Certain Uncoated Paper From Indonesia: Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review; 2017-2018

AGENCY:

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

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that APRIL, the lone respondent in this administrative review, made sales of certain uncoated paper at prices below normal value during the period of review (POR) March 1, 2017, through February 28, 2018.

DATES:

Applicable March 14, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jacob Garten, AD/CVD Operations, Office II, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3342.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The review covers one producer/exporter of the subject merchandise, APRIL. APRIL is a collapsed entity consisting of the following companies: PT Anugerah Kertas Utama, PT Riau Andalan Kertas, APRIL Fine Paper Macao Offshore Limited, PT Sateri Viscose International, and A P Fine Paper Trading (Hong Kong) Limited.

On November 7, 2018, Commerce published the Preliminary Results. Although we invited parties to comment on the preliminary results of the review, no interested party submitted comments. Accordingly, no decision memorandum accompanies this Federal Register notice. Commerce conducted this administrative review in accordance with section 751 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).

Scope of the Order

The merchandise under review includes uncoated paper in sheet form; weighing at least 40 grams per square meter but not more than 150 grams per square meter; that either is a white paper with a GE brightness level of 85 or higher or is a colored paper; whether or not surface-decorated, printed (except as described below), embossed, perforated, or punched; irrespective of the smoothness of the surface; and irrespective of dimensions (Certain Uncoated Paper).

Certain Uncoated Paper includes (a) uncoated free sheet paper that meets this scope definition; (b) uncoated ground wood paper produced from bleached chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp (BCTMP) that meets this scope definition; and (c) any other uncoated paper that meets this scope definition regardless of the type of pulp used to produce the paper.

Specifically excluded from the scope are (1) paper printed with final content of printed text or graphics and (2) lined paper products, typically school supplies, composed of paper that incorporates straight horizontal and/or vertical lines that would make the paper unsuitable for copying or printing purposes. For purposes of this scope definition, paper shall be considered “printed with final content” where at least one side of the sheet has printed text and/or graphics that cover at least five percent of the surface area of the entire sheet.

On September 1, 2017, Commerce determined that that imports of uncoated paper with a GE brightness of 83 +/− 1% (83 Bright paper), otherwise meeting the description of in-scope merchandise, constitute merchandise “altered in form or appearance in minor respects” from in-scope merchandise that are subject to this order.

Imports of the subject merchandise are provided for under Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) categories 4802.56.1000, 4802.56.2000, 4802.56.3000, 4802.56.4000, 4802.56.6000, 4802.56.7020, 4802.56.7040, 4802.57.1000, 4802.57.2000, 4802.57.3000, and 4802.57.4000. Some imports of subject merchandise may also be classified under 4802.62.1000, 4802.62.2000, 4802.62.3000, 4802.62.5000, 4802.62.6020, 4802.62.6040, 4802.69.1000, 4802.69.2000, 4802.69.3000, 4811.90.8050 and 4811.90.9080. While HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope of the order is dispositive.

Duty Absorption

As discussed in the Preliminary Results, the petitioners requested that Commerce determine whether antidumping duties have been absorbed by APRIL. Section 751(a)(4) of the Act provides that, if requested during an administrative review initiated two or four years after the publication of the order, Commerce will determine whether antidumping duties have been absorbed by a foreign producer or exporter, if the subject merchandise is sold in the United States through an affiliated importer. Because this review was initiated two years after the publication of the order, we are making a duty absorption determination in this segment of the proceeding within the meaning of 19 CFR 351.213(j). As explained in the Preliminary Results, we have determined a margin for APRIL on the basis of facts available with an adverse inference because APRIL failed to respond to Commerce's AD questionnaire. Similarly, the requirement of subject merchandise being sold in the United States through an affiliated importer is satisfied on the basis of AFA. Accordingly, we have applied an adverse inference to find that duty absorption exists on all U.S. sales of the subject merchandise exported by APRIL.

Final Results of the Review

As a result of this review, we determine the dumping margin for APRIL for the period March 1, 2017, through February 28, 2018, is as follows:

Assessment Rates

Commerce shall determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, antidumping duties on all appropriate entries in accordance with section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.212(b). Because APRIL withdrew its participation from this review and reported no information to Commerce for this POR, we will instruct CBP to apply an assessment rate to all entries it produced and/or exported equal to the dumping margin indicated above. Commerce intends to issue assessment instructions to CBP 15 days after the date of publication of these final results of review.

Cash Deposit Requirements

The following cash deposit requirements will be effective for all shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after the publication date of the final results of this administrative review, as provided by section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act: (1) The cash deposit rate for APRIL will be the rate shown above; (2) for previously reviewed or investigated companies not participating in this review, the cash deposit rate will continue to be the company-specific rate published for the most recently-completed segment; (3) if the exporter is not a firm covered in this review, a previous review, or the original less-than-fair value (LTFV) investigation, but the manufacturer is, the cash deposit rate will be the rate established for the most recent segment for the manufacturer of the merchandise; and (4) the cash deposit rate for all other manufacturers or exporters will continue to be 2.10 percent, the all-others rate made effective by the LTFV investigation. These deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

Notification to Importers

This notice serves as the only reminder to importers of their responsibility, under 19 CFR 351.402(f)(2), to file a certificate regarding the reimbursement of antidumping and/or countervailing duties prior to liquidation of the relevant entries during this review period. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in the Secretary's presumption that reimbursement of antidumping and/or countervailing duties occurred and the subsequent assessment of double antidumping duties.

Notification Regarding Administrative Protective Order

This notice serves as the only reminder to parties subject to administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of return/destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and the terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

Notification to Interested Parties

We are issuing and publishing this notice in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h) and 351.221(b)(5).