[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 123 (Friday, June 26, 1998)] [Notices] [Page 34849] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-17110] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration North American Free Trade Agreement, Article 1904 Binational Panel Reviews AGENCY: NAFTA Secretariat, United States Section, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of decision of binational panel and notice of completion of panel review. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Pursuant to the third panel decision issued on April 13, 1998 that affirmed SECOFI's second Determination on Remand, the binational panel review in Secretariat File No. MEX-94-1904-01 was completed on May 25, 1998. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James R. Holbein, United States Secretary, NAFTA Secretariat, Suite 2061, 14th and Constitution Avenue, Washington, D.C. 20230, (202) 482- 5438. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Chapter 19 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (``Agreement'') establishes a mechanism to replace domestic judicial review of final determinations in antidumping and countervailing duty cases involving imports from a NAFTA country with review by independent binational panels. When a Request for Panel Review is filed, a panel is established to act in place of national courts to review expeditiously the final determination to determine whether it conforms with the antidumping or countervailing duty law of the country that made the determination. Under Article 1904 of the Agreement, which came into force on January 1, 1994, the Government of the United States, the Government of Canada and the Government of Mexico established Rules of Procedure for Article 1904 Binational Panel Reviews (``Rules''). These Rules were published in the Federal Register on February 23, 1994 (59 FR 8686). The binational panel review in this matter was conducted in accordance with these Rules. Background and Final Decision The panel in Secretariat File No. 94-1904-01 was convened to review the final antidumping duty determination made by the Secretaria de Comercio y Fomento Industrial (SECOFI) with respect to Imports of Cut- to-Length Plate, Covered by Customs Tariff Classifications 7208.32.01, 7208.33.01 7208.42.01 and 7208.43.01 of the Tariff Schedule of the General Tax Import Law, Originating in and Exported from the United States of America. On September 15, 1997 the Panel issued a decision affirming in part and remanding in part the first Remand Determination of SECOFI for further action. On January 13, 1998 SECOFI submitted its second Remand Determination, which was challenged on February 2, 1998 under the Rules by New Process Steel Corporation. On April 13, 1998 after review of all documents filed in this action on remand, the Panel denied New Process's challenge to SECOFI's second Remand Determination dated January 13, 1998 and affirmed the second Remand Determination in all its parts. The Secretariat was instructed to issue a Notice of Completion of Panel Review on the 31st day following the issuance of the Notice of Final Panel Action, if no Request for an Extraordinary Challenge was filed. No such request was filed. Therefore, on the basis of the Panel Order and Rule 80 of the Article 1904 Panel Rules, the Panel Review was completed and the panelists discharged from their duties effective on May 25, 1998. Dated: June 4, 1998. James R. Holbein, United States Secretary, NAFTA Secretariat. [FR Doc. 98-17110 Filed 6-25-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-GT-M