Modernizing the Annexes of the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Trade Remedy Regulations

<RULE> DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE <SUBAGY>International Trade Administration</SUBAGY> <CFR>19 CFR Part 351</CFR> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. 241210-0321]</DEPDOC> <RIN>RIN 0625-AB26</RIN> <SUBJECT>Modernizing the Annexes of the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Trade Remedy Regulations</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Final rule. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> Pursuant to title VII of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is modernizing the annexes of the trade remedy regulations to enhance the administration of the antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) laws. </SUM> <EFFDATE> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Effective December 19, 2024. </EFFDATE> <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Scott D. McBride, Associate Deputy Chief Counsel for Trade Enforcement and Compliance, at (202) 482-6292, or Jesus Saenz, Senior Attorney, at (202) 482-1823. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> Commerce initially promulgated its AD and CVD regulations in 1997 and 1998, respectively. <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> Since the inception of these regulations, Commerce has periodically modified certain sections or paragraphs or adopted new provisions. For example, in 2021 Commerce modified existing regulations covering scope inquiries at 19 CFR 351.225, and adopted new provisions to codify its practice regarding circumvention inquiries and covered merchandise referrals at 19 CFR 351.226 and 351.227. <SU>2</SU> <FTREF/> Commerce modified those regulations as well as promulgating new ones on March 25, 2024, to further improve and strengthen the administration and enforcement of the AD and CVD laws. <SU>3</SU> <FTREF/> Most recently, on December 16, 2024, Commerce revised certain other existing regulations and promulgated additional new regulations to further enhance the trade remedy laws, with a particular emphasis on CVD laws and procedures. <SU>4</SU> <FTREF/> <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>   <E T="03">See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule,</E> 62 FR 27296 (May 19, 1997); and <E T="03">Countervailing Duties; Final Rule,</E> 63 FR 65348, 65357 (November 25, 1998). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>   <E T="03">See Regulations to Improve Administration and Enforcement of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Laws,</E> 86 FR 52300 (Sept. 20, 2021). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>3</SU>   <E T="03">See Regulations Improving and Strengthening the Enforcement of Trade Remedies Through the Administration of the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Laws,</E> 89 FR 20766 (March 25, 2024). </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>4</SU>   <E T="03">See Regulations Enhancing the Administration of the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Trade Remedy Laws,</E> 89 FR 101694 (December 16, 2024). </FTNT> In order to accurately reflect the modified language, dates and new provisions in the AD and CVD regulations, Commerce is modernizing the annexes accompanying the regulations. Specifically, Commerce is updating the number of days and the regulation cross-reference for each of the listed events in annexes I through IV, and annexes VIII-A through VIII-C. Commerce is also creating new annexes IX, X, and XI to provide additional guidance to <E T="03">Scope Inquires, Circumvention Inquiries,</E> and <E T="03">Covered Merchandise Referrals.</E> <SU>5</SU> <FTREF/> Annexes IX, X, and XI will similarly contain a field with the number of days, event name, and regulation for each specific event. Lastly, Commerce is also removing existing Annex V as the provided cross-reference to regulations prior to 1997 is obsolete and reserving it for potential future use of a new annex V. <FTNT> <SU>5</SU>   <E T="03">See</E> 19 CFR 351.225, 351.226, and 351.227. </FTNT> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Rulemaking Considerations</HD> <HD SOURCE="HD2">A. Administrative Procedure Act</HD> The changes in this rulemaking involve rules of agency procedure. <E T="03">See Bachow Commc'ns Inc.</E> v. <E T="03">FCC,</E> 237 F.3d 683, 690 (D.C. Cir. 2001) (changes to procedural rules are not subject to notice and comment review under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)); <E T="03">Inova Alexandria Hosp.</E> v. <E T="03">Shalala,</E> 244 F.3d 342, 349 (4th Cir. 2001) (rules for handling appeals are procedural where they do not change the substantive standard for reviewing claims); <E T="03">Nat'l Org. of Veterans' Advocates</E> v. <E T="03">Sec'y of Veterans Affairs,</E> 260 F.3d 1365, 1375 (Fed. Cir. 2001) (Substantive rules “effect a change in existing law or policy or which affect individual rights and obligations,” whereas interpretative rules “clarify or explain existing law or regulation and are exempt from notice and comment” review under the APA.). Accordingly, prior notice and opportunity for public comment for the changes in this rulemaking are not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b) or (c) or any other law. <E T="03">See Cooper Techs. Co.</E> v. <E T="03">Dudas,</E> 536 F.3d 1330, 1336-37 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (stating that 5 U.S.C. 553, and thus 35 U.S.C. 2(b)(2)(B), do not require notice and comment rulemaking for “interpretative rules, general statements of policy, or rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice” (quoting 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A))). Similarly, there is no need for a 30-day delay in effective date pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(2). In addition, Commerce finds good cause pursuant to the authority at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B) and 553(d)(3) to forego prior notice, opportunity for public comment, and a 30-day delay in effective date because such procedures are unnecessary. This rulemaking merely updates the annexes to reflect changes to the AD and CVD regulations that have already undergone notice and comment. As such, the contents of the revised annexes have already undergone notice and comment rulemaking, and repeating that process is unnecessary. <HD SOURCE="HD2">B. Regulatory Flexibility Act</HD> As prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, neither a Regulatory Flexibility Act analysis nor a certification under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 <E T="03">et seq.</E> ) is required. <E T="03">See</E> 5 U.S.C. 603. <HD SOURCE="HD2">C. Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and Review)</HD> This rulemaking has been determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866 (September 30, 1993), as amended by Executive Order 14094 (April 6, 2023). <HD SOURCE="HD2">D. Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)</HD> This rulemaking pertains strictly to Federal agency procedures and does not contain policies with federalism implications sufficient to warrant preparation of a Federalism Assessment under Executive Order 13132 (August 4, 1999). <HD SOURCE="HD2">E. Paperwork Reduction Act</HD> This final rule does not impact information collection requirements that are subject to review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 <E T="03">et seq.</E> ). <LSTSUB> <HD SOURCE="HED">List of Subjects in 19 CFR Part 351</HD> Administrative practice and procedure, Antidumping, Business and industry, Confidential business information, Countervailing duties, Freedom of information, Investigations, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements. </LSTSUB> <SIG> <DATED>Dated: December 16, 2024.</DATED> <NAME>Ryan Majerus,</NAME> Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance. </SIG> For the reasons stated above, the U.S. Department of Commerce amends 19 CFR part 351 as follows: <HD SOURCE="HED">PART 351—ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING DUTIES</HD> <REGTEXT TITLE="19" PART="351"> 1. The authority citation for part 351 continues to read as follows: <HD SOURCE="HED">Authority: </HD> 5 U.S.C. 301; 19 U.S.C. 1202 note; 19 U.S.C. 1303 note; 19 U.S.C. 1671 <E T="03">et seq.</E> </REGTEXT> <REGTEXT TITLE="19" PART="351"> 2. Revise annexes I through IV to read as follows: <GPOTABLE COLS="3" OPTS="L2,nj,i1" CDEF="s50,r100,r150"> <TTITLE>Annex I to Part 351—Deadlines for Parties in Countervailing Investigations</TTITLE> <CHED H="1"> Day  <SU>1</SU> </CHED> <CHED H="1">Event</CHED> <CHED H="1">Regulation</CHED> <ENT>Notification of difficulty in responding to questionnaire</ENT> <ENT>351.301(c)(1)(iii) (14 days after date of receipt of initial questionnaire).</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">35 days</ENT> <ENT>Submission of factual information not directly responsive to or relating to that described in 351.102(b)(21)(i)-(iv)</ENT> <ENT>351.301(c)(5) (30 days before preliminary determination) or 14 days before verification.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">20 days*</ENT> <ENT>Submission of factual information to measure adequacy of remuneration</ENT> <ENT>351.301(c)(3)(i)(B) (45 days before preliminary determination).</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">30 days*</ENT> <ENT>Rebuttal, clarification, or correction of factual information to measure adequacy of remuneration</ENT> <ENT>351.301(c)(3)(iv) (10 days after filing of factual information to measure adequacy of remuneration).</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">47 days</ENT> <ENT>Application for an administrative protective order</ENT> <ENT>351.305(b)(3) (before submission of the first response to the initial questionnaire).</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">40 days *</ENT> <ENT>Request for postponement by petitioner</ENT> <ENT>351.205(e) (25 days or more before preliminary determination).</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">45 days *</ENT> <ENT>Allegation of critical circums ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 52k characters. 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