Ceramic Tile From India: Preliminary Negative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Postponement of Final Determination

<NOTICE> DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE <SUBAGY>International Trade Administration</SUBAGY> <DEPDOC>[A-533-928]</DEPDOC> <SUBJECT>Ceramic Tile From India: Preliminary Negative Determination of Sales at Less Than Fair Value and Postponement of Final Determination</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that ceramic tile from India is not being, or is not likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI) is April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination. </SUM> <DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Applicable December 2, 2024. </DATES> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Fred Baker or Theodora Mattei, AD/CVD Operations, Office IV, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-2924 or (202) 482-4834, respectively. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Background</HD> This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce published the notice of initiation of this investigation on May 16, 2024. <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> On July 22, 2024, Commerce tolled certain deadlines in this administrative proceeding by seven days. <SU>2</SU> <FTREF/> On September 19, 2024, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation until November 22, 2024. <SU>3</SU> <FTREF/> <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>   <E T="03">See Ceramic Tile from India: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation,</E> 89 FR 42836 (May 16, 2024) ( <E T="03">Initiation Notice</E> ). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> Memorandum, “Tolling of Deadlines for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings,” dated July 22, 2024. </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>3</SU>   <E T="03">See Ceramic Tile from India: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation,</E> 89 FR 76794 (September 19, 2024). </FTNT> For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, <E T="03">see</E> the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. <SU>4</SU> <FTREF/> A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at <E T="03">https://access.trade.gov.</E> In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at <E T="03">https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.</E> <FTNT> <SU>4</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Affirmative Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Ceramic Tile from India,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum). </FTNT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Scope of the Investigation</HD> The product covered by this investigation is ceramic tile from India. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, <E T="03">see</E> Appendix I. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Scope Comments</HD> In accordance with the preamble to Commerce's regulations, <SU>5</SU> <FTREF/> in the <E T="03">Initiation Notice,</E> Commerce set aside a period of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage ( <E T="03">i.e.,</E> scope). <SU>6</SU> <FTREF/> Certain interested parties commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the <E T="03">Initiation Notice,</E> as well as additional language proposed by Commerce. For a summary of the product coverage comments and rebuttal responses submitted to the record for this preliminary determination, and accompanying discussion and analysis of all comments timely received, <E T="03">see</E> the Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum. <SU>7</SU> <FTREF/> Commerce is not modifying the scope language as it appeared in the <E T="03">Initiation Notice.</E> In the Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum, Commerce established deadlines for parties to submit scope case and rebuttal briefs as well as a deadline to request a hearing on issues raised in the scope briefs. <FTNT> <SU>5</SU>   <E T="03">See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule,</E> 62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>6</SU>   <E T="03">See Initiation Notice.</E> </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>7</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> Memorandum, “Antidumping Duty Investigation and Countervailing Duty Investigation of Ceramic Tile from India: Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum,” dated concurrently with this notice (Preliminary Scope Decision Memorandum). </FTNT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Methodology</HD> Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 731 of the Act. Commerce calculated export price in accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. Normal value is calculated in accordance with section 773 of the Act. For a full description of the methodology underlying the preliminary determination, <E T="03">see</E> the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Preliminary Determination</HD> For the period April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024, Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated weighted-average dumping margins exist: <FTREF/> <FTNT> <SU>8</SU>  Commerce preliminarily determines that Antiqa Minerals, Antiqa Ceramic Pvt. Ltd., Shivam Enterprise, Antiek Vitrified LLP, and Antique Non Woven Pvt. Ltd., are a single entity. <E T="03">See</E> Preliminary Decision Memorandum. <SU>9</SU>  Commerce preliminarily determines that Win-Tel Ceramics Pvt. Ltd. and Theos Tiles LLP are a single entity. <E T="03">See</E> Preliminary Decision Memorandum. </FTNT> <GPOTABLE COLS="2" OPTS="L2,nj,tp0,p7,7/8,i1" CDEF="s50,9"> <TTITLE> </TTITLE> <CHED H="1">Exporter/producer</CHED> Antiqa Minerals/Antiqa Ceramic Pvt. Ltd./Shivam Enterprise/Antiek Vitrified LLP/Antique Non Woven Pvt. Ltd. (collectively, Antiqa Group)  <SU>8</SU> </ENT> <ENT>0.00</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01"> Win-Tel Ceramic Pvt.Ltd./Theos Tiles LLP (collectively Win-Tel Group)  <SU>9</SU> </ENT> <ENT>0.00</ENT> </ROW> </GPOTABLE> Consistent with section 733(b)(3) of the Act, Commerce disregards de minimis rates. Accordingly, Commerce preliminarily determines that Antiqa Group and Win-Tel Group, the two individually examined respondents, have not made sales of subject merchandise at LTFV. Consistent with section 733(d) of the Act, Commerce has not calculated an estimated weighted-average dumping margin for all other producers and exporters because it has not made an affirmative preliminary determination of sales at LTFV. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Suspension of Liquidation</HD> Because Commerce has made a negative preliminary determination of sales at LTFV with regard to subject merchandise, Commerce will not direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to suspend liquidation or to require a cash deposit of estimated antidumping duties for entries of ceramic tile from India. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Disclosure</HD> Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed in connection with this preliminary determination to interested parties within five days of any public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b). Consistent with 19 CFR 351.224(e), Commerce will analyze and, if appropriate, correct any timely allegations of significant ministerial errors by amending the preliminary determination. However, consistent with 19 CFR 351.224(d), Commerce will not consider incomplete allegations that do not address the significance standard under 19 CFR 351.224(g) following the preliminary determination. Instead, Commerce will address such allegations in the final determination together with issues raised in the case briefs or other written comments. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Verification</HD> As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to verify the information relied upon in making its final determination for Antiqa Group and Win-Tel Group. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Public Comment</HD> Case briefs or other written comments on non-scope issues may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than seven days after the date on which the last verification report is issued in this investigation. <SU>10</SU> <FTREF/> Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than five days after the date for filing case briefs. <SU>11</SU> <FTREF/> Interested parties who submit case briefs or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each issue; and (2) a table of authorities. <SU>12</SU> <FTREF/> <FTNT> <SU>10</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(i); <E T="03">see also</E> 19 CFR 351.303 (for general filing requirements). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>11</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> 19 CFR 351.309(d); <E T="03">see also Administrative Protective Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings,</E> 88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29, 2023) ( <E T="03">APO and Service Final Rule</E> ). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>12</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2). </FTNT> As provided under 19 CFR ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 17k characters. 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