Elof Hansson, Inc. v. United States

41 Cust. Ct. 519
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedAugust 19, 1958
DocketReap. Dec. 9212; Entry No. 799887 1/2
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 41 Cust. Ct. 519 (Elof Hansson, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Elof Hansson, Inc. v. United States, 41 Cust. Ct. 519 (cusc 1958).

Opinion

Rao, Judge:

On August 26, 1954, the Acting Secretary of the Treasury, proceeding under the authority conferred by the provisions of the Antidumping Act of 1921,1 19 U. S. C. § 160 (May 27, 1921, ch. 14, § 201, 42 Stat. 11; June 17, 1930, ch. 497, Title IV, § 651 (d) (5), 46 Stat. 763), made the following determination (89 Treas. Dec. 197, T. D. 53567):

Antidumping — Hardboard from Sweden

The Acting Secretary of the Treasury makes a finding of dumping with respect to hardboard from Sweden

Treasury Department,

Washington, D. C., August 86, 1954.

To Collectors of Customs and Others Concerned:

After due investigation, in accordance with the provisions of section 201 of the Antidumping Act, 1921 (19 U. S. C. 160), I find that the industry manufacturing [521]*521hardboard in the United States is likely to be injured by reason of the importation into the United States of hardboard from Sweden, and that hardboard from Sweden is being sold and is likely to be sold in the United States at less than its fair value. (Sec. 201, 42 Stat. 11; 19 U. S. C. 160.)

(643.3)

H. Chapman Rose,

Acting Secretary of the Treasury.

[Riled with the Division of the Redera! Register September 2, 1954, 8:45 a. m.]

As a consequence thereof, and in accordance with the provisions of said Antidumping Act, the appraiser, in making his return of value for the instant importation of hardboard from Sweden, determined the appropriate foreign market value and the purchase price, for the eventual imposition, by the collector, of special dumping duties. This appeal for reappraisement challenges the validity of the appraiser’s return of value as predicated upon an alleged invalid finding of dumping by the Secretary of the Treasury. Specifically, it is asserted that — ■

1. The Secretary failed to follow the procedure prescribed in Section 4 of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U. S. C. Sec. 1003) (hereinafter APA); and
2. The Secretary exceeded the authority conferred upon him by the Anti-Dumping Act.

The following facts have been stipulated:

1. That the Acting Secretary of the Treasury on August 26, 1954, made, issued and published Treasury Decision 53567, 89, Treas. Dec. 197, referred to herein as the Rinding of Dumping, and published same in the Rederal Register September 3, 1954, (19 R. R. 5631). Thereafter the Appraiser of Merchandise at New York, N. Y., determined the “foreign market value” and the “purchase price” under the provisions of the Antidumping Act of 1921 with respect to hardboard exported from Sweden on November 21, 1953, and entered at New York, N. Y., on December 3, 1953, in Entry No. 799887-1/2 in Reappraisement No. 262982-A.
* * * * * * *
2. That if said Rinding of Dumping is held to be valid by the Court, it is agreed that the determination by the appraiser as to the amounts of “foreign market value” and “purchase price” with regard to the instant entry are correct.
* ‡ ‡ ‡ % * ifc
3. That the validity of said Rinding of Dumping affects several hundred entries by numerous importers of hardboard exported from Sweden during a period exceeding three years, involving in the aggregate many thousands of dollars of so-called “special dumping duties.”
* * * * * * *
4. That the investigation conducted by the Secretary of the Treasury culminating in the said Rinding of Dumping was commenced on or about March 31, 1953.
* * Hí * H* * *
[522]*5225. That on October 15, 1953, the Acting Commissioner of Customs, acting in accordance with properly delegated authority, directed appraisement to be withheld on all unappraised entries of hardboard from Sweden and this importer and others received a notice of such withholding on Customs Form No. 6459 as to entries unappraised as of said date and succeeding entries; that such withholding was continued until the issuance of said Finding of Dumping on August 26, 1954.2
* * * * * * *
6. That during the course of said investigation Treasury Department representatives went to Sweden and elicited information from Swedish manufacturers of hardboard and others in Sweden.
7. That a notice of appraisement on Customs Form 4301 with regard to the instant entry was mailed to plaintiff on September 9, 1955, and that the importer filed an appeal with the Collector of Customs at New York on September 23, 1955, said appeal being dated September'19, 1955.
*******

8. That before May 5, 1953, Herbert Geller, an Examiner of Merchandise in the office of the United States Appraiser of Merchandise at New York, N. Y., discussed with representatives of Elof Hansson, Inc., the plaintiff, the fact that the Treasury Department had received a complaint alleging dumping of hardboard from Sweden, that the Treasury Department was making an investigation and desired certain data from Elof Hansson, Inc.’s Swedish suppliers. That under a covering letter, dated May 5, 1953, the said Elof Hansson, Inc. submitted to the said Appraiser the analytical data from Sweden, which had been requested by Mr. Geller. [Defendant’s exhibit A.]

At this point, it becomes pertinent to set forth the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act of 1946, bearing upon the issues in this case (5 U. S. C. §§ 1001 and ff: June 11, 1946, C. 324, §§ 2, 3, 4, and 10; 60 Stat. 236, as amended)—

§ 1001. Definitions.

(a) Agency.

“Agency” means each authority (whether or not within or subject to review by another agency) of the Government of the United States other than Congress, the courts, or the governments of the possessions, Territories, or the District of Columbia.
(c) Rule and rule making.
“Rule” means the whole or any part of any agency statement of general or particular applicability and future effect designed to implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy or to describe the organization, procedure, or practice requirements of any agency and includes the approval or prescription for the future of rates, wages, corporate or financial structures or reorganizations thereof, prices, facilities, appliances, services or allowances therefor or of valuations, costs, or [523]*523accounting, or practices bearing upon any of the foregoing. “Rule making” means agency process for the formulation, amendment, or repeal of a rule.
(d) Order and adjudication.

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41 Cust. Ct. 519, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/elof-hansson-inc-v-united-states-cusc-1958.