The Commerce Department published notices in the Feb. 21 Federal Register on the following AD/CV duty proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The Commerce Department ruled that Hitachi Metals, Ltd. is the successor to Hitachi Metals and Hitachi Cable Ltd. for the purposes of antidumping duty liability under the AD duty order on stainless steel sheet and strip in coils from Japan (A-588-845). As a result, Commerce will allow subject merchandise from Hitachi Metals to enter at the zero AD duty rate formerly assigned to Hitachi Metals and Hitachi Cable. Commerce affirmed its preliminary finding in the changed circumstances review (see 13123016), finding Hitachi Metals and Hitachi Cable merged to form Hitachi Metals Ltd., but that production operations remain the same. The zero AD duty cash deposit rate for Hitachi Metals Ltd. takes effect Feb. 24, and will remain in effect until further notice.
The Commerce Department issued the preliminary results of its antidumping duty administrative review on citric acid and certain citrate salts from Canada (A-122-853). The company under review is JBL Canada. These preliminary results are not in effect. Commerce may modify them in the final results of this review and change the estimated AD cash deposit rate for this company.
The Commerce Department won’t require countervailing duty cash deposits on steel concrete reinforcing bar from Turkey -- at least for the moment -- finding in its Feb. 20 negative preliminary determination that imports of the product are not being illegally subsidized. Rebar from Turkey is also subject to an antidumping duty investigation, so suspension of liquidation and cash deposits may still be required for AD duty purposes when Commerce issues its preliminary AD duty determination. The agency is due to announce its preliminary decision on AD duties by April 18 (see 14020314). Commerce may also change its mind in this CV duty investigation when it issues its final determination. But for now, the agency will not direct CBP to suspend liquidation on entries of rebar from Turkey.
A countervailing duty cash deposit requirement will take effect Feb. 24 for imports of chlorinated isocyanurates from China (C-570-991), as the Commerce Department found illegal subsidization of Chinese producers in its preliminary determination. The agency assigned CV duty cash deposit rates ranging from 1.55 to 18.57 percent. Chinese chlorinated isocyanurates have already been subject to antidumping duties since 2005. CBP will implement these CV duty cash deposit requirements soon.
Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on Feb. 20 the following voluntary recalls of imported products:
The Food and Drug Administration issued its weekly Enforcement Report for Feb. 19 that lists the status of recalls and field corrections for food, drugs, biologics, and devices. The report covers both domestic and foreign firms.
The Food and Drug Administration announced several new initiatives during Commissioner Margaret Hamburg’s recent trip to India, in a bid to build capacity and boost food and drug safety in the country. FDA is in the process of expanding its offices in India to include new staff, said an agency spokesman. During the trip, Hamburg also signed an agreement to work more closely with Indian food and drug regulators.
The Food and Drug Administration reached a settlement with the Center for Food Safety on deadlines for its Food Safety Modernization Act regulations, ending a contentious lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The agency had been operating under deadlines ordered by the Northern California U.S. District Court in 2013 that required all seven of FDA’s final rules implementing FSMA by June 30, 2015 (see 13062412). The agreement extends the deadlines, some by nearly a year, in return for FDA dropping its appeal.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced changes Feb. 20 to Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) electronic manuals. While some changes are minor, other changes may affect the admissibility of the plant products, including fruits, vegetables, and flowers.