White Grape Juice Concentrate From Argentina: Suspension of Antidumping Duty Investigation, 17808-17813 [2023-06123]
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17808
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 57 / Friday, March 24, 2023 / Notices
Commerce postpone the preliminary
CVD determination.2 The petitioners
stated that additional time is needed to
collect the necessary information for the
preliminary determination.3
In accordance with 19 CFR
351.205(e), the petitioners have stated
the reasons for requesting a
postponement of the preliminary
determination, and Commerce finds no
compelling reason to deny the request.
Therefore, in accordance with section
703(c)(1)(A) of the Act, Commerce is
postponing the deadline for the
preliminary determination to no later
than 130 days after the date on which
this investigation was initiated, i.e.,
June 20, 2023.4 Pursuant to section
705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.210(b)(1), the deadline for the final
determination of this investigation will
continue to be 75 days after the date of
the preliminary determination.
This notice is issued and published
pursuant to section 703(c)(2) of the Act
and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).
Dated: March 20, 2023.
Lisa W. Wang,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2023–06114 Filed 3–23–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A–357–825]
White Grape Juice Concentrate From
Argentina: Suspension of Antidumping
Duty Investigation
Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of
Commerce (Commerce) has suspended
the antidumping duty investigation on
white grape juice concentrate (WGJC)
from Argentina. The basis for this action
is an agreement between Commerce and
AGENCY:
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2 See
Petitioners’ Letter, ‘‘Petitioner’s Request for
Extension of Preliminary Determination Deadline,’’
dated March 17, 2023. The petitioners are
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and the United Steel, Paper
and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy,
Allied Industrial and Service Workers International
Union.
3 Id.
4 Postponing the preliminary determination to
130 days after initiation would place the deadline
on Saturday, June 17, 2023, and the following
Monday, June 19, 2023 is a Federal holiday.
Commerce’s practice dictates that where a deadline
falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the
appropriate deadline is the next business day. See
Notice of Clarification: Application of ‘‘Next
Business Day’’ Rule for Administrative
Determination Deadlines Pursuant to the Tariff Act
of 1930, As Amended, 70 FR 24533 (May 10, 2005).
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signatory producers/exporters
accounting for substantially all imports
of WGJC from Argentina, wherein each
signatory producer/exporter has agreed
to revise its prices to eliminate
completely the injurious effects of
exports of the subject merchandise to
the United States.
DATES: Applicable March 17, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sally C. Gannon or David Cordell,
Bilateral Agreements Unit, Enforcement
and Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone:
(202) 482–0162 or (202) 482–0408,
respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On April 20, 2022, Commerce
initiated an antidumping duty
investigation under section 732 of the
Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act),
to determine whether imports of WGCJ
from Argentina are being, or are likely
to be, sold in the United States at less
than fair value (LTFV).1 On May 16,
2022, the U.S. International Trade
Commission (ITC) notified Commerce of
its affirmative preliminary injury
determination. On November 3, 2022,
Commerce preliminarily determined
that WGCJ from Argentina is being, or
is likely to be, sold in the United States
at LTFV, as provided in section 733 of
the Act, and postponed the final
determination in the investigation until
no later than 135 days after the date of
publication of the Preliminary
Determination in the Federal Register.2
On December 21, 2022, Commerce
issued a letter that formally opened
consultations with Federacio´n de
Cooperativas Vitivinicolas Argentinas
Coop. Ltda (Fecovita) and any other
producers/exporters of WGJC from
Argentina with respect to a possible
antidumping duty suspension
agreement under section 734(c) of the
Act.3 Since that time, Commerce has
continued to negotiate with
representatives of the Argentine
producers/exporters and, in parallel, has
1 See White Grape Juice Concentrate from
Argentina: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value
Investigation, 87 FR 24934 (April 27, 2022).
2 See White Grape Juice Concentrate from
Argentina: Preliminary Affirmative Determination
of Sales at Less Than Fair Value, Postponement of
Final Determination, and Extension of Provisional
Measures, 87 FR 66269 (November 3, 2022)
(Preliminary Determination).
3 See Commerce’s Letter, ‘‘Consultations on
Potential Agreement Suspending the Antidumping
Duty (AD) Investigation on White Grape Juice
Concentrate from Argentina,’’ dated December 21,
2022.
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continually consulted with the
petitioner, Delano Growers Grape
Products.
On February 13, 2023, Commerce and
representatives of certain producers/
exporters initialed a proposed
agreement to suspend the antidumping
duty investigation on WGJC from
Argentina. Consistent with section
734(e) of the Act, Commerce notified the
petitioner and the other parties, released
the initialed draft agreement to the
interested parties, and invited interested
parties to provide written comments on
the draft suspension agreement by no
later than the close of business on
March 13, 2023.4 Consistent with
734(e)(1) of the Act, Commerce
consulted with the petitioner
concerning its intention to suspend the
antidumping duty investigation on
WGJC from Argentina. Commerce also
notified the ITC of the proposed
agreement,5 consistent with 734(e)(1) of
the Act, and released a draft statutory
memorandum explaining how the
agreement will be implemented and
enforced, and how the agreement will
meet the applicable statutory
requirements, consistent with section
734(e)(2) of the Act.6 Commerce
received comments from the petitioner
and the mandatory respondents,
Fecovita and Cepas Argentinas S.A.
(Cepas), by the March 13, 2023,
deadline.7
On March 17, 2023, Commerce and
representatives of the signatory
producers/exporters accounting for
substantially all imports of WGJC from
Argentina signed the Agreement
Suspending the Antidumping Duty
Investigation on White Grape Juice
Concentrate from Argentina (AD
Agreement), attached hereto.
Scope of Agreement
See Section I, Product Coverage, of
the AD Agreement.
4 See Commerce’s Letter, ‘‘Draft Agreement
Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation on
White Grape Juice Concentrate from Argentina,’’
dated February 13, 2023.
5 See Commerce’s Letter, ‘‘Initialed Draft
Suspension Agreements,’’ dated February 14, 2023.
6 See Commerce’s Letter, ‘‘Draft Agreement
Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation on
White Grape Juice Concentrate from Argentina:
Assessment of Statutory Requirements
Memorandum,’’ dated February 14, 2023.
7 See Petitioner’s Letter, ‘‘Comments in support of
the Suspension Agreements in the Anti-dumping
and Countervailing duty of White Grape Juice
Concentrate (WGJC) from Argentina,’’ dated March
13, 2023; see also Cepas and Fecovita’s Letter,
‘‘Comments on Draft Suspension Agreements on
Behalf of Exporters of White Grape Juice
Concentrate from Argentina,’’ dated March 13,
2023.
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Suspension of Investigation
Commerce consulted with the
Argentine WGJC producers/exporters
and the petitioner and has considered
the comments submitted by interested
parties with respect to the draft
suspension agreement. In accordance
with section 734(c) of the Act, we have
determined that extraordinary
circumstances are present in this case,
as defined by section 734(c)(2) of the
Act.
The AD Agreement provides that, in
accordance with 734(c)(1) of the Act, the
subject merchandise will be sold at or
above the established reference price
and, for each entry of each exporter, the
amount by which the estimated normal
value exceeds the export price (or the
constructed export price) will not
exceed 15 percent of the weightedaverage amount by which the estimated
normal value exceeded the export price
(or the constructed export price) for all
less-than-fair-value entries of the
producer/exporter examined during the
course of the investigation. We have
determined that the AD Agreement will
eliminate completely the injurious effect
of exports to the United States of the
subject merchandise and prevent the
suppression or undercutting of price
levels of domestic WGJC by imports of
that merchandise from Argentina, as
required by section 734(c)(1) of the Act.
We have also determined that the AD
Agreement is in the public interest and
can be monitored effectively, as
required under section 734(d) of the
Act.
For the reasons outlined above, we
find that the AD Agreement meets the
criteria of section 734(c) and (d) of the
Act.
The AD Agreement, signed March 17,
2023, is attached to this notice.
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International Trade Commission
In accordance with section 734(f) of
the Act, Commerce has notified the ITC
of the AD Agreement.
Suspension of Liquidation
The suspension of liquidation ordered
in the Preliminary Determination shall
continue to be in effect, subject to
section 734(h)(3) of the Act.8 Section
734(f)(2)(B) of the Act provides that
Commerce may adjust the security
required to reflect the effect of the AD
Agreement. Commerce has found that
the AD Agreement eliminates
completely the injurious effects of
imports and, thus, Commerce is
adjusting the security required from
signatory producers/exporters to zero.
The security rates in effect for imports
8 See
Preliminary Determination, 87 FR at 66271.
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from any non-signatory producers/
exporters remain as published in the
Preliminary Determination. If there is no
request for review of suspension under
section 734(h) of the Act, or if the ITC
conducts such a review and finds that
the injurious effect of imports of the
subject merchandise is eliminated
completely by the AD Agreement,
Commerce will terminate the
suspension of liquidation of all entries
of WGJC from Argentina and refund any
cash deposits collected on entries of
WGJC from Argentina consistent with
section 734(h)(3) of the Act.
Notwithstanding the AD Agreement,
Commerce will continue the
investigation if it receives such a request
within 20 days after the date of
publication of this notice in the Federal
Register, in accordance with section
734(g) of the Act. Pursuant to Section III
of the AD Agreement, if Argentine
producers/exporters accounting for a
significant proportion of exports of
WGJC from Argentina request
continuation of the antidumping duty
investigation, Commerce retains the
right to modify or terminate this AD
Agreement. Commerce may also modify
or terminate the AD Agreement if the
Government of Argentina requests
continuation of the countervailing duty
investigation on WGJC from Argentina.
Administrative Protective Order Access
The Administrative Protective Order
(APO) Commerce granted in the
investigation segment of this proceeding
remains in place. While the
investigation is suspended, parties
subject to the APO may retain, but may
not use, information received under that
APO. All parties wishing access to
business proprietary information
submitted during the administration of
the AD Agreement must submit new
APO applications in accordance with
Commerce’s regulations currently in
effect.9 An APO for the administration
of the AD Agreement will be placed on
the record within five days of the date
of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register.
We are issuing and publishing this
notice in accordance with section
734(f)(1)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.208(g)(2).
9 See section 777(c)(1) of the Act; see also 19 CFR
351.103, 351.304, 351.305, and 351.306.
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17809
Dated: March 17, 2023.
Lisa W. Wang,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance.
Agreement Suspending the
Antidumping Duty Investigation on
White Grape Juice Concentrate From
Argentina
Pursuant to the requirements of
section 734(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930,
as amended (the Act) and 19 CFR
351.208, and in satisfaction of the
requirements of those provisions, the
U.S. Department of Commerce
(Commerce) and the signatory producers
and exporters of White Grape Juice
Concentrate (WGJC) from Argentina
(collectively, the Signatories) enter into
this agreement suspending the
antidumping duty investigation on
WGJC from Argentina (AD Agreement).
I. Product Coverage
The merchandise covered by this AD
Agreement is WGJC with a Brix level of
65 to 68, whether in frozen or nonfrozen forms. WGJC is concentrated
grape juice produced from grapes of the
Vitis vinifera L. species with a white
flesh, including fresh market table
grapes and raisin grapes (e.g.,
Thompson Seedless), as well as several
varietals of wine grapes (e.g.,
Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon
Blanc, Colombard, etc.). The scope of
this AD Agreement covers WGJC
regardless of whether it has been
certified as kosher, organic, or organic
kosher. The WGJC subject to this AD
Agreement consists of 100 percent grape
juice with no other types of juice
intermixed and no additional sugars or
additives included. The scope does not
cover WGJC produced from grapes of
the Vitis labrusca species (e.g., Niagara).
The products covered by this AD
Agreement are currently classified
under the following Harmonized Tariff
Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)
subheadings: 2009.69.0040 and
2009.69.0060. The HTSUS subheadings
and specifications are provided for
convenience and customs purposes; the
written description of the scope is
dispositive.
II. Definitions
For purposes of the AD Agreement,
the following definitions apply:
A. ‘‘Adjustment Mechanism’’ is the
means by which the Reference Price(s)
may change as described in Appendix I.
B. ‘‘Anniversary Month’’ means the
month in which the AD Agreement
becomes effective.
C. ‘‘Argentina’’ means the customs
territory of Argentina and foreign trade
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zones located within the territory of
Argentina.
D. ‘‘Consignment Sales’’ means
arrangements in which a seller
(‘‘consignor’’) exports goods to an entity
(‘‘consignee’’) in the United States,
which takes custody and holds the
goods without taking title to the goods.
The consignee then either purchases the
goods or sells the goods to a third party.
The sale is considered to occur at the
time at which the purchase (either by
the consignee or the third party) occurs.
The goods are not sold to the consignee
or to the third-party buyer until after
importation into the United States.
E. ‘‘Date of Export’’ means the date on
which the product is exported from
Argentina to the United States.
F. ‘‘Effective Date’’ means the date on
which Commerce and the Signatories
sign the AD Agreement.
G. Quarter—means the relevant
calendar quarter, consistent with the
following schedule:
Æ First Quarter—April 1–June 30
Æ Second Quarter—July 1–September
30
Æ Third Quarter—October 1–December
31
Æ Fourth Quarter—January 1–March 31
H. ‘‘Interested Party’’ means any
person or entity that meets the
definitions provided in section 771(9) of
the Act.
I. ‘‘Reference Price’’ means the
minimum price at which merchandise
subject to this AD Agreement can be
sold in the United States.
J. ‘‘Substantially all’’ of the subject
merchandise means not less than 85
percent by value or volume.
K. ‘‘United States’’ means the customs
territory of the United States of America
(the 50 States, the District of Columbia,
and Puerto Rico) and foreign trade zones
located within the territory of the
United States.
L. ‘‘Violation’’ means noncompliance
with the terms of the AD Agreement,
whether through an act or omission,
except for noncompliance that is
inconsequential or inadvertent and does
not materially frustrate the purposes of
the AD Agreement.
M. ‘‘White Grape Juice Concentrate,’’
or ‘‘WGJC,’’ means the product
described in Section I, ‘‘Product
Coverage,’’ of the AD Agreement.
Any term or phrase not defined by
this section shall be defined using either
a definition provided in the Act for that
term or phrase, or the plain meaning of
that term, as appropriate.
CFR 351.208, Commerce will suspend
its antidumping duty investigation on
WGJC from Argentina initiated on April
20, 2022, subject to the terms and
provisions set out below.10
The Argentine producers/exporters of
WGJC from Argentina and the
Government of Argentina have
indicated they will not exercise the right
to request continuation of the
antidumping duty or countervailing
duty investigations, respectively, on
WGJC from Argentina. If Argentine
producers/exporters accounting for a
significant proportion of exports of
WGJC from Argentina request
continuation of the antidumping duty
investigation, Commerce retains the
right to modify or terminate this AD
Agreement. Commerce may also modify
or terminate the AD Agreement if the
Government of Argentina requests
continuation of the countervailing duty
investigation on WGJC from Argentina.
IV. U.S. Import Coverage
In accordance with section 734(c)(1)
of the Act, the Signatories are the
producers and exporters in Argentina
which account for substantially all of
the subject merchandise imported into
the United States, within the meaning of
19 CFR 351.208(c). Commerce may at
any time during the period of the AD
Agreement require additional
producers/exporters in Argentina to
accede to the AD Agreement to ensure
that not less than substantially all
imports into the United States are
subject to this AD Agreement.
V. Statutory Conditions for the AD
Agreement
In accordance with section 734(c)(2)
of the Act, Commerce has determined
that extraordinary circumstances are
present in this investigation because the
suspension of the investigation will be
more beneficial to the domestic industry
than the continuation of the
investigation and the investigation is
complex.
In accordance with section 734(d) of
the Act, Commerce has determined that
the suspension of the investigation is in
the public interest and that effective
monitoring of the AD Agreement by the
United States is practicable. Section
734(a)(2)(B) of the Act provides that the
public interest includes the relative
impact on consumer prices and the
availability of supplies of the
merchandise, the relative impact on the
international economic interests of the
United States, and the relative impact
III. Suspension of Investigation
As of the Effective Date, in accordance
with section 734(c) of the Act and 19
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10 See White Grape Juice Concentrate from
Argentina: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value
Investigation, 87 FR 24934 (April 27, 2022).
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on the competitiveness of the domestic
industry producing the like
merchandise, including any such
impact on employment and investment
in that industry. Accordingly, if a
domestic producer requests an
administrative review of the status of,
and compliance with, the AD
Agreement, Commerce will take these
factors into account in conducting that
review. If Commerce finds that the AD
Agreement is not working as intended
in this regard, Commerce will explore
all appropriate measures, including
renegotiation of the terms of the AD
Agreement to resolve the problem or
measures under section 751(d)(1) of the
Act.
VI. Price Undertaking
Each Signatory individually agrees
that, to prevent price suppression or
undercutting, it will not sell in the
United States, on or after the Effective
Date, WGJC at prices that are less than
the Reference Prices, as established in
Appendix I.
Each Signatory individually agrees
that for each entry the amount by which
the estimated normal value exceeds the
export price (or the constructed export
price) will not exceed 15 percent of the
weighted-average amount by which the
estimated normal value exceeded the
export price (or constructed export
price) for all less-than-fair-value entries
of the producer/exporter examined
during the course of the investigation, in
accordance with the Act and
Commerce’s regulations and procedures,
including but not limited to the
calculation methodologies described in
Appendix II.
VII. Monitoring of the AD Agreement
A. Import Monitoring
1. Commerce will monitor entries of
WGJC from Argentina to ensure
compliance with Section VI of this AD
Agreement.
2. Commerce will review publicly
available data and other official import
data, including, as appropriate, records
maintained by U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP), to determine whether
there have been imports that are
inconsistent with the provisions of this
AD Agreement.
B. Compliance Monitoring
1. Commerce may require, and each
Signatory agrees to provide
confirmation through documentation
provided to Commerce, that the price
received on any sale subject to this AD
Agreement was not less than the
established Reference Prices. Commerce
may require that such documentation be
provided and be subject to verification.
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2. Commerce may require, and each
Signatory agrees to report in the
prescribed format and using the
prescribed method of data compilation,
each sale of WGJC, either directly or
indirectly to unrelated purchasers in the
United States, including each
adjustment applicable to each sale, as
specified by Commerce. The
information to be reported may include,
for example, sales value (Ex Works),
unit price, invoice price, date of sale,
sales order number(s), importer of
record, trading company, customer,
customer relationship, destination, as
well as any other information deemed
by Commerce to be relevant. Each
Signatory agrees to permit review and
on-site inspection of all information
deemed necessary by Commerce to
verify the reported information.
3. Commerce may initiate
administrative reviews under section
751(a) of the Act in the month
immediately following the Anniversary
Month, upon request or upon its own
initiative, to ensure that exports of
WGJC from Argentina satisfy the
requirements of sections 734(c)(1)(A)
and (B) of the Act. Commerce may
conduct administrative reviews under
sections 751(b) and (c) of the Act, and
reviews regarding prevention of
circumvention under section 781 of the
Act, as appropriate. Commerce may
perform verifications pursuant to
administrative reviews conducted under
section 751 of the Act.
4. At any time it deems appropriate,
and without prior notice, Commerce
will conduct verifications of persons or
entities handling Signatory merchandise
to determine whether they are selling
Signatory merchandise in accordance
with the terms of this AD Agreement.
Commerce will also conduct
verifications at locations and times it
deems appropriate to ensure compliance
with the terms of this AD Agreement.
C. Shipping and Other Arrangements
1. The Reference Prices are expressed
in U.S. Dollars ($) per Gallon, for WGJC
from Argentina, in accordance with
Appendix I. All Reference Prices are on
the basis of Ex Works Argentina (i.e.,
from the Argentine production facility,
packed for shipment to the United
States) (for example, Ex Works Mendoza
or Ex Works San Juan, Argentina). The
Reference Prices include all expenses
for WGJC incurred prior to shipment
from the Argentine production facility.
In accordance with the terms of sale, the
final sales price to the first unaffiliated
U.S. customer for all WGJC from
Argentina exported directly, or
indirectly through a third country, to
the United States shall include all
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relevant movement and handling
expenses beyond the point of departure
from the Argentine production facility
and in excess of the Reference Price, i.e.,
the Ex Works Argentina price. The
Reference Prices may be adjusted by
means of the Adjustment Mechanism
described in Appendix I.
2. Signatories agree not to sell WGJC
from Argentina in the United States by
means of Consignment Sales, as defined
in Section II.D.
3. Signatories agree not to take any
action that would circumvent or
otherwise evade, or defeat the purpose
of, this AD Agreement.11 Signatories
agree to undertake any measures that
will help to prevent circumvention.
4. Not later than 30 days after the end
of each Quarter, each Signatory will
submit a written statement to Commerce
certifying that all sales during the most
recently completed Quarter were at net
prices, after rebates, discounts, or other
adjustments, at or above the Reference
Prices in effect and were not part of or
related to any act or practice which
would have the effect of hiding the real
price of the WGJC being sold. Further,
each Signatory will certify in this same
statement that all sales made during the
relevant Quarter were not part of or
related to any bundling arrangement,
discounts/free goods/financing package,
swap or other exchange where such
arrangement is designed to circumvent
the basis of the AD Agreement. Each
Signatory will also include the quantity
and value of sales and, separately, of
shipments during the most recently
completed Quarter. Each Signatory that
did not export WGJC to the United
States during any given Quarter will
submit a written statement to Commerce
certifying that it made no sales to the
United States during the most recently
completed Quarter. Each Signatory
agrees to permit full verification of its
certification as Commerce deems
necessary. Failure to provide a quarterly
certification may be considered a
Violation of the AD Agreement.
D. Rejection of Submissions
Commerce may reject: (1) any
information submitted after the
deadlines set forth in this AD
Agreement; (2) any submission that does
not comply with the filing, format,
translation, service, and certification of
documents requirements under 19 CFR
351.303; (3) submissions that do not
comply with the procedures for
establishing business proprietary
11 Signatories agree that shipping to the United
States WGJC from Argentina with a Brix level from
over 68 up to and including 70 could constitute
circumvention of this AD Agreement.
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17811
treatment under 19 CFR 351.304; and (4)
submissions that do not comply with
any other applicable regulations, as
appropriate. If information is not
submitted in a complete and timely
fashion or is not fully verifiable,
Commerce may use facts otherwise
available for the basis of its decision, as
it determines appropriate, consistent
with section 776 of the Act.
E. Consultations
1. Compliance Consultations
a. When Commerce identifies,
through import or compliance
monitoring or otherwise, that sales may
have been made at prices inconsistent
with Section VI of this AD Agreement,
or that the sales are otherwise in
circumvention of this AD Agreement,
Commerce will notify each Signatory
which it believes is responsible or, if
applicable, notify the Signatory’s
representative. Commerce will consult
with each such party for a period of up
to 60 days to establish a factual basis
regarding sales that may be inconsistent
with Section VI of this AD Agreement.
b. During the consultation period,
Commerce will examine any
information that it develops or which is
submitted, including information
requested by Commerce under any
provision of this AD Agreement.
c. If Commerce is not satisfied at the
conclusion of the consultation period
that sales by such Signatory are being
made in compliance with Section VI of
this AD Agreement, or that the sales are
not circumventing this AD Agreement,
Commerce may evaluate under section
351.209 of its regulations, or section 751
of the Act, whether this AD Agreement
is being violated, as defined in Sections
II.L and VIII of this AD Agreement, by
such Signatory.
d. These compliance consultation
provisions do not limit Commerce’s
ability to make an immediate
determination under section 351.209(b)
of its regulations when it determines
that a Signatory has violated the AD
Agreement.
If Commerce concludes that sales by
a Signatory have been made at prices
inconsistent with Section VI of this AD
Agreement, or that sales are
circumventing the AD Agreement,
Commerce shall take action, as
warranted. The provisions of this
section do not supersede the provisions
of paragraphs VIII.A–VIII.C if Commerce
determines that the entries were made at
prices inconsistent with Section VI of
this AD Agreement.
2. Operations Consultations
Commerce will consult with the
Signatories regarding the operation of
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this AD Agreement. Commerce or the
Signatories, collectively, may request
such consultations at any time, except
for consultations to revise the Reference
Prices which must be requested in
accordance with the ‘‘Adjustment
Mechanism’’ described in Appendix I.
VIII. Violations of the AD Agreement
A. If Commerce determines that a
Violation of the AD Agreement has
occurred or that the AD Agreement no
longer meets the requirements of section
734(c) or (d) of the Act, Commerce shall
take action it determines appropriate
under section 734(i) of the Act and
section 351.209 of Commerce’s
regulations.
B. Pursuant to section 734(i) of the
Act, Commerce will refer to CBP any
Violations of the AD Agreement that
appear to be intentional. Any person
who intentionally commits a Violation
of the AD Agreement shall be subject to
a civil penalty assessed in the same
amount, in the same manner, and under
the same procedures as the penalty
imposed for a fraudulent violation of
section 592(a) of the Act. A fraudulent
violation of section 592(a) of the Act is
punishable by a civil penalty in an
amount not to exceed the domestic
value of the merchandise. For purposes
of the AD Agreement, the domestic
value of the merchandise will be
deemed to be not less than the
Reference Prices, as the Signatories
agree to not sell the subject merchandise
at prices that are less than the Reference
Prices and to ensure that sales of the
subject merchandise are made
consistent with the terms of the AD
Agreement, including Section VI.
C. In addition, Commerce will
examine the activities of Signatories and
any other party to a sale subject to the
AD Agreement to determine whether
any activities conducted by any party
aided or abetted another party’s
Violation of the AD Agreement. If any
such parties are found to have aided or
abetted another party’s Violation of the
AD Agreement, they shall be subject to
the same civil penalties described in
Section VIII.B above. Signatories to this
AD Agreement consent to release of all
information presented to or obtained by
Commerce during the conduct of
verifications to CBP.
D. Examples of activities which
Commerce may deem to be Violations of
the AD Agreement include:
1. Sales that are at net prices (after
rebates, back-billing, discounts, and
other claims) that are below the
Reference Prices.
2. Any act or practice which would
have the effect of hiding the real price
of the WGJC being sold.
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19:18 Mar 23, 2023
Jkt 259001
3. Any other material violation or
breach, as determined by Commerce.
IX. Disclosure and Comment
This section provides the terms for
disclosure and comment following
consultations or during segments of the
proceeding not involving a review
under section 751 of the Act.
A. Commerce may make available to
representatives of each Interested Party,
pursuant to and consistent with 19 CFR
351.304–351.306, any business
proprietary information submitted to
and/or collected by Commerce pursuant
to Section VII of this AD Agreement, as
well as the results of Commerce’s
analysis of that information.
B. If Commerce proposes to revise the
Reference Price(s) as a result of
consultations under Section VII.E.2,
Commerce shall provide disclosures
pursuant to the Adjustment Mechanism
in Appendix I of this AD Agreement.
C. The Signatories and any other
Interested Party shall file all
communications and other submissions
via Commerce’s Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Centralized
Electronic Service System (ACCESS),
which is available to registered users at
https://access.trade.gov and to all
parties at the following address: U.S.
Department of Commerce, Central
Records Unit, Room B8024, 1401
Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC
20230.
Such communications and
submissions shall be filed consistent
with the requirements provided in 19
CFR 351.303.
X. Duration of the AD Agreement
A. This AD Agreement has no
scheduled termination date.
Termination of the suspended
investigation shall be considered in
accordance with the five-year review
provisions of section 751(c) of the Act,
and section 351.218 of Commerce’s
regulations.
B. An individual Signatory may
withdraw from this AD Agreement at
any time. The Signatory’s withdrawal
shall be effective no later than 60 days
after the date written notice of
withdrawal is provided to Commerce.
C. Commerce or the Signatories,
collectively, may withdraw from this
AD Agreement at any time. Termination
of the AD Agreement shall be effective
no later than 60 days after the date the
written notice of withdrawal is provided
to the Signatories or Commerce,
respectively.
D. Upon termination of the AD
Agreement, Commerce shall follow the
procedures outlined in section 734(i)(1)
of the Act.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
XI. Other Provisions
A. Upon request, Commerce will
advise any Signatory of Commerce’s
methodology for calculating its export
price (or constructed export price) and
normal value in accordance with the
Act and Commerce’s regulations and
procedures, including but not limited
to, the calculation methodologies
described in Appendix II of this AD
Agreement.
B. By entering into the AD Agreement,
the Signatories do not admit that
exports of WGJC from Argentina are
having or have had an injurious effect
on WGJC producers in the United
States, have caused the suppression or
undercutting of price, or have been sold
at less than fair value.
C. As of the Effective Date, Commerce
shall instruct CBP to refund any cash
deposits collected as a result of the
antidumping duty investigation on
WGJC from Argentina. Commerce shall
instruct CBP to terminate the
suspension of liquidation consistent
with section 734(f)(2)(B) of the Act.
For the U.S. Department of Commerce:
Ryan Majerus llllllllllll
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy &
Negotiations
Enforcement and Compliance
March 17, 2023
Date
For the Argentine Signatory Producers
and Exporters:
The following parties hereby certify
that the following producers/exporters
of WGJC from Argentina, which have
authorized the undersigned to sign this
AD Agreement on their behalf, agree to
abide by all terms of the AD Agreement:
David Townsend llllllllll
Counsel for Allub Hermanos S.R.L.;
Cepas Argentinas S.A.; Enav S.A.;
Jugos Australes S.A.; Jugos Y Vinos
Andinos S.A.; Juviar S.A.; Mosto Mat
S.A.; Recoleto S.A.; and Vin˜a
Montpellier S.A.
March 17, 2023
Date
Gregory J. Spak lllllllllll
Counsel for Federacio´n de Cooperativas
Vitivinı´colas Argentinas Coop. Ltda
March 17, 2023
Date
Appendix I—Agreement Suspending
the Antidumping Duty Investigation on
White Grape Juice Concentrate From
Argentina—Reference Prices
Consistent with the requirements of section
734(c) of the Act, to eliminate completely the
injurious effect of exports to the United
States and to prevent the suppression or
undercutting of price levels of domestic
WGJC, the Reference Prices are as follows:
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The Ex Works Argentina (i.e., from the
Argentine production facility, packed for
shipment to the United States) Reference
Prices for WGJC are:
• U.S. $7.40 per gallon for Standard
WGJC; 12
• U.S. $8.40 per gallon for Organic
Standard WGJC;
• U.S. $9.40 per gallon for Kosher WGJC;
and
• U.S. $11.40 per gallon for Organic
Kosher WGJC.
The Reference Prices include all expenses
incurred prior to shipment from the
Argentine production facility. In accordance
with the terms of sale, the final sales price
to the first unaffiliated U.S. customer for all
WGJC from Argentina exported directly, or
indirectly through a third country, to the
United States shall include all relevant
movement and handling expenses beyond
the point of departure from the Argentine
production facility (e.g., in Mendoza or San
Juan, Argentina) and in excess of the
Reference Prices, i.e., the Ex Works,
Argentina, price.
The parties agree to the following formulae
for the conversions between metric tons and
gallons:
→ 1 metric ton (MT) of 65–68 Brix WGJC =
198 gallons
→ 1 gallon of 65–68 Brix WGJC = 0.00505
MT
Additional product types within the scope
of the merchandise covered by this AD
Agreement (see Section I, ‘‘Product
Coverage’’) may be added to the AD
Agreement. Signatories may request that
Commerce add a new product type and
corresponding Reference Price by filing a
written public request on the official record
of the AD Agreement. Within 10 days of the
filing of the request, interested parties may
comment on the requested product type,
including whether the product type is within
the scope of the merchandise covered by this
AD Agreement and the appropriate Reference
Price that should apply to the new product
type. Commerce will consider such requests
for new product types and issue a
determination in a timely manner.
Additional product types and the
corresponding Reference Prices would apply
to U.S. sales of all Signatories going forward.
lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Adjustment Mechanism
The Reference Price(s) may be adjusted via
the following mechanism:
Consultations on revisions to the Reference
Prices may only occur after March 31, 2024,
and pursuant to Operations Consultations
requested by Commerce or the Signatories,
collectively, under Section VII.E.2. Further,
such consultations may be requested only if
exports of WGJC from Argentina to the
United States are equal to 100 percent of the
Export Limit 13 by the end of March in the
12 The Reference Price for Standard WGJC shall
apply also to WGJC sold as ‘‘de-ionized,’’ provided
that the de-ionized WGJC does not qualify as either
Organic or Kosher. In the latter cases, the Reference
Price applicable to the relevant qualification
(Organic or Kosher) applies.
13 ‘‘Export Limit’’ is defined in Section II.G of the
Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty
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19:18 Mar 23, 2023
Jkt 259001
Annual Export Limit Period,14 as reported by
the Government of Argentina to Commerce
60 days following the end of March.15 If
requested, such consultations shall be
completed within 10 days, followed by
Commerce’s disclosure of any preliminary
revised Reference Prices and any relevant
calculation methodology to interested
parties, with an opportunity to comment
provided thereafter. Commerce will normally
issue any final revised Reference Prices
within 30 days of a request for consultations.
However, if needed and with good cause,
Commerce may extend these consultation
deadlines.
If any extenuating circumstances occur in
the U.S. market for WGJC, Commerce may, at
its discretion, request consultations on
revisions to the Reference Prices at any time
pursuant to Section VII.E.2.
Appendix II—Agreement Suspending
the Antidumping Duty Investigation on
White Grape Juice Concentrate From
Argentina—Analysis of Prices at Less
Than Fair Value
A. Normal Value
The cost or price information reported to
Commerce that will form the basis of the
normal value (NV) calculations for purposes
of the AD Agreement must be comprehensive
in nature and based on a reliable accounting
system (e.g., a system based on wellestablished standards and can be tied either
to the audited financial statements or to the
tax return filed with the Argentine
government).
1. Based on Sales Prices in the Comparison
Market 16
When Commerce bases NV on sales prices,
such prices will be the prices at which the
foreign like product is first sold for
consumption in the comparison market in
the usual commercial quantities and in the
ordinary course of trade. Also, to the extent
practicable, the comparison shall be made at
the same level of trade as the export price
(EP) or constructed export price (CEP).
Calculation of NV:
Gross Unit Price
+/¥Billing Adjustments
¥Movement Expenses
¥Discounts and Rebates
¥Direct Selling Expenses
¥Commissions
¥Comparison Market Packing Expenses
= Normal Value (NV)
2. Constructed Value
When NV is based on constructed value
(CV), Commerce will compute CVs, as
appropriate, based on the sum of each
respondent’s costs, plus amounts for selling,
general and administrative expenses (SG&A),
Investigation on White Grape Juice Concentrate
from Argentina (CVD Agreement).
14 ‘‘Annual Export Limit Period’’ is defined in
Section II.H of the CVD Agreement.
15 See Section VIII.B.2 of the CVD Agreement.
16 Typically, the ‘‘comparison market’’ would be
the home market (i.e. Argentina). It could also be
a Third-Country market if the home market is not
viable under section 773 of the Act and 19 CFR
351.404.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 9990
17813
U.S. packing costs, and profit. Commerce
will collect this cost data in order to
determine the accurate per-unit CV.
Calculation of CV:
+ Direct Materials
+ Direct Labor
+ Variable Factory Overhead
+ Fixed Factory Overhead
= Cost of Manufacturing
+ G&A Expenses
+ Financial Expenses
= Cost of Production
+ Selling Expenses *
+ Profit *
+ U.S. Packing
= Constructed Value (CV)
* Selling expenses and profit are typically
based on comparison market sales of the
foreign like product made in the ordinary
course of trade. G&A expenses are typically
based on the experience of the respondent
producer. Selling Expenses include
movement expenses.
B. Export Price and Constructed Export Price
EP and CEP refer to the two types of
calculated prices for merchandise imported
into the United States. Both EP and CEP are
based on the price at which the subject
merchandise is first sold to a person not
affiliated with the foreign producer or
exporter.
Calculation of EP:
Gross Unit Price
¥Movement Expenses
¥Discounts and Rebates
+/¥Billing Adjustments
+ Packing Expenses
+ Rebated Import Duties
= Export Price (EP)
Calculation of CEP:
Gross Unit Price
¥Movement Expenses
¥Discounts and Rebates
+/¥Billing Adjustments
¥Direct Selling Expenses
¥Indirect Selling Expenses that relate to
commercial activity in the United States
¥Cost of any further manufacture or
assembly incurred in the United States
¥CEP Profit
+ Rebated Import Duties
¥Commissions
= Constructed Export Price (CEP)
C. Fair Comparisons
To ensure that a fair comparison with EP
or CEP is made, Commerce will make
adjustments to NV. Commerce will adjust for
physical differences between the
merchandise sold in the United States and
the merchandise sold in the comparison
market. For EP sales, Commerce will add in
U.S. direct selling expenses, U.S.
commissions,17 and packing expenses. For
CEP sales, Commerce will subtract the
amount of the CEP offset, if warranted, and
add in U.S. packing expenses.
[FR Doc. 2023–06123 Filed 3–23–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
17 If there are not commissions in both markets,
then Commerce will apply a commission offset.
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17808-17813]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06123]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A-357-825]
White Grape Juice Concentrate From Argentina: Suspension of
Antidumping Duty Investigation
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) has suspended the
antidumping duty investigation on white grape juice concentrate (WGJC)
from Argentina. The basis for this action is an agreement between
Commerce and signatory producers/exporters accounting for substantially
all imports of WGJC from Argentina, wherein each signatory producer/
exporter has agreed to revise its prices to eliminate completely the
injurious effects of exports of the subject merchandise to the United
States.
DATES: Applicable March 17, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sally C. Gannon or David Cordell,
Bilateral Agreements Unit, Enforcement and Compliance, International
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-0162 or (202)
482-0408, respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On April 20, 2022, Commerce initiated an antidumping duty
investigation under section 732 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended
(the Act), to determine whether imports of WGCJ from Argentina are
being, or are likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair
value (LTFV).\1\ On May 16, 2022, the U.S. International Trade
Commission (ITC) notified Commerce of its affirmative preliminary
injury determination. On November 3, 2022, Commerce preliminarily
determined that WGCJ from Argentina is being, or is likely to be, sold
in the United States at LTFV, as provided in section 733 of the Act,
and postponed the final determination in the investigation until no
later than 135 days after the date of publication of the Preliminary
Determination in the Federal Register.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ See White Grape Juice Concentrate from Argentina: Initiation
of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation, 87 FR 24934 (April 27, 2022).
\2\ See White Grape Juice Concentrate from Argentina:
Preliminary Affirmative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair
Value, Postponement of Final Determination, and Extension of
Provisional Measures, 87 FR 66269 (November 3, 2022) (Preliminary
Determination).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On December 21, 2022, Commerce issued a letter that formally opened
consultations with Federaci[oacute]n de Cooperativas Vitivinicolas
Argentinas Coop. Ltda (Fecovita) and any other producers/exporters of
WGJC from Argentina with respect to a possible antidumping duty
suspension agreement under section 734(c) of the Act.\3\ Since that
time, Commerce has continued to negotiate with representatives of the
Argentine producers/exporters and, in parallel, has continually
consulted with the petitioner, Delano Growers Grape Products.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Consultations on Potential
Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Duty (AD) Investigation on
White Grape Juice Concentrate from Argentina,'' dated December 21,
2022.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On February 13, 2023, Commerce and representatives of certain
producers/exporters initialed a proposed agreement to suspend the
antidumping duty investigation on WGJC from Argentina. Consistent with
section 734(e) of the Act, Commerce notified the petitioner and the
other parties, released the initialed draft agreement to the interested
parties, and invited interested parties to provide written comments on
the draft suspension agreement by no later than the close of business
on March 13, 2023.\4\ Consistent with 734(e)(1) of the Act, Commerce
consulted with the petitioner concerning its intention to suspend the
antidumping duty investigation on WGJC from Argentina. Commerce also
notified the ITC of the proposed agreement,\5\ consistent with
734(e)(1) of the Act, and released a draft statutory memorandum
explaining how the agreement will be implemented and enforced, and how
the agreement will meet the applicable statutory requirements,
consistent with section 734(e)(2) of the Act.\6\ Commerce received
comments from the petitioner and the mandatory respondents, Fecovita
and Cepas Argentinas S.A. (Cepas), by the March 13, 2023, deadline.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Draft Agreement Suspending the
Antidumping Duty Investigation on White Grape Juice Concentrate from
Argentina,'' dated February 13, 2023.
\5\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Initialed Draft Suspension
Agreements,'' dated February 14, 2023.
\6\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Draft Agreement Suspending the
Antidumping Duty Investigation on White Grape Juice Concentrate from
Argentina: Assessment of Statutory Requirements Memorandum,'' dated
February 14, 2023.
\7\ See Petitioner's Letter, ``Comments in support of the
Suspension Agreements in the Anti-dumping and Countervailing duty of
White Grape Juice Concentrate (WGJC) from Argentina,'' dated March
13, 2023; see also Cepas and Fecovita's Letter, ``Comments on Draft
Suspension Agreements on Behalf of Exporters of White Grape Juice
Concentrate from Argentina,'' dated March 13, 2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On March 17, 2023, Commerce and representatives of the signatory
producers/exporters accounting for substantially all imports of WGJC
from Argentina signed the Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Duty
Investigation on White Grape Juice Concentrate from Argentina (AD
Agreement), attached hereto.
Scope of Agreement
See Section I, Product Coverage, of the AD Agreement.
[[Page 17809]]
Suspension of Investigation
Commerce consulted with the Argentine WGJC producers/exporters and
the petitioner and has considered the comments submitted by interested
parties with respect to the draft suspension agreement. In accordance
with section 734(c) of the Act, we have determined that extraordinary
circumstances are present in this case, as defined by section 734(c)(2)
of the Act.
The AD Agreement provides that, in accordance with 734(c)(1) of the
Act, the subject merchandise will be sold at or above the established
reference price and, for each entry of each exporter, the amount by
which the estimated normal value exceeds the export price (or the
constructed export price) will not exceed 15 percent of the weighted-
average amount by which the estimated normal value exceeded the export
price (or the constructed export price) for all less-than-fair-value
entries of the producer/exporter examined during the course of the
investigation. We have determined that the AD Agreement will eliminate
completely the injurious effect of exports to the United States of the
subject merchandise and prevent the suppression or undercutting of
price levels of domestic WGJC by imports of that merchandise from
Argentina, as required by section 734(c)(1) of the Act. We have also
determined that the AD Agreement is in the public interest and can be
monitored effectively, as required under section 734(d) of the Act.
For the reasons outlined above, we find that the AD Agreement meets
the criteria of section 734(c) and (d) of the Act.
The AD Agreement, signed March 17, 2023, is attached to this
notice.
International Trade Commission
In accordance with section 734(f) of the Act, Commerce has notified
the ITC of the AD Agreement.
Suspension of Liquidation
The suspension of liquidation ordered in the Preliminary
Determination shall continue to be in effect, subject to section
734(h)(3) of the Act.\8\ Section 734(f)(2)(B) of the Act provides that
Commerce may adjust the security required to reflect the effect of the
AD Agreement. Commerce has found that the AD Agreement eliminates
completely the injurious effects of imports and, thus, Commerce is
adjusting the security required from signatory producers/exporters to
zero. The security rates in effect for imports from any non-signatory
producers/exporters remain as published in the Preliminary
Determination. If there is no request for review of suspension under
section 734(h) of the Act, or if the ITC conducts such a review and
finds that the injurious effect of imports of the subject merchandise
is eliminated completely by the AD Agreement, Commerce will terminate
the suspension of liquidation of all entries of WGJC from Argentina and
refund any cash deposits collected on entries of WGJC from Argentina
consistent with section 734(h)(3) of the Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ See Preliminary Determination, 87 FR at 66271.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notwithstanding the AD Agreement, Commerce will continue the
investigation if it receives such a request within 20 days after the
date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register, in
accordance with section 734(g) of the Act. Pursuant to Section III of
the AD Agreement, if Argentine producers/exporters accounting for a
significant proportion of exports of WGJC from Argentina request
continuation of the antidumping duty investigation, Commerce retains
the right to modify or terminate this AD Agreement. Commerce may also
modify or terminate the AD Agreement if the Government of Argentina
requests continuation of the countervailing duty investigation on WGJC
from Argentina.
Administrative Protective Order Access
The Administrative Protective Order (APO) Commerce granted in the
investigation segment of this proceeding remains in place. While the
investigation is suspended, parties subject to the APO may retain, but
may not use, information received under that APO. All parties wishing
access to business proprietary information submitted during the
administration of the AD Agreement must submit new APO applications in
accordance with Commerce's regulations currently in effect.\9\ An APO
for the administration of the AD Agreement will be placed on the record
within five days of the date of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ See section 777(c)(1) of the Act; see also 19 CFR 351.103,
351.304, 351.305, and 351.306.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We are issuing and publishing this notice in accordance with
section 734(f)(1)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.208(g)(2).
Dated: March 17, 2023.
Lisa W. Wang,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation on White Grape
Juice Concentrate From Argentina
Pursuant to the requirements of section 734(c) of the Tariff Act of
1930, as amended (the Act) and 19 CFR 351.208, and in satisfaction of
the requirements of those provisions, the U.S. Department of Commerce
(Commerce) and the signatory producers and exporters of White Grape
Juice Concentrate (WGJC) from Argentina (collectively, the Signatories)
enter into this agreement suspending the antidumping duty investigation
on WGJC from Argentina (AD Agreement).
I. Product Coverage
The merchandise covered by this AD Agreement is WGJC with a Brix
level of 65 to 68, whether in frozen or non-frozen forms. WGJC is
concentrated grape juice produced from grapes of the Vitis vinifera L.
species with a white flesh, including fresh market table grapes and
raisin grapes (e.g., Thompson Seedless), as well as several varietals
of wine grapes (e.g., Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc,
Colombard, etc.). The scope of this AD Agreement covers WGJC regardless
of whether it has been certified as kosher, organic, or organic kosher.
The WGJC subject to this AD Agreement consists of 100 percent grape
juice with no other types of juice intermixed and no additional sugars
or additives included. The scope does not cover WGJC produced from
grapes of the Vitis labrusca species (e.g., Niagara). The products
covered by this AD Agreement are currently classified under the
following Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)
subheadings: 2009.69.0040 and 2009.69.0060. The HTSUS subheadings and
specifications are provided for convenience and customs purposes; the
written description of the scope is dispositive.
II. Definitions
For purposes of the AD Agreement, the following definitions apply:
A. ``Adjustment Mechanism'' is the means by which the Reference
Price(s) may change as described in Appendix I.
B. ``Anniversary Month'' means the month in which the AD Agreement
becomes effective.
C. ``Argentina'' means the customs territory of Argentina and
foreign trade
[[Page 17810]]
zones located within the territory of Argentina.
D. ``Consignment Sales'' means arrangements in which a seller
(``consignor'') exports goods to an entity (``consignee'') in the
United States, which takes custody and holds the goods without taking
title to the goods. The consignee then either purchases the goods or
sells the goods to a third party. The sale is considered to occur at
the time at which the purchase (either by the consignee or the third
party) occurs. The goods are not sold to the consignee or to the third-
party buyer until after importation into the United States.
E. ``Date of Export'' means the date on which the product is
exported from Argentina to the United States.
F. ``Effective Date'' means the date on which Commerce and the
Signatories sign the AD Agreement.
G. Quarter--means the relevant calendar quarter, consistent with
the following schedule:
[cir] First Quarter--April 1-June 30
[cir] Second Quarter--July 1-September 30
[cir] Third Quarter--October 1-December 31
[cir] Fourth Quarter--January 1-March 31
H. ``Interested Party'' means any person or entity that meets the
definitions provided in section 771(9) of the Act.
I. ``Reference Price'' means the minimum price at which merchandise
subject to this AD Agreement can be sold in the United States.
J. ``Substantially all'' of the subject merchandise means not less
than 85 percent by value or volume.
K. ``United States'' means the customs territory of the United
States of America (the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto
Rico) and foreign trade zones located within the territory of the
United States.
L. ``Violation'' means noncompliance with the terms of the AD
Agreement, whether through an act or omission, except for noncompliance
that is inconsequential or inadvertent and does not materially
frustrate the purposes of the AD Agreement.
M. ``White Grape Juice Concentrate,'' or ``WGJC,'' means the
product described in Section I, ``Product Coverage,'' of the AD
Agreement.
Any term or phrase not defined by this section shall be defined
using either a definition provided in the Act for that term or phrase,
or the plain meaning of that term, as appropriate.
III. Suspension of Investigation
As of the Effective Date, in accordance with section 734(c) of the
Act and 19 CFR 351.208, Commerce will suspend its antidumping duty
investigation on WGJC from Argentina initiated on April 20, 2022,
subject to the terms and provisions set out below.\10\
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\10\ See White Grape Juice Concentrate from Argentina:
Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation, 87 FR 24934 (April
27, 2022).
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The Argentine producers/exporters of WGJC from Argentina and the
Government of Argentina have indicated they will not exercise the right
to request continuation of the antidumping duty or countervailing duty
investigations, respectively, on WGJC from Argentina. If Argentine
producers/exporters accounting for a significant proportion of exports
of WGJC from Argentina request continuation of the antidumping duty
investigation, Commerce retains the right to modify or terminate this
AD Agreement. Commerce may also modify or terminate the AD Agreement if
the Government of Argentina requests continuation of the countervailing
duty investigation on WGJC from Argentina.
IV. U.S. Import Coverage
In accordance with section 734(c)(1) of the Act, the Signatories
are the producers and exporters in Argentina which account for
substantially all of the subject merchandise imported into the United
States, within the meaning of 19 CFR 351.208(c). Commerce may at any
time during the period of the AD Agreement require additional
producers/exporters in Argentina to accede to the AD Agreement to
ensure that not less than substantially all imports into the United
States are subject to this AD Agreement.
V. Statutory Conditions for the AD Agreement
In accordance with section 734(c)(2) of the Act, Commerce has
determined that extraordinary circumstances are present in this
investigation because the suspension of the investigation will be more
beneficial to the domestic industry than the continuation of the
investigation and the investigation is complex.
In accordance with section 734(d) of the Act, Commerce has
determined that the suspension of the investigation is in the public
interest and that effective monitoring of the AD Agreement by the
United States is practicable. Section 734(a)(2)(B) of the Act provides
that the public interest includes the relative impact on consumer
prices and the availability of supplies of the merchandise, the
relative impact on the international economic interests of the United
States, and the relative impact on the competitiveness of the domestic
industry producing the like merchandise, including any such impact on
employment and investment in that industry. Accordingly, if a domestic
producer requests an administrative review of the status of, and
compliance with, the AD Agreement, Commerce will take these factors
into account in conducting that review. If Commerce finds that the AD
Agreement is not working as intended in this regard, Commerce will
explore all appropriate measures, including renegotiation of the terms
of the AD Agreement to resolve the problem or measures under section
751(d)(1) of the Act.
VI. Price Undertaking
Each Signatory individually agrees that, to prevent price
suppression or undercutting, it will not sell in the United States, on
or after the Effective Date, WGJC at prices that are less than the
Reference Prices, as established in Appendix I.
Each Signatory individually agrees that for each entry the amount
by which the estimated normal value exceeds the export price (or the
constructed export price) will not exceed 15 percent of the weighted-
average amount by which the estimated normal value exceeded the export
price (or constructed export price) for all less-than-fair-value
entries of the producer/exporter examined during the course of the
investigation, in accordance with the Act and Commerce's regulations
and procedures, including but not limited to the calculation
methodologies described in Appendix II.
VII. Monitoring of the AD Agreement
A. Import Monitoring
1. Commerce will monitor entries of WGJC from Argentina to ensure
compliance with Section VI of this AD Agreement.
2. Commerce will review publicly available data and other official
import data, including, as appropriate, records maintained by U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), to determine whether there have
been imports that are inconsistent with the provisions of this AD
Agreement.
B. Compliance Monitoring
1. Commerce may require, and each Signatory agrees to provide
confirmation through documentation provided to Commerce, that the price
received on any sale subject to this AD Agreement was not less than the
established Reference Prices. Commerce may require that such
documentation be provided and be subject to verification.
[[Page 17811]]
2. Commerce may require, and each Signatory agrees to report in the
prescribed format and using the prescribed method of data compilation,
each sale of WGJC, either directly or indirectly to unrelated
purchasers in the United States, including each adjustment applicable
to each sale, as specified by Commerce. The information to be reported
may include, for example, sales value (Ex Works), unit price, invoice
price, date of sale, sales order number(s), importer of record, trading
company, customer, customer relationship, destination, as well as any
other information deemed by Commerce to be relevant. Each Signatory
agrees to permit review and on-site inspection of all information
deemed necessary by Commerce to verify the reported information.
3. Commerce may initiate administrative reviews under section
751(a) of the Act in the month immediately following the Anniversary
Month, upon request or upon its own initiative, to ensure that exports
of WGJC from Argentina satisfy the requirements of sections
734(c)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act. Commerce may conduct administrative
reviews under sections 751(b) and (c) of the Act, and reviews regarding
prevention of circumvention under section 781 of the Act, as
appropriate. Commerce may perform verifications pursuant to
administrative reviews conducted under section 751 of the Act.
4. At any time it deems appropriate, and without prior notice,
Commerce will conduct verifications of persons or entities handling
Signatory merchandise to determine whether they are selling Signatory
merchandise in accordance with the terms of this AD Agreement. Commerce
will also conduct verifications at locations and times it deems
appropriate to ensure compliance with the terms of this AD Agreement.
C. Shipping and Other Arrangements
1. The Reference Prices are expressed in U.S. Dollars ($) per
Gallon, for WGJC from Argentina, in accordance with Appendix I. All
Reference Prices are on the basis of Ex Works Argentina (i.e., from the
Argentine production facility, packed for shipment to the United
States) (for example, Ex Works Mendoza or Ex Works San Juan,
Argentina). The Reference Prices include all expenses for WGJC incurred
prior to shipment from the Argentine production facility. In accordance
with the terms of sale, the final sales price to the first unaffiliated
U.S. customer for all WGJC from Argentina exported directly, or
indirectly through a third country, to the United States shall include
all relevant movement and handling expenses beyond the point of
departure from the Argentine production facility and in excess of the
Reference Price, i.e., the Ex Works Argentina price. The Reference
Prices may be adjusted by means of the Adjustment Mechanism described
in Appendix I.
2. Signatories agree not to sell WGJC from Argentina in the United
States by means of Consignment Sales, as defined in Section II.D.
3. Signatories agree not to take any action that would circumvent
or otherwise evade, or defeat the purpose of, this AD Agreement.\11\
Signatories agree to undertake any measures that will help to prevent
circumvention.
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\11\ Signatories agree that shipping to the United States WGJC
from Argentina with a Brix level from over 68 up to and including 70
could constitute circumvention of this AD Agreement.
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4. Not later than 30 days after the end of each Quarter, each
Signatory will submit a written statement to Commerce certifying that
all sales during the most recently completed Quarter were at net
prices, after rebates, discounts, or other adjustments, at or above the
Reference Prices in effect and were not part of or related to any act
or practice which would have the effect of hiding the real price of the
WGJC being sold. Further, each Signatory will certify in this same
statement that all sales made during the relevant Quarter were not part
of or related to any bundling arrangement, discounts/free goods/
financing package, swap or other exchange where such arrangement is
designed to circumvent the basis of the AD Agreement. Each Signatory
will also include the quantity and value of sales and, separately, of
shipments during the most recently completed Quarter. Each Signatory
that did not export WGJC to the United States during any given Quarter
will submit a written statement to Commerce certifying that it made no
sales to the United States during the most recently completed Quarter.
Each Signatory agrees to permit full verification of its certification
as Commerce deems necessary. Failure to provide a quarterly
certification may be considered a Violation of the AD Agreement.
D. Rejection of Submissions
Commerce may reject: (1) any information submitted after the
deadlines set forth in this AD Agreement; (2) any submission that does
not comply with the filing, format, translation, service, and
certification of documents requirements under 19 CFR 351.303; (3)
submissions that do not comply with the procedures for establishing
business proprietary treatment under 19 CFR 351.304; and (4)
submissions that do not comply with any other applicable regulations,
as appropriate. If information is not submitted in a complete and
timely fashion or is not fully verifiable, Commerce may use facts
otherwise available for the basis of its decision, as it determines
appropriate, consistent with section 776 of the Act.
E. Consultations
1. Compliance Consultations
a. When Commerce identifies, through import or compliance
monitoring or otherwise, that sales may have been made at prices
inconsistent with Section VI of this AD Agreement, or that the sales
are otherwise in circumvention of this AD Agreement, Commerce will
notify each Signatory which it believes is responsible or, if
applicable, notify the Signatory's representative. Commerce will
consult with each such party for a period of up to 60 days to establish
a factual basis regarding sales that may be inconsistent with Section
VI of this AD Agreement.
b. During the consultation period, Commerce will examine any
information that it develops or which is submitted, including
information requested by Commerce under any provision of this AD
Agreement.
c. If Commerce is not satisfied at the conclusion of the
consultation period that sales by such Signatory are being made in
compliance with Section VI of this AD Agreement, or that the sales are
not circumventing this AD Agreement, Commerce may evaluate under
section 351.209 of its regulations, or section 751 of the Act, whether
this AD Agreement is being violated, as defined in Sections II.L and
VIII of this AD Agreement, by such Signatory.
d. These compliance consultation provisions do not limit Commerce's
ability to make an immediate determination under section 351.209(b) of
its regulations when it determines that a Signatory has violated the AD
Agreement.
If Commerce concludes that sales by a Signatory have been made at
prices inconsistent with Section VI of this AD Agreement, or that sales
are circumventing the AD Agreement, Commerce shall take action, as
warranted. The provisions of this section do not supersede the
provisions of paragraphs VIII.A-VIII.C if Commerce determines that the
entries were made at prices inconsistent with Section VI of this AD
Agreement.
2. Operations Consultations
Commerce will consult with the Signatories regarding the operation
of
[[Page 17812]]
this AD Agreement. Commerce or the Signatories, collectively, may
request such consultations at any time, except for consultations to
revise the Reference Prices which must be requested in accordance with
the ``Adjustment Mechanism'' described in Appendix I.
VIII. Violations of the AD Agreement
A. If Commerce determines that a Violation of the AD Agreement has
occurred or that the AD Agreement no longer meets the requirements of
section 734(c) or (d) of the Act, Commerce shall take action it
determines appropriate under section 734(i) of the Act and section
351.209 of Commerce's regulations.
B. Pursuant to section 734(i) of the Act, Commerce will refer to
CBP any Violations of the AD Agreement that appear to be intentional.
Any person who intentionally commits a Violation of the AD Agreement
shall be subject to a civil penalty assessed in the same amount, in the
same manner, and under the same procedures as the penalty imposed for a
fraudulent violation of section 592(a) of the Act. A fraudulent
violation of section 592(a) of the Act is punishable by a civil penalty
in an amount not to exceed the domestic value of the merchandise. For
purposes of the AD Agreement, the domestic value of the merchandise
will be deemed to be not less than the Reference Prices, as the
Signatories agree to not sell the subject merchandise at prices that
are less than the Reference Prices and to ensure that sales of the
subject merchandise are made consistent with the terms of the AD
Agreement, including Section VI.
C. In addition, Commerce will examine the activities of Signatories
and any other party to a sale subject to the AD Agreement to determine
whether any activities conducted by any party aided or abetted another
party's Violation of the AD Agreement. If any such parties are found to
have aided or abetted another party's Violation of the AD Agreement,
they shall be subject to the same civil penalties described in Section
VIII.B above. Signatories to this AD Agreement consent to release of
all information presented to or obtained by Commerce during the conduct
of verifications to CBP.
D. Examples of activities which Commerce may deem to be Violations
of the AD Agreement include:
1. Sales that are at net prices (after rebates, back-billing,
discounts, and other claims) that are below the Reference Prices.
2. Any act or practice which would have the effect of hiding the
real price of the WGJC being sold.
3. Any other material violation or breach, as determined by
Commerce.
IX. Disclosure and Comment
This section provides the terms for disclosure and comment
following consultations or during segments of the proceeding not
involving a review under section 751 of the Act.
A. Commerce may make available to representatives of each
Interested Party, pursuant to and consistent with 19 CFR 351.304-
351.306, any business proprietary information submitted to and/or
collected by Commerce pursuant to Section VII of this AD Agreement, as
well as the results of Commerce's analysis of that information.
B. If Commerce proposes to revise the Reference Price(s) as a
result of consultations under Section VII.E.2, Commerce shall provide
disclosures pursuant to the Adjustment Mechanism in Appendix I of this
AD Agreement.
C. The Signatories and any other Interested Party shall file all
communications and other submissions via Commerce's Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS),
which is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov and
to all parties at the following address: U.S. Department of Commerce,
Central Records Unit, Room B8024, 1401 Constitution Ave. NW,
Washington, DC 20230.
Such communications and submissions shall be filed consistent with
the requirements provided in 19 CFR 351.303.
X. Duration of the AD Agreement
A. This AD Agreement has no scheduled termination date. Termination
of the suspended investigation shall be considered in accordance with
the five-year review provisions of section 751(c) of the Act, and
section 351.218 of Commerce's regulations.
B. An individual Signatory may withdraw from this AD Agreement at
any time. The Signatory's withdrawal shall be effective no later than
60 days after the date written notice of withdrawal is provided to
Commerce.
C. Commerce or the Signatories, collectively, may withdraw from
this AD Agreement at any time. Termination of the AD Agreement shall be
effective no later than 60 days after the date the written notice of
withdrawal is provided to the Signatories or Commerce, respectively.
D. Upon termination of the AD Agreement, Commerce shall follow the
procedures outlined in section 734(i)(1) of the Act.
XI. Other Provisions
A. Upon request, Commerce will advise any Signatory of Commerce's
methodology for calculating its export price (or constructed export
price) and normal value in accordance with the Act and Commerce's
regulations and procedures, including but not limited to, the
calculation methodologies described in Appendix II of this AD
Agreement.
B. By entering into the AD Agreement, the Signatories do not admit
that exports of WGJC from Argentina are having or have had an injurious
effect on WGJC producers in the United States, have caused the
suppression or undercutting of price, or have been sold at less than
fair value.
C. As of the Effective Date, Commerce shall instruct CBP to refund
any cash deposits collected as a result of the antidumping duty
investigation on WGJC from Argentina. Commerce shall instruct CBP to
terminate the suspension of liquidation consistent with section
734(f)(2)(B) of the Act.
For the U.S. Department of Commerce:
Ryan Majerus-----------------------------------------------------------
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy & Negotiations
Enforcement and Compliance
March 17, 2023
Date
For the Argentine Signatory Producers and Exporters:
The following parties hereby certify that the following producers/
exporters of WGJC from Argentina, which have authorized the undersigned
to sign this AD Agreement on their behalf, agree to abide by all terms
of the AD Agreement:
David Townsend---------------------------------------------------------
Counsel for Allub Hermanos S.R.L.; Cepas Argentinas S.A.; Enav S.A.;
Jugos Australes S.A.; Jugos Y Vinos Andinos S.A.; Juviar S.A.; Mosto
Mat S.A.; Recoleto S.A.; and Vi[ntilde]a Montpellier S.A.
March 17, 2023
Date
Gregory J. Spak--------------------------------------------------------
Counsel for Federaci[oacute]n de Cooperativas Vitivin[iacute]colas
Argentinas Coop. Ltda
March 17, 2023
Date
Appendix I--Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation on
White Grape Juice Concentrate From Argentina--Reference Prices
Consistent with the requirements of section 734(c) of the Act,
to eliminate completely the injurious effect of exports to the
United States and to prevent the suppression or undercutting of
price levels of domestic WGJC, the Reference Prices are as follows:
[[Page 17813]]
The Ex Works Argentina (i.e., from the Argentine production
facility, packed for shipment to the United States) Reference Prices
for WGJC are:
U.S. $7.40 per gallon for Standard WGJC; \12\
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\12\ The Reference Price for Standard WGJC shall apply also to
WGJC sold as ``de-ionized,'' provided that the de-ionized WGJC does
not qualify as either Organic or Kosher. In the latter cases, the
Reference Price applicable to the relevant qualification (Organic or
Kosher) applies.
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U.S. $8.40 per gallon for Organic Standard WGJC;
U.S. $9.40 per gallon for Kosher WGJC; and
U.S. $11.40 per gallon for Organic Kosher WGJC.
The Reference Prices include all expenses incurred prior to
shipment from the Argentine production facility. In accordance with
the terms of sale, the final sales price to the first unaffiliated
U.S. customer for all WGJC from Argentina exported directly, or
indirectly through a third country, to the United States shall
include all relevant movement and handling expenses beyond the point
of departure from the Argentine production facility (e.g., in
Mendoza or San Juan, Argentina) and in excess of the Reference
Prices, i.e., the Ex Works, Argentina, price.
The parties agree to the following formulae for the conversions
between metric tons and gallons:
[rarr] 1 metric ton (MT) of 65-68 Brix WGJC = 198 gallons
[rarr] 1 gallon of 65-68 Brix WGJC = 0.00505 MT
Additional product types within the scope of the merchandise
covered by this AD Agreement (see Section I, ``Product Coverage'')
may be added to the AD Agreement. Signatories may request that
Commerce add a new product type and corresponding Reference Price by
filing a written public request on the official record of the AD
Agreement. Within 10 days of the filing of the request, interested
parties may comment on the requested product type, including whether
the product type is within the scope of the merchandise covered by
this AD Agreement and the appropriate Reference Price that should
apply to the new product type. Commerce will consider such requests
for new product types and issue a determination in a timely manner.
Additional product types and the corresponding Reference Prices
would apply to U.S. sales of all Signatories going forward.
Adjustment Mechanism
The Reference Price(s) may be adjusted via the following
mechanism:
Consultations on revisions to the Reference Prices may only
occur after March 31, 2024, and pursuant to Operations Consultations
requested by Commerce or the Signatories, collectively, under
Section VII.E.2. Further, such consultations may be requested only
if exports of WGJC from Argentina to the United States are equal to
100 percent of the Export Limit \13\ by the end of March in the
Annual Export Limit Period,\14\ as reported by the Government of
Argentina to Commerce 60 days following the end of March.\15\ If
requested, such consultations shall be completed within 10 days,
followed by Commerce's disclosure of any preliminary revised
Reference Prices and any relevant calculation methodology to
interested parties, with an opportunity to comment provided
thereafter. Commerce will normally issue any final revised Reference
Prices within 30 days of a request for consultations. However, if
needed and with good cause, Commerce may extend these consultation
deadlines.
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\13\ ``Export Limit'' is defined in Section II.G of the
Agreement Suspending the Countervailing Duty Investigation on White
Grape Juice Concentrate from Argentina (CVD Agreement).
\14\ ``Annual Export Limit Period'' is defined in Section II.H
of the CVD Agreement.
\15\ See Section VIII.B.2 of the CVD Agreement.
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If any extenuating circumstances occur in the U.S. market for
WGJC, Commerce may, at its discretion, request consultations on
revisions to the Reference Prices at any time pursuant to Section
VII.E.2.
Appendix II--Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation on
White Grape Juice Concentrate From Argentina--Analysis of Prices at
Less Than Fair Value
A. Normal Value
The cost or price information reported to Commerce that will
form the basis of the normal value (NV) calculations for purposes of
the AD Agreement must be comprehensive in nature and based on a
reliable accounting system (e.g., a system based on well-established
standards and can be tied either to the audited financial statements
or to the tax return filed with the Argentine government).
1. Based on Sales Prices in the Comparison Market \16\
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\16\ Typically, the ``comparison market'' would be the home
market (i.e. Argentina). It could also be a Third-Country market if
the home market is not viable under section 773 of the Act and 19
CFR 351.404.
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When Commerce bases NV on sales prices, such prices will be the
prices at which the foreign like product is first sold for
consumption in the comparison market in the usual commercial
quantities and in the ordinary course of trade. Also, to the extent
practicable, the comparison shall be made at the same level of trade
as the export price (EP) or constructed export price (CEP).
Calculation of NV:
Gross Unit Price
+/-Billing Adjustments
-Movement Expenses
-Discounts and Rebates
-Direct Selling Expenses
-Commissions
-Comparison Market Packing Expenses
= Normal Value (NV)
2. Constructed Value
When NV is based on constructed value (CV), Commerce will
compute CVs, as appropriate, based on the sum of each respondent's
costs, plus amounts for selling, general and administrative expenses
(SG&A), U.S. packing costs, and profit. Commerce will collect this
cost data in order to determine the accurate per-unit CV.
Calculation of CV:
+ Direct Materials
+ Direct Labor
+ Variable Factory Overhead
+ Fixed Factory Overhead
= Cost of Manufacturing
+ G&A Expenses
+ Financial Expenses
= Cost of Production
+ Selling Expenses *
+ Profit *
+ U.S. Packing
= Constructed Value (CV)
* Selling expenses and profit are typically based on comparison
market sales of the foreign like product made in the ordinary course
of trade. G&A expenses are typically based on the experience of the
respondent producer. Selling Expenses include movement expenses.
B. Export Price and Constructed Export Price
EP and CEP refer to the two types of calculated prices for
merchandise imported into the United States. Both EP and CEP are
based on the price at which the subject merchandise is first sold to
a person not affiliated with the foreign producer or exporter.
Calculation of EP:
Gross Unit Price
-Movement Expenses
-Discounts and Rebates
+/-Billing Adjustments
+ Packing Expenses
+ Rebated Import Duties
= Export Price (EP)
Calculation of CEP:
Gross Unit Price
-Movement Expenses
-Discounts and Rebates
+/-Billing Adjustments
-Direct Selling Expenses
-Indirect Selling Expenses that relate to commercial activity in the
United States
-Cost of any further manufacture or assembly incurred in the United
States
-CEP Profit
+ Rebated Import Duties
-Commissions
= Constructed Export Price (CEP)
C. Fair Comparisons
To ensure that a fair comparison with EP or CEP is made,
Commerce will make adjustments to NV. Commerce will adjust for
physical differences between the merchandise sold in the United
States and the merchandise sold in the comparison market. For EP
sales, Commerce will add in U.S. direct selling expenses, U.S.
commissions,\17\ and packing expenses. For CEP sales, Commerce will
subtract the amount of the CEP offset, if warranted, and add in U.S.
packing expenses.
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\17\ If there are not commissions in both markets, then Commerce
will apply a commission offset.
[FR Doc. 2023-06123 Filed 3-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P