19 U.S.C. § 1673b - Preliminary determinations

19 USC 1673b - Preliminary determinations

(a) Determination by Commission of reasonable indication of injury 

(1) General rule 
Except in the case of a petition dismissed by the administering authority under section 1673a (c)(3) of this title, the Commission, within the time specified in paragraph (2), shall determine, based on the information available to it at the time of the determination, whether there is a reasonable indication that
(A) an industry in the United States
(i) is materially injured, or
(ii) is threatened with material injury, or
(B) the establishment of an industry in the United States is materially retarded,

by reason of imports of the subject merchandise and that imports of the subject merchandise are not negligible. If the Commission finds that imports of the subject merchandise are negligible or otherwise makes a negative determination under this paragraph, the investigation shall be terminated.

(2) Time for Commission determination 
The Commission shall make the determination described in paragraph (1)
(A) in the case of a petition filed under section 1673a (b) of this title
(i) within 45 days after the date on which the petition is filed, or
(ii) if the time has been extended pursuant to section 1673a (c)(1)(B) of this title, within 25 days after the date on which the Commission receives notice from the administering authority of initiation of the investigation, and
(B) in the case of an investigation initiated under section 1673a (a) of this title, within 45 days after the date on which the Commission receives notice from the administering authority that an investigation has been initiated under such section.
(b) Preliminary determination by administering authority 

(1) Period of antidumping duty investigation 

(A) In general 
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), within 140 days after the date on which the administering authority initiates an investigation under section 1673a (c) of this title, or an investigation is initiated under section 1673a (a) of this title, but not before an affirmative determination by the Commission under subsection (a) of this section, the administering authority shall make a determination, based upon the information available to it at the time of the determination, of whether there is a reasonable basis to believe or suspect that the merchandise is being sold, or is likely to be sold, at less than fair value.
(B) If certain short life cycle merchandise involved 
If a petition filed under section 1673a (b) of this title, or an investigation initiated under section 1673a (a) of this title, concerns short life cycle merchandise that is included in a product category established under section 1673h (a) of this title, subparagraph (A) shall be applied
(i) by substituting 100 days for 140 days if manufacturers that are second offenders account for a significant proportion of the merchandise under investigation, and
(ii) by substituting 80 days for 140 days if manufacturers that are multiple offenders account for a significant proportion of the merchandise under investigation.
(C) Definitions of offenders 
For purposes of subparagraph (B)
(i) The term second offender means a manufacturer that is specified in 2 affirmative dumping determinations (within the meaning of section 1673h of this title) as the manufacturer of short life cycle merchandise that is
(I) specified in both such determinations, and
(II) within the scope of the product category referred to in subparagraph (B).
(ii) The term multiple offender means a manufacturer that is specified in 3 or more affirmative dumping determinations (within the meaning of section 1673h of this title) as the manufacturer of short life cycle merchandise that is
(I) specified in each of such determinations, and
(II) within the scope of the product category referred to in subparagraph (B).
(2) Preliminary determination under waiver of verification 
Within 75 days after the initiation of an investigation, the administering authority shall cause an official designated for such purpose to review the information concerning the case received during the first 60 days of the investigation, and, if there appears to be sufficient information available upon which the preliminary determination can reasonably be based, to disclose to the petitioner and any interested party, then a party to the proceedings that requests such disclosure, all available nonconfidential information and all other information which is disclosed pursuant to section 1677f of this title. Within 3 days (not counting Saturdays, Sundays, or legal public holidays) after such disclosure, the petitioner and each party which is an interested party described in subparagraph (C), (D), (E), (F), or (G) of section 1677 (9) of this title to whom such disclosure was made may furnish to the administering authority an irrevocable written waiver of verification of the information received by the authority, and an agreement that it is willing to have a preliminary determination made on the basis of the record then available to the authority. If a timely waiver and agreement have been received from the petitioner and each party which is an interested party described in subparagraph (C), (D), (E), (F), or (G) of section 1677 (9) of this title to whom the disclosure was made, and the authority finds that sufficient information is then available upon which the preliminary determination can reasonably be based, a preliminary determination shall be made within 90 days after the initiation of the investigation on the basis of the record established during the first 60 days after the investigation was initiated.
(3) De minimis dumping margin 
In making a determination under this subsection, the administering authority shall disregard any weighted average dumping margin that is de minimis. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a weighted average dumping margin is de minimis if the administering authority determines that it is less than 2 percent ad valorem or the equivalent specific rate for the subject merchandise.
(c) Extension of period in extraordinarily complicated cases 

(1) In general 
If
(A) the petitioner makes a timely request for an extension of the period within which the determination must be made under subsection (b)(1) of this section, or
(B) the administering authority concludes that the parties concerned are cooperating and determines that
(i) the case is extraordinarily complicated by reason of
(I) the number and complexity of the transactions to be investigated or adjustments to be considered,
(II) the novelty of the issues presented, or
(III) the number of firms whose activities must be investigated, and
(ii) additional time is necessary to make the preliminary determination,

then the administering authority may postpone making the preliminary determination under subsection (b)(1) of this section until not later than the 190th day after the date on which the administering authority initiates an investigation under section 1673a (c) of this title, or an investigation is initiated under section 1673a (a) of this title. No extension of a determination date may be made under this paragraph for any investigation in which a determination date provided for in subsection (b)(1)(B) of this section applies unless the petitioner submits written notice to the administering authority of its consent to the extension.

(2) Notice of postponement 
The administering authority shall notify the parties to the investigation, not later than 20 days before the date on which the preliminary determination would otherwise be required under subsection (b)(1) of this section, if it intends to postpone making the preliminary determination under paragraph (1). The notification shall include an explanation of the reasons for the postponement, and notice of the postponement shall be published in the Federal Register.
(d) Effect of determination by the administering authority 
If the preliminary determination of the administering authority under subsection (b) of this section is affirmative, the administering authority
(1) 
(A) shall
(i) determine an estimated weighted average dumping margin for each exporter and producer individually investigated, and
(ii) determine, in accordance with section 1673d (c)(5) of this title, an estimated all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually investigated, and
(B) shall order the posting of a cash deposit, bond, or other security, as the administering authority deems appropriate, for each entry of the subject merchandise in an amount based on the estimated weighted average dumping margin or the estimated all-others rate, whichever is applicable,
(2) shall order the suspension of liquidation of all entries of merchandise subject to the determination which are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the later of
(A) the date on which notice of the determination is published in the Federal Register, or
(B) the date that is 60 days after the date on which notice of the determination to initiate the investigation is published in the Federal Register, and
(3) shall make available to the Commission all information upon which such determination was based and which the Commission considers relevant to its injury determination, under such procedures as the administering authority and the Commission may establish to prevent disclosure, other than with the consent of the party providing it or under protective order, of any information to which confidential treatment has been given by the administering authority.

The instructions of the administering authority under paragraphs (1) and (2) may not remain in effect for more than 4 months, except that the administering authority may, at the request of exporters representing a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise, extend that 4-month period to not more than 6 months.

(e) Critical circumstances determinations 

(1) In general 
If a petitioner alleges critical circumstances in its original petition, or by amendment at any time more than 20 days before the date of a final determination by the administering authority, then the administering authority shall promptly (at any time after the initiation of the investigation under this part) determine, on the basis of the information available to it at that time, whether there is a reasonable basis to believe or suspect that
(A) 
(i) there is a history of dumping and material injury by reason of dumped imports in the United States or elsewhere of the subject merchandise, or
(ii) the person by whom, or for whose account, the merchandise was imported knew or should have known that the exporter was selling the subject merchandise at less than its fair value and that there was likely to be material injury by reason of such sales, and
(B) there have been massive imports of the subject merchandise over a relatively short period.

The administering authority shall be treated as having made an affirmative determination under subparagraph (A) in any investigation to which subsection (b)(1)(B) of this section is applied.

(2) Suspension of liquidation 
If the determination of the administering authority under paragraph (1) is affirmative, then any suspension of liquidation ordered under subsection (d)(2) of this section shall apply, or, if notice of such suspension of liquidation is already published, be amended to apply, to unliquidated entries of merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the later of
(A) the date which is 90 days before the date on which the suspension of liquidation was first ordered, or
(B) the date on which notice of the determination to initiate the investigation is published in the Federal Register.
(f) Notice of determination 
Whenever the Commission or the administering authority makes a determination under this section, the Commission or the administering authority, as the case may be, shall notify the petitioner, and other parties to the investigation, and the Commission or the administering authority (whichever is appropriate) of its determination. The administering authority shall include with such notification the facts and conclusions on which its determination is based. Not later than 5 days after the date on which the determination is required to be made under subsection (a)(2) of this section, the Commission shall transmit to the administering authority the facts and conclusions on which its determination is based.

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