The United States International Trade Administration announced that the Department of Commerce (DOC) is postponing the due date for the preliminary determination in its countervailing duty investigation of passenger and light truck tires from the People’s Republic of China to Nov. 21, 2014.
On July 25, the United Steelworkers (USW) union submitted a petition pursuant to section 703(c)(l)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, to postpone the preliminary determination in the DOC’s countervailing duty investigation. The USW’s petition states that the number and nature of Chinese tire maker subsidy programs under investigation would prevent the DOC from adequately examining them by the initial deadline of Sept. 17. The DOC initiated its countervailing duty investigation on July 14.
Section 703(b)(1) of the Tariff Act requires the DOC to issue the preliminary determination in a countervailing duty investigation within 65 days after the date on which the DOC initiated the investigation. However, if a petitioner makes a timely request for an extension in accordance with 19 CFR 351.205(e), section 703(c)(1)(A) of the Act allows the DOC to postpone the preliminary determination until no later than 130 days after the date on which the DOC initiated the investigation.
The DOC says it has determined that the record supports postponing the preliminary determination in this investigation. Moreover, the record does not present any compelling reasons to deny the request.
