The US DOC has announced its preliminary results of the countervailing duty (CVD) administrative review on stainless steel plate in coils (SSPC) from Belgium for the period January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2007.
On June 2, 2008, the DOC received a request for a review from AMS Belgium, a Belgian producer of stainless steel plate in coils. On July 1, 2008, the DOC published a notice of initiation of the review, covering the period January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007.
During the review, the DOC found that U&A Belgium's parent company, Arcelor S.A., agreed to merge with Mittal Steel N.V in 2006. This merger was completed on November 13, 2007. As a result of this merger, U&A Belgium became AMS Belgium on November 13, 2007.
The DOC has reviewed the information provided by AMS Belgium with regard to the merger and evaluated the company and its affiliates for receipt of countervailable subsidies. In addition, the DOC has reviewed entry data provided by the US Customs and Border Protection to confirm that U&A Belgium is the only manufacturer of the subject merchandise exported from Belgium and the merger happened during the period of review.
Therefore, the DOC preliminarily found that AMS Belgium, the only producer/exporter subject to this administrative review, had no countervailable subsidies during the period of review. For the period January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2007, the DOC has preliminarily determined the net subsidy rate for AMS Belgium to be 0.00 percent ad valorem.
The merchandise subject to the order is currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States at subheadings: 7219.11.00.30, 7219.11.00.60, 7219.12.00.05, 7219.12.00.06, 7219.12.00.20, 7219.12.00.21, 7219.12.00.25, 7219.12.00.26, 7219.12.00.50, 7219.12.00.51, 7219.12.00.55, 7219.12.00.56, 7219.12.00.65, 7219.12.00.66, 7219.12.00.70, 7219.12.00.71, 7219.12.00.80, 7219.12.00.81, 7219.31.00.10, 7219.90.00.10, 7219.90.00.20, 7219.90.00.25, 7219.90.00.60, 7219.90.00.80, 7220.11.00.00, 7220.20.10.10, 7220.20.10.15, 7220.20.10.60, 7220.20.10.80, 7220.20.60.05, 7220.20.60.10, 7220.20.60.15, 7220.20.60.60, 7220.20.60.80, 7220.90.00.10, 7220.90.00.15, 7220.90.00.60, and 7220.90.00.80.