91 FR 42178 · published 2026-07-08
· Commerce Department, International Trade Administration
Mirrored from the Federal Register (retrieved 2026-08-08) —
the official copy is at federalregister.gov
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The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of carbon and alloy steel wire rod (wire rod) from Algeria. The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2025. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 8, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42178-42180]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-13784]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[C-721-003]
Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod From Algeria: Preliminary
Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily
determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to
producers and exporters of carbon and alloy steel wire rod (wire rod)
from Algeria. The period of investigation (POI) is January 1, 2025,
through December 31, 2025. Interested parties are invited to comment on
this preliminary determination.
DATES: Applicable July 8, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan Schueler or Joshua Nixon, AD/
CVD Operations, Office VIII, Enforcement and Compliance, International
Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-9175 and (202)
482-8361, respectively.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section
703(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). Commerce
published the notice of initiation of this investigation on May 1,
2026.\1\ The deadline for this preliminary determination is July 1,
2026.
\1\ See Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Algeria: Initiation
of Countervailing Duty Investigation, 91 FR 23397 (May 1, 2026)
(Initiation Notice).
For a complete description of the events that followed the
initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision
Memorandum.\2\ A list of topics discussed 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 ACCESS. ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary
Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/frnotices.
\2\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary
Affirmative Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigation
of Carbon and Alloy Steel Wire Rod from Algeria,'' dated
concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary
Decision Memorandum).
Scope of the Investigation
The product covered by this investigation is wire rod from Algeria.
For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see
Appendix I.
Scope Comments
In accordance with the Preamble to Commerce's regulations,\3\ the
Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise
issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope).\4\ No interested party
commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the
Initiation Notice. Commerce is not preliminarily modifying the scope
language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. See the complete
description of the scope in Appendix I to this notice.
\3\ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule,
62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997).
\4\ See Initiation Notice.
Methodology
Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with
section 701 of the Act. For each of the subsidy programs found to be
countervailable, Commerce preliminarily determines that there is a
subsidy, i.e., a financial contribution by an ``authority'' that gives
rise to a benefit to the recipient, and that the subsidy is
specific.\5\ For a full description of the methodology underlying our
preliminary determination, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
\5\ See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding
financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding
benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
Commerce notes that, in making these findings, it relied on facts
available and, because it finds that one or more respondents did not
act to the best of their ability to respond to Commerce's requests for
information, it drew an adverse inference where appropriate in
selecting from among the facts otherwise available.\6\ For further
information, see the ``Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse
Inferences'' section in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
\6\ See sections 776(a) and (b) of the Act.
All-Others Rate
Sections 703(d) and 705(c)(5)(A) of the Act state that Commerce
shall determine an estimated all-others rate for companies not
individually examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the
weighted average of the estimated subsidy rates established for those
companies individually investigated, excluding any zero and de minimis
countervailable subsidy rates, and any rates determined entirely under
section 776 of the Act.
Pursuant to section 705(c)(5)(A)(ii) of the Act, if the individual
estimated countervailable subsidy rates established for all exporters
and producers individually examined are zero, de minimis, or determined
based entirely on facts otherwise available, Commerce may use any
reasonable method to establish the estimated subsidy rate for all other
producers and/or exporters. Commerce has preliminarily determined the
individually estimated subsidy rate for the sole individually examined
respondent entirely under section 776 of the Act. Consequently, as a
reasonable method, Commerce is determining the all-others rate based on
the rate determined for SPA Algerian Qatar Steel (AQS), the sole
mandatory respondent, under section 776 of the Act, as this is the only
rate available in this proceeding.\7\ For a full description of the
methodology underlying Commerce's analysis, see the Preliminary
Decision Memorandum.
\7\ See, e.g., Melamine from Germany: Final Affirmative
Countervailing Duty Determination, 89 FR 97586 (December 9, 2024);
see also Overhead Door Counterbalance Torsion Springs from the
People's Republic of China: Final Affirmative Countervailing Duty
Determination and Final Affirmative Critical Circumstances
Determination in Part, 90 FR 39374 (August 15, 2025).
Preliminary Determination
Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated
countervailable subsidy rates exist:
Subsidy rate
Company (percent ad
valorem)
SPA Algerian Qatar Steel............................. * 73.33
All Others........................................... 73.33
* This rate is based on facts available with adverse inferences.
Suspension of Liquidation
In accordance with section 703(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will
direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation
of entries of wire rod from Algeria, as described in Appendix I to this
notice, entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or
after the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.
Further, pursuant to section 703(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR
351.107(e), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal
to the estimated company-specific countervailable subsidy rate or the
estimated all-others rate, as follows: (1) the cash deposit rate for
the respondents listed above will be equal to the company-specific
estimated individual countervailable subsidy rates determined in this
preliminary determination; (2) if both the producer and exporter of the
subject merchandise have company-specific estimated subsidy rates
determined in this preliminary determination, and their rates differ,
then the applicable cash deposit rate will be the higher of these two
rates; (3) if either the producer or the exporter, but not both, of the
subject merchandise have a company-specific estimated subsidy rate
determined in this preliminary determination, the applicable cash
deposit rate will be that company's company-specific rate; and (4) the
cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters will be equal
to the estimated all-others subsidy rate.
Disclosure
Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis
performed to interested parties in this preliminary determination
within five days of its public announcement, or if there is no public
announcement, within five days of the date 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.
Verification
Because the non-responsive company did not participate in this
investigation and because the Government of Algeria did not provide the
information Commerce requested, Commerce preliminarily determines each
of these parties have been uncooperative, and it will not conduct
verification.
Public Comment
Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later than 30
days after the date of publication of the preliminary determination.\8\
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.\9\ Interested parties who submit case or rebuttal briefs in
this proceeding must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each
issue; and (2) a table of authorities.\10\
\8\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(i); see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for
general filing requirements).
\9\ See 19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Administrative Protective
Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29,
2023) (APO and Service Final Rule).
\10\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).
As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iii), we
request that interested parties provide at the beginning of their
briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their
briefs.\11\ Further, we request that interested parties limit their
public, executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words, not
including citations. We intend to use the public executive summaries as
the basis of the comment summaries included in the issues and decision
memorandum that will accompany the final determination in this
investigation. We request that interested parties include footnotes for
relevant citations in the executive summary of each issue. Note that
Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the
service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f).\12\
\11\ We use the term ``issue'' here to describe an argument that
Commerce would normally address in a comment of the Issues and
Decision Memorandum.
\12\ See APO and Service Final Rule.
Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to
request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and rebuttal
briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for
Enforcement and
Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce, within 30 days after the date
of publication of this notice. Requests should contain: (1) the party's
name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of participants and
whether any participant is a foreign national; and (3) a list of the
issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce
intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to be determined.
Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the
hearing two days before the scheduled date.
U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Notification
In accordance with section 703(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify
the ITC of its determination. However, no material injury determination
is necessary in this countervailing duty investigation, pursuant to
section 701(c)(1) of the Act, because the United States Trade
Representative has determined that Algeria is not a ``Subsidies
Agreement country'' within the meaning of section 701(b) of the
Act.\13\
\13\ See Status of Algeria Under the Tariff Act of 1930, as
Amended, 90 FR 34334 (July 21, 2025).
Notification to Interested Parties
This determination is issued and published pursuant to sections
703(f) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.205(c).
Dated: July 1, 2026.
Christopher Abbott,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the
non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for
Enforcement and Compliance.
Appendix I
Scope of the Investigation
The merchandise subject to this investigation covers certain
hot-rolled products of carbon steel and alloy steel, in coils, of
approximately circular cross section, less than 19.00 mm in actual
solid cross-sectional diameter. Specifically excluded are steel
products possessing the above-noted physical characteristics and
meeting the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS)
definitions for (a) stainless steel; (b) tool steel; (c) high nickel
steel; (d) ball bearing steel; or (e) concrete reinforcing bars and
rods. Also excluded are free cutting steel (also known as free
machining steel) products (i.e., products that contain by weight one
or more of the following elements: 0.1 percent or more of lead, 0.05
percent or more of bismuth, 0.08 percent or more of sulfur, more
than 0.04 percent of phosphorus, more than 0.05 percent of selenium,
or more than 0.01 percent of tellurium). All products meeting the
physical description of subject merchandise that are not
specifically excluded are included in this scope.
The products under investigation are currently classifiable
under subheadings 7213.91.3011, 7213.91.3015, 7213.91.3020,
7213.91.3093, 7213.91.4500, 7213.91.6000, 7213.99.0030,
7227.20.0030, 7227.20.0080, 7227.90.6010, 7227.90.6020,
7227.90.6030, and 7227.90.6035 of the HTSUS. Products entered under
subheadings 7213.90.0090 and 7227.90.6090 of HTSUS also may be
included in this scope if they meet the physical description of
subject merchandise above. Although the HTSUS subheadings are
provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written
description of the scope of this investigation is dispositive.
Appendix II
List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum
I. Summary
II. Background
III. Injury Test
IV. Diversification of Algeria's Economy
V. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences
VI. Subsidies Valuation Information
VII. Analysis of Programs
VIII. Recommendation
[FR Doc. 2026-13784 Filed 7-7-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P
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