CV: India and Indonesia Certain Lined Paper Products

(See ITT's Online Archives or 10/07/05 news, 05100740 for BP summary of initiation of companion antidumping (AD) investigation on CLPP from India, Indonesia and China. Note that according to ITA sources, the scope of CLPP for both the AD and CV investigations is intended to be the same. )

Scope of the Investigation: The scope of this investigation includes certain lined paper products, typically school supplies,¹ composed of or including paper that incorporates straight horizontal and/or vertical lines on ten or more paper sheets,² including but not limited to such products as single-and multi-subject notebooks, composition books, wireless notebooks, loose-leaf or glued filler paper, graph paper, and laboratory notebooks, and with the smaller dimension of the paper measuring 6 inches to 15 inches (inclusive) and the larger dimension of the paper measuring 8 inches to 15 inches (inclusive). Page dimensions are measured size (not advertised, stated, or "tear-out" size), and are measured as they appear in the product (i.e., stitched and folded pages in a notebook are measured by the size of the page as it appears in the notebook page, not the size of the unfolded paper). However, for measurement purposes, pages with tapered or rounded edges shall be measured at their longest and widest points. Subject lined paper products may be loose, packaged or bound using any binding method (other than case bound through the inclusion of binder's board, a spine strip, and cover wrap). Subject merchandise may or may not contain any combination of a front cover, a rear cover, and/or backing of any composition, regardless of the inclusion of images or graphics on the cover, backing, or paper. Subject merchandise is within the scope of this petition whether or not the lined paper and/or cover are hole punched, drilled, perforated, and/or reinforced. Subject merchandise may contain accessory or informational items including but not limited to pockets, tabs, dividers, closure devices, index cards, stencils, protractors, writing implements, reference materials such as mathematical tables, or printed items such as sticker sheets or miniature calendars, if such items are physically incorporated, included with, or attached to the product, cover and/or backing thereto.

Excluded from Scope: Specifically excluded from the scope of this petition are: unlined copy machine paper; writing pads with a backing (including but not limited to products commonly known as "tablets," "note pads," "legal pads," and "quadrille pads"), provided that they do not have a front cover (whether permanent or removable). This exclusion does not apply to such writing pads if they consist of hole-punched or drilled filler paper; three-ring or multiple-ring binders, or notebook organizers incorporating such a ring binder provided that they do not include subject paper; index cards; printed books and other books that are case bound through the inclusion of binders board, a spine strip, and cover wrap; newspapers; pictures and photographs; desk and wall calendars and organizers (including but not limited to such products generally known as "office planners," "time books," and "appointment books"); telephone logs; address books; columnar pads & tablets, with or without covers, primarily suited for the recording of written numerical business data; lined business or office forms, including but not limited to: preprinted business forms, lined invoice pads and paper, mailing and address labels, manifests, and shipping log books; lined continuous computer paper; boxed or packaged writing stationary (including but not limited to products commonly known as "fine business paper," "parchment paper, " and "letterhead"), whether or not containing a lined header or decorative lines; Stenographic pads ("steno pads"), Gregg ruled,³ measuring 6 inches by 9 inches;

Also excluded from the scope of these investigations are the following trademarked products: Fly^TM lined paper products: A notebook, notebook organizer, loose or glued note paper, with papers that are printed with infrared reflective inks and readable only by a Fly^TM pen-top computer. The product must bear the valid trademark Fly^TM.⁴

Zwipes^TM: A notebook or notebook organizer made with a blended polyolefin writing surface as the cover and pocket surfaces of the notebook, suitable for writing using a specially-developed permanent marker and erase system (known as a Zwipes^TM pen). This system allows the marker portion to mark the writing surface with a permanent ink. The eraser portion of the marker dispenses a solvent capable of solubilizing the permanent ink allowing the ink to be removed. The product must bear the valid trademark Zwipes^TM.⁴

FiveStar ^R Advance^TM: A notebook or notebook organizer bound by a continuous spiral, or helical, wire and with plastic front and rear covers made of a blended polyolefin plastic material joined by 300 denier polyester, coated on the backside with PVC (poly vinyl chloride) coating, and extending the entire length of the spiral or helical wire. The polyolefin plastic covers are of specific thickness; front cover is 0.019 inches (within normal manufacturing tolerances) and rear cover is 0.028 inches (within normal manufacturing tolerances). Integral with the stitching that attaches the polyester spine covering, is captured both ends of a 1 inch wide elastic fabric band. This band is located 2&8540; inches from the top of the front plastic cover and provides pen or pencil storage. Both ends of the spiral wire are cut and then bent backwards to overlap with the previous coil but specifically outside the coil diameter but inside the polyester covering. During construction, the polyester covering is sewn to the front and rear covers face to face (outside to outside) so that when the book is closed, the stitching is concealed from the outside. Both free ends (the ends not sewn to the cover and back) are stitched with a turned edge construction. The flexible polyester material forms a covering over the spiral wire to protect it and provide a comfortable grip on the product. The product must bear the valid trademarks FiveStar ^R Advance^TM.⁴

FiveStar Flex^TM: A notebook, a notebook organizer, or binder with plastic polyolefin front and rear covers joined by 300 denier polyester spine cover extending the entire length of the spine and bound by a 3-ring plastic fixture. The polyolefin plastic covers are of a specific thickness; front cover is 0.019 inches (within normal manufacturing tolerances) and rear cover is 0.028 inches (within normal manufacturing tolerances). During construction, the polyester covering is sewn to the front cover face to face (outside to outside) so that when the book is closed, the stitching is concealed from the outside. During construction, the polyester cover is sewn to the back cover with the outside of the polyester spine cover to the inside back cover. Both free ends (the ends not sewn to the cover and back) are stitched with a turned edge construction. Each ring within the fixture is comprised of a flexible strap portion that snaps into a stationary post which forms a closed binding ring. The ring fixture is riveted with six metal rivets and sewn to the back plastic cover and is specifically positioned on the outside back cover. The product must bear the valid trademark FiveStar Flex^TM.⁴

HTS Subheading for the Investigation: Merchandise subject to this investigation is typically imported under headings 4820.10.2050, 4810.22.5044, 4811.90.9090 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).⁵ The tariff classifications are provided for convenience and U.S. Customs and Border Protection purposes; however, the written description of the scope of the investigation is dispositive.

¹ For purposes of this scope definition, the actual use of or labeling these products as school supplies or non-school supplies is not a defining characteristic.

² There shall be no minimum page requirement for loose-leaf filler paper.

³ "Gregg ruling" consists of single- or double-margin vertical ruling line down the center of the page. For a six-inch by nine-inch stenographic pad, the ruling would be located approximately three inches from the left of the book.

⁴ Products found to be bearing an invalidly licensed or used trademark are not excluded from the scope.

⁵ During the investigation additional HTS codes may be identified.

- comments on the scope of the investigation due within 20 days of 10/07/05

- preliminary International Trade Commission (ITC) injury determination due no later than 25 days after the date it receives notice of these investigations

ITA contact - Maura Jeffords (India) (202) 482-0371

David Layton (Indonesia) (202) 482-3146

ITA notice (FR Pub 10/07/05) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/E5-5541.pdf