1. On 12/03/2014, Commerce published in the Federal Register its countervailing duty order on non-oriented electrical steel (NOES) from Taiwan (79 FR 71749).

2. The merchandise covered by this order consists of NOES, which includes cold-rolled, flat-rolled, alloy steel products, whether or not in coils, regardless of width, having an actual thickness of 0.20 mm or more, in which the core loss is substantially equal in any direction of magnetization in the plane of the material. The term “substantially equal” means that the cross grain direction of core loss is no more than 1.5 times the straight grain direction (i.e., the rolling direction) of core loss. NOES has a magnetic permeability that does not exceed 1.65 Tesla when tested at a field of 800 A/m (equivalent to 10 Oersteds) along (i.e., parallel to) the rolling direction of the sheet (i.e., B800 value). NOES contains by weight more than 1.00 percent of silicon but less than 3.5 percent of silicon, not more than 0.08 percent of carbon, and not more than 1.5 percent of aluminum. NOES has a surface oxide coating, to which an insulation coating may be applied.

NOES is subject to this order whether it is fully processed (i.e., fully annealed to develop final magnetic properties) or semi-processed (i.e., finished to final thickness and physical form but not fully annealed to develop final magnetic properties). Fully processed NOES is typically made to the requirements of ASTM specification A 677, Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) specification C 2552, and/or International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) specification 60404-8-4. Semi-processed NOES is typically made to the requirements of ASTM specification A 683. However, the scope of these orders is not limited to merchandise meeting the ASTM, JIS, and IEC specifications noted immediately above.

NOES is sometimes referred to as cold-rolled non-oriented (CRNO), non-grain oriented (NGO), non-oriented (NO), or cold-rolled non-grain oriented (CRNGO) electrical steel. These terms are interchangeable.

Excluded from the scope of these orders are flat-rolled products not in coils that, prior to importation into the United States, have been cut to a shape and undergone all punching, coating, or other operations necessary for classification in Chapter 85 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) as a part (i.e., lamination) for use in a device such as a motor, generator, or transformer. The subject merchandise is provided for in subheadings 7225.19.0000, 7226.19.1000, and 7226.19.9000 of the HTSUS. Subject merchandise may also be entered under subheadings 7225.50.8085, 7225.99.0090, 7226.92.5000, 7226.92.7050, 7226.92.8050, 7226.99.0180 of the HTSUS. Although HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the scope is dispositive.

3. For imports of NOES from Taiwan, except for merchandise covered by paragraph 4, below. CBP shall suspend liquidation of entries of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after 12/02/2014 (date of publication of the International Trade Commission final determination in the Federal Register). Effective 12/02/2014, CBP shall require a cash deposit equal to the percentages identified below.

Producer and/or Exporter: All-Others
Case Number: C-583-852-000
Cash Deposit Rate: 8.80 percent

Producer and/or Exporter: Leicong Industrial Company, Ltd. (Leicong)
Case Number: C-583-852-002
Cash Deposit Rate: 17.12 percent

4. Commerce found that no subsidies exist with respect to imports of NOES from Taiwan produced and exported by the producer/exporter combination listed below. Therefore, the following producer/exporter combination is excluded from this order:

Producer: China Steel Corporation (CSC), (AKA Dragon Steel Corporation (DSC), HiMag Magnetic Corporation (HIMAG), and China Steel Global Trading Corporation (CSGT) (collectively, CSC Companies)).
Exporter: China Steel Corporation (CSC), (AKA Dragon Steel Corporation (DSC), HiMag Magnetic Corporation (HIMAG), and China Steel Global Trading Corporation (CSGT) (collectively, CSC Companies)).
Case number: C-583-852-001

5. If there are any questions by the importing public regarding this message, please contact the Call Center for the Office of AD/CVD Operations, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce at (202) 482-0984. CBP ports should submit their inquiries through authorized CBP channels only. (This message was generated by OIII: PMT.)

6. There are no restrictions on the release of this information.

Michael B. Walsh