Torrington Co. v. United States

823 F. Supp. 945, 17 Ct. Int'l Trade 541, 17 C.I.T. 541, 15 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 1745, 1993 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 100, 1993 WL 211553
United States Court of International Trade·Decided June 8, 1993·No. Court 91-08-00564·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

OPINION

TSOUCALAS, Judge:

Plaintiff, The Torrington Company (“Tor-rington”), commenced this action to challenge certain aspects of the Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration’s (“ITA”) final results in the first administrative review of imports of antifriction bearings from Thailand. Antifriction Bearings (Other Than Tapered Roller Bearings) and Parts Thereof From Thailand; Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review (“Final Results ”), 56 Fed.Reg. 31,765 (1991). Substantive issues raised by the parties in the underlying administrative proceeding were addressed by the ITA in the issues appendix to Antifriction Bearings (Other Than Tapered Roller Bearings) and Parts Thereof From the Federal Republic of Germany; Final Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review (“Issues Appendix ”), 56 Fed.Reg. 31,692 (1991).

Background

On June 11, 1990, the ITA initiated an administrative review of imports of ball bearings and parts thereof from Thailand. Anti-friction Bearings (Other Than Tapered Roller Bearings) and Parts Thereof From the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Romania, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand and the United Kingdom Initiation of Antidumping Administrative Reviews, 55 Fed.Reg. 23,575 (1990).

On March 15, 1991, the ITA published its preliminary determination in the administrative review. Antifriction Bearings (Other Than Tapered Roller Bearings) and Parts thereof from Thailand; Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Review, 56 Fed.Reg. 11,195 (1991).

On July 11, 1991, the ITA published its Final Results in this proceeding. Final Results, 56 Fed.Reg. 31,765.

Torrington moves pursuant to Rule 56.1 of the Rules of this Court for summary judgment on the administrative record alleging that the following actions by the ITA were unsupported by substantial evidence on the administrative record and not in accordance with law: the ITA’s (1) use of a methodology *947 for adjusting United States price (“USP”) and Foreign Market Value (“FMV”) for Thailand’s value added tax (“VAT”) that granted a circumstance of sale (“COS”) adjustment to FMV to achieve tax neutrality; (2) method of calculating cash deposit rates for estimated duties; (3) treatment of antifriction bearings imported into foreign trade zones (“FTZ”); and (4) in regard to ESP transactions, allowance of an adjustment to FMV for inventory carrying costs. Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of The Torrington Company’s Motion for Summary Judgment on the Agency Record (“Torrington’s Memorandum”) at 17-48..

Discussion

The Court’s jurisdiction over this matter is derived from 19 U.S.C. § 1516a(a)(2) (1988) and 28 U.S.C. § 1581(c) (1988).

A final determination by the ITA in an administrative proceeding will be sustained unless that determination is “unsupported by substantial evidence on the record, or otherwise not in accordance with law.” 19 U.S.C. § 1516a(b)(l)(B) (1988). Substantial evidence is “relevant evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” Consolidated Edison Co. v. NLRB, 305 U.S. 197, 229, 59 S.Ct. 206, 217, 83 L.Ed. 126 (1938); Alhambra Foundry Co. v. United States, 12 CIT 343, 345, 685 F.Supp. 1252, 1255 (1988).

1. Circumstance of Sale Adjustment to FMV for Value Added Tax

Torrington challenges the ITA’s use of a methodology for adjusting USP and FMV for Thailand’s VAT that granted a COS adjustment to FMV to achieve tax neutrality. Tor-rington’s Memorandum at 36-40.

Defendant argues that its actions were supported by substantial evidence on the administrative record and otherwise in accordance with law. Defendant’s Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for Judgment Upon the Agency Record (“Defendant’s Memorandum”) at 25-54.

For a more detailed discussion of Torring-ton and defendant’s arguments on this issue, see this Court’s decision in Torrington Co. v. United States, 17 CIT —, — - —, 818 F.Supp. 1563 (1993).

This Court has fully addressed these arguments and adheres to its decision on this issue in Federal-Mogul Corp. v. United States, 17 CIT —, — - —, 813 F.Supp. 856 (1993). This Court remands this issue to the ITA to allow the ITA to add the full amount of VAT paid on home market sales to FMV without adjustment.

2. Calculation of Cash Deposit Rates

In this administrative review, the ITA used two different methodologies for the actual calculation of dumping margins in cases where ESP sales were used: one for assessing duties on entries covered by the review, and the other for setting the cash deposit rate on future entries of the subject merchandise. Final Results, 56 Fed.Reg. at 31,-767-69; Issues Appendix, 56 Fed.Reg. at 31.698-702. To calculate the assessment rate for ESP sales, the ITA “divide[d] the total PUDD [potential uncollected dumping duties — calculated as the total difference between foreign market value and U.S. price for an exporter] for the reviewed sales by the total entered value of those reviewed sales_” Issues Appendix, 56 Fed.Reg. at 31.698-99 (emphasis added). To calculate the estimated cash deposit rate for ESP sales, the ITA “divided the total PUDD for each exporter by the total net U.S. price for that exporter’s sales-” Id. at 31,699 (emphasis added).

Torrington argues that the ITA’s use of a methodology which results in an estimated cash, deposit rate different from the assessment duty rate was unsupported by substantial evidence on the record and not in accordance with law. Torrington’s Memorandum at 17-23.

Defendant argues that its actions were supported by substantial evidence on the administrative record and otherwise in accordance with law. Defendant’s Memorandum at 6-13. In addition, defendant argues that this issue is moot because of the publication of superseding cash deposit rates in Antifriction Bearings (Other Than Tapered Roller Bearings) and Parts Thereof From France; et al.; Final Results of Antidumping Duty *948 Administrative Reviews, 57 Fed.Reg. 28,360 (1992). Defendant’s Memorandum at 3-6.

For a more detailed discussion of Torring-ton and defendant’s arguments on this issue, see this Court’s decision in Torrington Co., 17 CIT at-, 818 F.Supp. 1563.

The Court agrees with the defendant that this issue is now moot.

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Torrington Co. v. United States, 823 F. Supp. 945, 17 Ct. Int'l Trade 541, 17 C.I.T. 541, 15 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 1745, 1993 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 100, 1993 WL 211553 (cit 1993).

823 F. Supp. 945 (Torrington Co. v. United States) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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