico

On July 20, 2020, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated its less-than-fair-value and countervailing duty investigations on “Standard Steel Welded Wire Mesh from Mexico” (Initiation Notices). These investigations have been assigned the following case numbers: A-201-853 and C-201-854.

The Scope of Merchandise covered by these investigations reads as follows:

The scope of these investigations cover uncoated standard welded steel reinforcement wire mesh (wire mesh) produced from smooth or deformed wire. Subject wire mesh is produced in square and rectangular grids of uniformly spaced steel wires that are welded at all intersections. Sizes are specified by combining the spacing of the wires in inches or millimeters and the wire cross-sectional area in hundredths of square inch or millimeters squared. Subject wire mesh may be packaged and sold in rolls or in sheets.

Subject wire mesh is currently produced to ASTM specification A1064/A1064M, which covers carbon-steel wire and welded wire reinforcement, smooth and deformed, for concrete in the following seven styles:

1. 6X6 W1.4/W1.4 or D1.4/D1.4

2. 6X6 W2.1/W2.1 or D2.1/D2.1

3. 6X6 W2.9/W2.9 or D2.9/D2.9

4. 6X6 W4/W4 or D4/D4

5. 6X12 W4/W4 or D4/D4

6. 4X4 W2.9/W2.9 or D2.9/D2.9

7. 4X4 W4/W4 or D4/D4

The first number in the style denotes the nominal spacing between the longitudinal wires and the second number denotes the nominal spacing between the transverse wires. In the first style listed above, for example, “6X6” denotes a grid size of six inches by six inches. “W” denotes the use of smooth wire, and “D” denotes the use of deformed wire in making the mesh. The number following the W or D denotes the nominal cross-sectional area of the transverse and longitudinal wires in hundredths of a square inch (i.e., W1.4 or D1.4 is .014 square inches).

Smooth wire is wire that has a uniform cross-sectional diameter throughout the length of the wire.

Deformed wire is wire with indentations or raised transverse ribs, which results in wire that does not have a uniform cross-sectional diameter throughout the length of the wire.

Rolls of subject wire mesh are produced in the following styles and nominal width and length combinations:

Style: 6X6 W1.4/W1.4 or D1.4/D1.4 (i.e., 10 gauge)

Roll Sizes:

5' X 50'

5' X 150'

6' X 150'

5' X 200'

7' X 200'

7.5' X 200'

Style: 6X6 W2.1/W2.1 or D2.1/D2.1 (i.e., 8 gauge)

Roll Sizes: 5' X 150'

Style: 6X6 W2.9/W2.9 or D2.9/D2.9 (i.e., 6 gauge)

Roll Sizes:

5' X 150'

7' X 200'

W/D No.	Maximum Oversteeling No.	Diameter Range (inch)
1.4 (i.e., 10 gauge)	3.4	0.093 to 0.211
2.1 (i.e., 8 gauge)	4.1	0.161 to 0.231
2.9 (i.e., 6 gauge)	4.9	0.189 to 0.253
4.0 (i.e., 4 gauge)	6.0	0.223 to 0.280

To the extent a roll or sheet of welded wire mesh falls within the permissible variations provided above, it is within this scope.

In addition to the tolerances permitted in ASTM specification A1064/A1064M, wire mesh within this scope includes combinations where: A width and/or length combination varies by ± one grid size in any direction, i.e., ± 6 inches in length or width where the wire mesh's grid size is “6X6”; and/or
The center-to-center spacing between individual wires may vary by up to one quarter of an inch from the nominal grid size specified.

Length is measured from the ends of any wire and width is measured between the center-line of end longitudinal wires.

Additionally, although the subject wire mesh typically meets ASTM A1064/A1064M, the failure to include certifications, test reports or other documentation establishing that the product meets this specification does not remove the product from the scope. Wire mesh made to comparable foreign specifications (e.g., DIN, JIS, etc.) or proprietary specifications is included in the scope.

Excluded from the scope is wire mesh that is galvanized (i.e., coated with zinc) or coated with an epoxy coating. In order to be excluded as galvanized, the excluded welded wire mesh must have a zinc coating thickness meeting the requirements of ASTM specification A641/A641M. Epoxy coating is a mix of epoxy resin and hardener that can be applied to the surface of steel wire.

Merchandise subject to these investigations are classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) categories 7314.20.0000 and 7314.39.0000. While HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of these investigations is dispositive.

Requirements For Submitting Comments On The Scope Of The Investigations: Please be sure to comply with all three requirements established below.

Deadline for Submitting Comments:

As announced in the Initiation Notices, Commerce is setting aside a period for interested parties to raise issues regarding product coverage (scope). The period for scope comments is intended to provide Commerce with ample opportunity to consider all comments and to consult with parties prior to the issuance of the preliminary determinations, as appropriate. If scope comments include factual information (see 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21)), all such factual information should be limited to public information. Commerce requests that all such comments be filed by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on August 10, 2020, which is 20 calendar days from the signature date of this notice. Any rebuttal comments, which may include factual information, must be filed by 5:00 p.m. ET on August 20, 2020, which is 10 calendar days after the initial comments deadline. Commerce requests that any factual information the parties consider relevant to the scope of the investigations be submitted during this time period. However, if a party subsequently finds that additional factual information pertaining to the scope of the investigations may be relevant, the party may contact Commerce and request permission to submit the additional information. All such comments must be filed on the records of each of the concurrent AD and CVD investigations identified above.

Required Entry of Appearance:

Parties wishing to participate in this segment and be included on the public service list must file a letter of appearance. Section 351.103(d)(1) of Commerce’s regulations states that “with the exception of a petitioner filing a petition in an investigation, to be included on the public service list for a particular segment, each interested party must file a letter of appearance.” The letter of appearance must be filed separately from any other document (with the exception of an application for APO access). Note, the letter of appearance must state how the party qualifies as an interested party (e.g., an exporter, producer, importer of the subject merchandise) and must include a point of contact, including address, telephone/fax number and email address.

All submissions to Commerce must be filed electronically using Enforcement and Compliance’s Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). An electronically-filed document must be received successfully in its entirety by the time, typically 5 p.m., and date when it is due. Note that Commerce has temporarily modified certain of its requirements for serving documents containing business proprietary information until further notice.[1]

For your convenience, Commerce has the following resources available online to assist you in complying with these electronic filing procedures:

ACCESS: Help Link

https://access.trade.gov/help.aspx

ACCESS: External User Guide https://access.trade.gov/help/ACCESS_User_Guide.pdf

ACCESS: Handbook on Electronic Filing Procedures

https://access.trade.gov/help/Handbook_on_Electronic_Filing_Procedures.pdf

Federal Register notice: Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings: Electronic Filing Procedures; Administrative Protective Order Procedures, 76 FR 39263 (July 6, 2011)

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-07-06/pdf/2011-16352.pdf

Enforcement and Compliance: Change of Electronic Filing System Name, 79 FR 69046 (November 20, 2014)

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-11-20/pdf/2014-27530.pdf

Enforcement and Compliance: General Filing Requirements http://enforcement.trade.gov/filing/index.html

Required Certifications

Please note that certification requirements are in effect for company / government officials as well as their representatives. In all segments of antidumping duty or countervailing duty proceedings, parties submitting factual information must adhere to 19 CFR 351.303(g) regarding the requirement to certify submissions of factual information.

Understanding Critical Circumstances for Antidumping and Countervailing Duties

Critical circumstances is a provision in both the antidumping and countervailing

Duty (AD/CVD) laws that allows for the limited retroactive imposition of duties if certain conditions are met. Importers should be aware that entries of subject merchandise made after the initiation of an AD/CVD investigation may retroactively be subject to AD/CVD.

A finding of critical circumstances is an important tool for Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to offset possible import surges during the early period of an AD/CVD investigation. The petitioner in an AD/CVD investigation may allege critical circumstances during an investigation up to 21 days before the date of Commerce’s final determination. If Commerce makes a determination that critical circumstances exist, it has the statutory authority to order the retroactive suspension of liquidation and posting of a cash deposit for entries made before the issuance of a Preliminary and/or Final AD/CVD determination.

Commerce’s authority to suspend entries retroactively for AD/CVD is limited to those entries made on or after the later of: (1) 90 days before the effective date the suspension of liquidation was first ordered, or (2) the date on which the determination to initiate the investigation is published in the Federal Register. In either case, AD/CVD cash deposits are due on entries subject to critical circumstances determinations.

If, following a preliminary determination by Commerce that critical circumstances exist, both Commerce and the ITC reach a final affirmative determination of dumping or subsidization, but either agency makes a negative final determination of critical circumstances, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to lift suspension from the entries made during the 90-day critical circumstances period and refund cash deposits made with respect to those entries. Interest is not payable on refunds of cash deposits at this stage in the AD/CVD case.

For Further Information Contact:

AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230:

Alice Maldonado or Melissa Kinter at (202) 482-4682 or (202) 482-1413, respectively. (Antidumping Duty Investigation); and

Joshua Tucker or Ian Hamilton at (202) 482-2044 or (202) 482-4798 (Countervailing Duty Investigation).

Determinations related to these proceedings, issued by Commerce and the ITC, will be published in the Federal Register. Parties may also view Commerce’s public AD/CVD instructions to CBP in ACE and “ADD CVD Search” at https://aceservices.cbp.dhs.gov/adcvdweb.

[1] See Temporary Rule Modifying AD/CVD Service Requirements Due to COVID-19; Extension of Effective Period, 85 FR 41363 (July 10, 2020).

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