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pdfINSTRUCTION BOOKLET
GENERAL INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS, AND
DEFINITIONS FOR COMMISSION FOREIGN
PRODUCER/EXPORTER QUESTIONNAIRES
Certain Stilbenic Optical Brightening Agents (CSOBAs) from
China and Taiwan
Investigations Nos. 731-TA-1186-1187 (Preliminary)
Further information.--If you have any questions concerning the enclosed
questionnaire(s) or other matters related to this proceeding, you may contact
the following member of the Commission=s staff (Fax 202-205-3205):
Cynthia Trainor, investigator (202-205-3354; E-mail cynthia.trainor@USITC.GOV)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Background.--This proceeding was instituted in response to a petition filed on March 31, 2011 by
Clariant Corp., Charlotte, NC. Antidumping duties may be assessed on the subject imports as a
result of this proceeding if the Commission makes an affirmative determination of injury, threat,
or material retardation, and if the U.S. Department of Commerce makes an affirmative
determination of dumping.
Questionnaires and other information pertinent to this proceeding are available at
http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/2011/stilbenic_optical_brightening_a
gents/prelimphase.htm. Address all correspondence to the United States International Trade
Commission, Washington, DC 20436. Hearing-impaired individuals can obtain information
regarding this proceeding via the Commission=s TDD terminal (202-205-1810).
Due date of questionnaire(s).--Return the completed questionnaire(s) to the United States
International Trade Commission by no later than April 15, 2011. Although the enclosed
postpaid envelope may be used to return the completed questionnaire, use of an overnight mail
service may be necessary to ensure that your response actually reaches the Commission by April
15, 2011. If you do not use the enclosed envelope, please make sure the completed questionnaire
is sent to the attention of Cynthia Trainor. Return only one copy of the completed
questionnaire(s), but please keep a copy for your records so that you can refer to it if the
Commission staff contacts you with any questions during the course of the proceeding.
Service of questionnaire response(s).--In the event that your firm is a party to this proceeding,
you are required to serve a copy of the questionnaire(s), once completed, on parties to the
proceeding that are subject to administrative protective order (see 19 CFR ' 207.7). A list of such
parties is maintained by the Commission=s Secretary and may be obtained by calling
202-205-1803. A certificate of service must accompany the copy of the completed questionnaire(s)
you submit (see 19 CFR ' 207.7).
Confidentiality.--The commercial and financial data furnished in response to the enclosed
questionnaire(s) that reveal the individual operations of your firm will be treated as confidential by
the Commission to the extent that such data are not otherwise available to the public and will not
be disclosed except as may be required by law (see 19 U.S.C. ' 1677f). Such confidential
information will not be published in a manner that will reveal the individual operations of your
firm; however, nonnumerical characterizations of numerical business proprietary information
(such as discussion of trends) will be treated as confidential business information only at the
request of the submitter for good cause shown.
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GENERAL INFORMATION--Continued
Verification.--The information submitted in the enclosed questionnaire(s) is subject to audit
and verification by the Commission. To facilitate possible verification of data, please keep
all your workpapers and supporting documents used in the preparation of the questionnaire
response(s).
Release of information.--The information provided by your firm in response to the
questionnaire(s), as well as any other business proprietary information submitted by your firm to
the Commission in connection with the proceeding, may become subject to, and released under,
the administrative protective order provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. ' 1677f) and
section 207.7 of the Commission=s Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR ' 207.7). This means
that certain lawyers and other authorized individuals may temporarily be given access to the
information for use in connection with this proceeding or other import-injury proceedings
conducted by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise; those individuals would be
subject to severe penalties if the information were divulged to unauthorized individuals.
INSTRUCTIONS
Answer all questions.--Do not leave any question or section blank unless a questionnaire
expressly directs you to skip over certain questions or sections. If the answer to any question is
Anone,@ write Anone.@ If information is not readily available from your records in exactly the
form requested, furnish carefully prepared estimates--designated as such by the letter
AE@--and explain the basis of your estimates. Answers to questions and any necessary
comments or explanations should be supplied in the space provided or on separate sheets attached
to the appropriate page of the questionnaire(s). If your firm is completing more than one
questionnaire in connection with this proceeding (i.e., a producer, importer, purchaser, and/or
foreign producer questionnaire), you need not respond to duplicated questions in the
questionnaires.
Consolidate all establishments in CHINA AND/OR TAIWAN.--Report the requested data for
your establishment(s) located in CHINA AND/OR TAIWAN. Firms operating more than one
establishment should combine the data for all establishments into a single report.
Filing instructions.—Questionnaires may be filed either in paper form or electronically.
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INSTRUCTIONS--Continued
OPTIONS FOR FILING IN PAPER FORM
• Overnight mail service.—Mail to the following address:
United States International Trade Commission
Office of Investigations, Room 615
500 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20024
• Fax.—Fax to 202.205.3205.
• U.S. mail.—Mail to the address above, but use zip code 20436. This option is not recommended. U.S.
mail sent to government offices undergoes additional processing to screen for hazardous materials; this
additional processing results in substantial delays in delivery.
OPTIONS FOR FILING ELECTRONICALLY
This questionnaire is available as a “fillable” form in MS Word format on the
Commission’s website at
http://www.usitc.gov/trade_remedy/731_ad_701_cvd/investigations/2011/stilbenic_optic
al_brightening_agents/prelimphase.htm.
Please do not attempt to modify the format or permissions of the questionnaire
document. You may complete the questionnaire electronically, print it out, and submit it
in paper form as described above, or you may submit it electronically through one of the
following means:
• Compact disc (CD).—Copy your questionnaire onto a CD, include a signed certification page (page 1)
(either in paper form or scanned PDF copied onto CD), and mail to the address above. It is strongly
recommended that you use an overnight mail service. U.S. mail sent to government offices undergoes
additional processing which not only results in substantial delays in delivery but may also damage CDs.
• E-mail.—E-mail your questionnaire to the investigator identified on page 1 of the Instruction Booklet;
include a scanned PDF of the signed certification page (page 1). Type the following in the e-mail subject
line: BPI Questionnaire, INV. NO. XXX. Please note that submitting your questionnaire by e-mail may
subject your firm’s business proprietary information to transmission over an unsecure environment and to
possible disclosure. If you choose this option, the Commission warns you that any risk involving possible
disclosure of such information is assumed by the submitter and not by the Commission.
Note: If you are a party to the proceeding, and service of the questionnaire is required, such service should
be made in paper form.
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DEFINITIONS
Product.—The certain stilbenic optical brightening agents (CSOBAs) covered by this
investigation are all forms whether free acid or salt of compounds known as
triazinylaminostilbenes (i.e., all derivatives of 4’-bis[1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino-2,2’stilbenedisulfonic acid), including polymers thereof, except for 4,4’-bis[4-anilino-6-morpholino1,3,5-triazin-2-yl]amino-2,2’-stilbenedisulfonic acid, C40H40N12O8S2 (“Fluorescent Brightener
71”). The certain stilbenic OBAs as covered by this investigation include final OBA products, as
well as intermediate products that are themselves triazinylaminostilbenes produced during the
synthesis of final OBA products. This investigation covers the above-described compounds in any
state (including but not limited to powder, slurry, or solution), of any concentrations, as well as
any compositions (i.e., mixtures or blends, whether of certain stilbenic OBAs with each other, or
of certain stilbenic OBAs with other products), and in any type of packaging. Certain stilbenic
OBAs are covered by subheadings 3204.20.80; 2921.59.40; and 2921.59.80.90 of the Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).
The compounds excluded from this investigation are all forms of the following,
4,4’-bis[4-anilino-6-morpholino-1,3,5-triazin-2yl]amino-2,2’-stilbenedisulfonic acid,
C40H40N12O8S2. This is also called “Fluorescent Brightener 71” and is not typically used as an
optical brightener for paper products:
Certain stilbenic OBAs (CSOBAs) are characterized by (a) DAS as the central moiety in the
chemical structure of the molecule; (b) 1,3,5-triazine moieties bonded to the amino groups at the
4 and 4’ positions of the DAS moiety; and (c) variable atoms or moieties bonded to the 4 and 6
positions of the 1,3,5-triazine moieties. One of these positions, the 4 or 6, of the 1,3,5-triazine
moieties is typically occupied by an aniline moiety with zero, one, or two sulfonate functional
groups. The other position, the 6 or 4, of the 1,3,5-triazine moieties is typically occupied by an
amino moiety. In triazinylaminostilbenes that are intermediate products produced during the
synthesis of final OBAs, the 4 and/or 6 positions may be occupied by chlorine atoms. CSOBAs
may be grouped into three categories depending on the number of sulfonate groups on the final
molecule:
Di-category: a total of two sulfonate groups, which are located at the 2 and 2’ positions
of the DAS moiety; in solution, the Di-category has approximately 20 percent active
ingredient.
Tetra-category: a total of four sulfonate groups, which are located at the 2 and 2’ positions
of the DAS moiety, and at one of the open positions on each of the two aniline moieties
(typically at the 4 position); in solution, the Tetra-category has approximately 23 percent
active ingredient.
Hexa-category: a total of six sulfonate groups, which are located at the 2 and 2’ positions
of the DAS moiety, and at two of the open positions on each of the two aniline moieties
(typically at the 2 and 5 positions); in solution, the Hexa-category has approximately 16
percent active ingredient.
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DEFINITIONS--Continued
Firm.--An individual proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, association, corporation
(including any subsidiary corporation), business trust, cooperative, trustee in bankruptcy, or
receiver under decree of any court.
Related firm.--A firm that your firm solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled; a
firm that solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled your firm; and/or a firm that
was solely or jointly owned, managed, or otherwise controlled by a firm that also solely or jointly
owned, managed, or otherwise controlled your firm.
Establishment.--Each facility of a firm in CHINA AND/OR TAIWAN involved in the
production of CSOBAs (as defined above), including auxiliary facilities operated in conjunction
with (whether or not physically separate from) such facilities.
United States.--For purposes of this proceeding, the 50 States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
and the District of Columbia.
Importer.--Any person or firm engaged, either directly or through a parent company or subsidiary,
in importing CSOBAs (as defined above) into the United States from a foreign manufacturer or
through its selling agent.
Average production capacity.--The level of production that your establishment(s) could
reasonably have expected to attain during the specified periods. Report quantities in both of two
ways: in (1) 1,000 dry pounds (100 percent active ingredient basis) and (2) 1,000 pounds (in
solution). Assume normal operating conditions (i.e., using equipment and machinery in place and
ready to operate; normal operating levels (hours per week/weeks per year) and time for downtime,
maintenance, repair, and cleanup; and a typical or representative product mix).
Production.--All production in your establishment(s) in CHINA AND/OR TAIWAN, including
production consumed internally within your firm. Report quantities in both of two ways: in (1)
1,000 dry pounds (100 percent active ingredient basis) and (2) 1,000 pounds (in solution).
Quantities should be net of returns. To calculate dry pounds basis 100 percent active ingredient
divide 95 by the percentage of active ingredient for each category of CSOBA: 20 for Di-category;
23 for Tetra-category; and 16 for Hexa-category. Follow similar methodology for the reporting of
other CSOBAs and Fluorescent Brightener 71.
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DEFINITIONS—Continued
Shipments.--Shipments of products produced in your establishment(s) in CHINA AND/OR
TAIWAN. Report quantities in both of two ways: in (1) 1,000 dry pounds (100 percent
active ingredient basis) and (2) 1,000 pounds (in solution). Quantities should be net of returns.
To calculate dry pounds basis 100 percent active ingredient divide 95 by the percentage of active
ingredient for each category of CSOBA: 20 for Di-category; 23 for Tetra-category; and 16 for
Hexa-category. Follow similar methodology for the reporting of other CSOBAs and Fluorescent
Brightener 71.
Home market commercial shipments.--Shipments, other than internal consumption and
transfers to related firms, within CHINA AND/OR TAIWAN.
Home market internal consumption/transfers to related firms.--Shipments made to
related firms in CHINA AND/OR TAIWAN, including product consumed internally by
your firm.
Export shipments.--Shipments to destinations outside CHINA AND/OR TAIWAN,
including shipments to related firms.
Inventories.--Finished goods inventory, not raw materials or work-in-progress.
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File Type | application/pdf |
File Title | Microsoft Word - Instructions Foreign.doc |
Author | cynthia.Trainor |
File Modified | 2011-04-05 |
File Created | 2011-04-05 |