International Trade Administration October 2, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On January 22, 2008, the Department of Commerce (the Department) signed the current suspension agreement on fresh tomatoes with growers/exporters of Mexican tomatoes accounting for substantially all (i.e., not less than 85 percent) of Mexico's tomato exports to the United States. The agreement covers all fresh or chilled tomatoes of Mexican origin, except tomatoes that are for processing. On June 22, 2012, the U.S. petitioners in the suspended antidumping duty investigation filed a request for withdrawal of the petition and termination of the investigation and the suspension agreement. On August 21, 2012, the Department published a notice of initiation of changed circumstances review to examine the petitioners' request to terminate the suspended investigation. See Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico: Notice of Initiation of Changed Circumstances Review, 77 FR 50554 (August 21, 2012) and Correction: Fresh Tomatoes From Mexico: Notice of Initiation of Changed Circumstances Review and Consideration of Termination of Suspended Investigation, 77 FR 50556 (August 21, 2012) (collectively, Initiation Notice). In the Initiation Notice we invited interested parties to submit comments for the Department's consideration by September 4, 2012. We have considered the comments received by September 4, 2012, and, for the reasons stated in this notice and in the accompanying decision memorandum, the Department is notifying the public of our preliminary intent to terminate the suspended investigation. If the suspended investigation is terminated in the final results of this review, the suspension agreement will also terminate, effective on the date of publication of the notice of final results of the changed circumstances review in the Federal Register. Interested parties are invited to comment on these preliminary results.