[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 92 (Tuesday, May 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 27991]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10130]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[A-580-905]


4th Tier Cigarettes From the Republic of Korea: Postponement of 
Preliminary Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

DATES: Applicable May 12, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Martin, 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) 482-3936.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On January 7, 2020, the Department of Commerce (Commerce) initiated 
a less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigation of imports of 4th Tier 
Cigarettes (cigarettes) from the Republic of Korea.\1\ Currently, the 
preliminary determination is due no later than May 26, 2020.
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    \1\ See 4th Tier Cigarettes from the Republic of Korea: 
Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation, 85 FR 2390 
(January 15, 2020).
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Postponement of Preliminary Determination

    Section 733(b)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the 
Act), requires Commerce to issue the preliminary determination in an 
LTFV investigation within 140 days after the date on which Commerce 
initiated the investigation. However, section 733(c)(1) of the Act 
permits Commerce to postpone the preliminary determination until no 
later than 190 days after the date on which Commerce initiated the 
investigation if: (A) The petitioner makes a timely request for a 
postponement; or (B) Commerce concludes that the parties concerned are 
cooperating, that the investigation is extraordinarily complicated, and 
that additional time is necessary to make a preliminary determination. 
Under 19 CFR 351.205(e), the petitioner must submit a request for 
postponement 25 days or more before the scheduled date of the 
preliminary determination and must state the reasons for the request. 
Commerce will grant the request unless it finds compelling reasons to 
deny the request.
    On April 28, 2020, the petitioner \2\ submitted a timely request 
that Commerce postpone the preliminary determination in this LTFV 
investigation.\3\ The petitioner requests that Commerce fully extend 
the deadline for the preliminary determination to issue, if necessary, 
supplemental questionnaires and receive responses to those supplemental 
questionnaires, and ``allow all parties ample time to fully and 
accurately analyze the information on this record prior to the 
preliminary determination and ensure an accurate preliminary 
calculation of dumping margins.'' \4\
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    \2\ The petitioner is the Coalition Against Korean Cigarettes.
    \3\ See Petitioner's Letter, ``4th Tier Cigarettes from the 
Republic of Korea: Request to Postpone Preliminary Determination,'' 
dated April 28, 2020.
    \4\ Id. at 2.
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    For the reasons stated above and because there are no compelling 
reasons to deny the request, Commerce, in accordance with section 
733(c)(1)(A) of the Act, is postponing the deadline for the preliminary 
determination by 50 days (i.e., 190 days after the date on which this 
investigation was initiated). As a result, Commerce will issue its 
preliminary determination no later than July 15, 2020. In accordance 
with section 735(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(1), the 
deadline for the final determination in this investigation will 
continue to be 75 days after the date of the preliminary determination, 
unless postponed.

Notification to Interested Parties

    This notice is issued and published pursuant to section 733(c)(2) 
of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(f)(1).

    Dated: May 6, 2020.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2020-10130 Filed 5-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P