§ 1671b. Preliminary determinations

(a) Determination by Commission of reasonable indication of injury

(1) General rule

Except in the case of a petition dismissed by the administering authority under section 1671a (c)(3) of this title, the Commission, within the time specified in paragraph (2), shall determine, based on the information available to it at the time of the determination, whether there is a reasonable indication that—

(A) an industry in the United States—

(i) is materially injured, or

(ii) is threatened with material injury, or

(B) the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded,

by reason of imports of the subject merchandise and that imports of the subject merchandise are not negligible. If the Commission finds that imports of the subject merchandise are negligible or otherwise makes a negative determination under this paragraph, the investigation shall be terminated.

(2) Time for Commission determination

The Commission shall make the determination described in paragraph (1)—

(A) in the case of a petition filed under section 1671a (b) of this title—

(i) within 45 days after the date on which the petition is filed, or

(ii) if the time has been extended pursuant to section 1671a (c)(1)(B) of this title, within 25 days after the date on which the Commission receives notice from the administering authority of initiation of the investigation, and

(B) in the case of an investigation initiated under section 1671a (a) of this title, within 45 days after the date on which the Commission receives notice from the administering authority that an investigation has been initiated under such section.

(b) Preliminary determination by administering authority; expedited determinations; waiver of verification

(1) Within 65 days after the date on which the administering authority initiates an investigation under section 1671a (c) of this title, or an investigation is initiated under section 1671a (a) of this title, but not before an affirmative determination by the Commission under subsection (a) of this section, the administering authority shall make a determination, based upon the information available to it at the time of the determination, of whether there is a reasonable basis to believe or suspect that a countervailable subsidy is being provided with respect to the subject merchandise.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), when the petition is one subject to section 1671a (b)(3) of this title, the Administering Authority shall, taking into account the nature of the countervailable subsidy concerned, make the determination required by paragraph (1) on an expedited basis and within 65 days after the date on which the administering authority initiates an investigation under section 1671a (c) of this title unless the provisions of subsection (c) of this section apply.

(3) Within 55 days after the initiation of an investigation the administering authority shall cause an official designated for such purpose to review the information concerning the case received during the first 50 days of the investigation, and, if there appears to be sufficient information available upon which the determination can reasonably be based, to disclose to the petitioner and any interested party, then a party to the proceedings that requests such disclosure, all available nonconfidential information and all other information which is disclosed pursuant to section 1677f of this title. Within 3 days (not counting Saturdays, Sundays, or legal public holidays) after such disclosure, the petitioner and each party which is an interested party described in subparagraph (C), (D), (E), (F), or (G) of section 1677 (9) of this title to whom such disclosure was made may furnish to the administering authority an irrevocable written waiver of verification of the information received by the authority, and an agreement that it is willing to have a determination made on the basis of the record then available to the authority. If a timely waiver and agreement have been received from the petitioner and each party which is an interested party described in subparagraph (C), (D), (E), (F), or (G) of section 1677 (9) of this title to whom the disclosure was made, and the authority finds that sufficient information is then available upon which the preliminary determination can reasonably be based, a preliminary determination shall be made on an expedited basis on the basis of the record established during the first 50 days after the investigation was initiated.

(4) De minimis countervailable subsidy.—

(A) General rule.— In making a determination under this subsection, the administering authority shall disregard any de minimis countervailable subsidy. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a countervailable subsidy is de minimis if the administering authority determines that the aggregate of the net countervailable subsidies is less than 1 percent ad valorem or the equivalent specific rate for the subject merchandise.

(B) Exception for developing countries.— In the case of subject merchandise imported from a Subsidies Agreement country (other than a country to which subparagraph (C) applies) designated by the Trade Representative as a developing country in accordance with section 1677 (36) of this title, a countervailable subsidy is de minimis if the administering authority determines that the aggregate of the net countervailable subsidies does not exceed 2 percent ad valorem or the equivalent specific rate for the subject merchandise.

(C) Certain other developing countries.— In the case of subject merchandise imported from a Subsidies Agreement country that is—

(i) a least developed country, as determined by the Trade Representative in accordance with section 1677 (36) of this title, or

(ii) a developing country with respect to which the Trade Representative has notified the administering authority that the country has eliminated its export subsidies on an expedited basis within the meaning of Article 27.11 of the Subsidies Agreement,

subparagraph (B) shall be applied by substituting “3 percent” for “2 percent”.

(D) Limitations on application of subparagraph (C).—

(i) In general.— In the case of a country described in subparagraph (C)(i), the provisions of subparagraph (C) shall not apply after the date that is 8 years after the date the WTO Agreement enters into force.

(ii) Special rule for subparagraph (C)(ii) countries.—In the case of a country described in subparagraph (C)(ii), the provisions of subparagraph (C) shall not apply after the earlier of—

(I) the date that is 8 years after the date the WTO Agreement enters into force, or

(II) the date on which the Trade Representative notifies the administering authority that such country is providing an export subsidy.

(5) Notification of article 8 violation.— If the only subsidy under investigation is a subsidy with respect to which the administering authority received notice from the Trade Representative of a violation of Article 8 of the Subsidies Agreement, paragraph (1) shall be applied by substituting “60 days” for “65 days”.

(1) In general

If—

(A) the petitioner makes a timely request for an extension of the period within which the determination must be made under subsection (b) of this section, or

(B) the administering authority concludes that the parties concerned are cooperating and determines that—

(i) the case is extraordinarily complicated by reason of—

(I) the number and complexity of the alleged countervailable subsidy practices;

(II) the novelty of the issues presented;

(III) the need to determine the extent to which particular countervailable subsidies are used by individual manufacturers, producers, and exporters; or

(IV) the number of firms whose activities must be investigated; and

(ii) additional time is necessary to make the preliminary determination,

then the administering authority may postpone making the preliminary determination under subsection (b) of this section until not later than the 130th day after the date on which the administering authority initiates an investigation under section 1671a (c) of this title, or an investigation is initiated under section 1671a (a) of this title.

(2) Notice of postponement

The administering authority shall notify the parties to the investigation, not later than 20 days before the date on which the preliminary determination would otherwise be required under subsection (b) of this section, if it intends to postpone making the preliminary determination under paragraph (1). The notification shall include an explanation of the reasons for the postponement. Notice of the postponement shall be published in the Federal Register.

(d) Effect of determination by the administering authority

If the preliminary determination of the administering authority under subsection (b) of this section is affirmative, the administering authority—

(1)

(A) shall—

(i) determine an estimated individual countervailable subsidy rate for each exporter and producer individually investigated, and, in accordance with section 1671d (c)(5) of this title, an estimated all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually investigated and for new exporters and producers within the meaning of section 1675 (a)(2)(B) of this title, or

(ii) if section 1677f–1 (e)(2)(B) of this title applies, determine a single estimated country-wide subsidy rate, applicable to all exporters and producers, and

(B) shall order the posting of a cash deposit, bond, or other security, as the administering authority deems appropriate, for each entry of the subject merchandise in an amount based on the estimated individual countervailable subsidy rate, the estimated all-others rate, or the estimated country-wide subsidy rate, whichever is applicable,

(2) shall order the suspension of liquidation of all entries of merchandise subject to the determination which are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the later of—

(A) the date on which notice of the determination is published in the Federal Register, or

(B) the date that is 60 days after the date on which notice of the determination to initiate the investigation is published in the Federal Register, and

(3) shall make available to the Commission all information upon which its determination was based and which the Commission considers relevant to its injury determination, under such procedures as the administering authority and the Commission may establish to prevent disclosure, other than with the consent of the party providing it or under protective order, of any information to which confidential treatment has been given by the administering authority.

The instructions of the administering authority under paragraphs (1) and (2) may not remain in effect for more than 4 months.

(e) Critical circumstances determinations

(1) In general

If a petitioner alleges critical circumstances in its original petition, or by amendment at any time more than 20 days before the date of a final determination by the administering authority, then the administering authority shall promptly (at any time after the initiation of the investigation under this part) determine, on the basis of the information available to it at that time, whether there is a reasonable basis to believe or suspect that—

(A) the alleged countervailable subsidy is inconsistent with the Subsidies Agreement, and

(B) there have been massive imports of the subject merchandise over a relatively short period.

(2) Suspension of liquidation

If the determination of the administering authority under paragraph (1) is affirmative, then any suspension of liquidation ordered under subsection (d)(2) of this section shall apply, or, if notice of such suspension of liquidation is already published, be amended to apply, to unliquidated entries of merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the later of—

(A) the date which is 90 days before the date on which the suspension of liquidation was first ordered, or

(B) the date on which notice of the determination to initiate the investigation is published in the Federal Register.

(f) Notice of determination

Whenever the Commission or the administering authority makes a determination under this section, the Commission or the administering authority, as the case may be, shall notify the petitioner, and other parties to the investigation, and the Commission or the administering authority (whichever is appropriate) of its determination. The administering authority shall include with such notification the facts and conclusions on which its determination is based. Not later than 5 days after the date on which the determination is required to be made under subsection (a)(2) of this section, the Commission shall transmit to the administering authority the facts and conclusions on which its determination is based.

(g) Time period where upstream subsidization is involved

(1) In general

Whenever the administering authority concludes prior to a preliminary determination under subsection (b) of this section, that there is a reasonable basis to believe or suspect that an upstream subsidy is being bestowed, the time period within which a preliminary determination must be made shall be extended to 250 days after the filing of a petition under section 1671a (b) of this title or initiation of an investigation under section 1671a (a) of this title (310 days in cases declared extraordinarily complicated under subsection (c) of this section), if the administering authority concludes that such additional time is necessary to make the required determination concerning upstream subsidization.

(2) Exceptions

Whenever the administering authority concludes, after a preliminary determination under subsection (b) of this section, that there is a reasonable basis to believe or suspect that an upstream subsidy is being bestowed—

(A) in cases in which the preliminary determination was negative, the time period within which a final determination must be made shall be extended to 165 or 225 days, as appropriate, under section 1671d (a)(1) of this title; or

(B) in cases in which the preliminary determination is affirmative, the determination concerning upstream subsidization—

(i) need not be made until the conclusion of the first annual review under section 1675 of this title of any eventual Countervailing Duty Order, or, at the option of the petitioner, or

(ii) will be made in the investigation and the time period within which a final determination must be made shall be extended to 165 or 225 days, as appropriate, under section 1671d (a)(1) of this title, as appropriate,^[1] except that the suspension of liquidation ordered in the preliminary determination shall terminate at the end of 120 days from the date of publication of that determination and not be resumed unless and until the publication of a Countervailing Duty Order under section 1671e (a) of this title.

There may be an extension of time for the making of a final determination under this subsection only if the administering authority determines that such additional time is necessary to make the required determination concerning upstream subsidization.

[1] So in original. The words “as appropriate,” probably should not appear.

U.S. Code

§ 1671b. Preliminary determinations