Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Bulgaria: Preliminary Affirmative Determination

Content

SUMMARY:

The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) from Bulgaria
is being, or is likely to be, sold in the United States at less than fair value (LTFV). The period of investigation (POI)
is April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.

DATES:

Applicable March 13, 2026.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Hermes Pinilla, AD/CVD Operations, Office I, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department
of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 733(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).
Commerce published the notice of initiation of this investigation on June 30, 2025. (1) Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in
administrative proceedings by 47 days. (2) Additionally, due to a backlog of documents that were electronically filed via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS) during the Federal Government shutdown, on November 24,
2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by an additional 21 days. (3) On January 8, 2026, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation until March 9, 2026. (4)

For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, see the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. (5) A list of topics included in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II to this notice. The Preliminary
Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via ACCESS. ACCESS is available to registered users
at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

Scope of these Investigations

The product covered by this investigations is rebar from Bulgaria. For a complete description of the scope of this investigation, see Appendix I.

Scope Comments

In accordance with the Preamble to Commerce's regulations, (6) the Initiation Notice set aside a period of time for parties to raise issues regarding product coverage (i.e., scope). (7) No interested party commented on the scope of the investigation as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. Therefore, Commerce is not preliminarily modifying the scope language as it appeared in the Initiation Notice. See the scope in Appendix I to this notice.

Methodology

Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 731 of the Act. Commerce has calculated export prices
in accordance with section 772(a) of the Act. Normal value is calculated in accordance with section 773 of the Act.

All-Others Rate

Sections 733(d)(1)(ii) and 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that in the preliminary determination, Commerce shall determine
an estimated all-others rate for all exporters and producers not individually examined. This rate shall be an amount equal
to the weighted average of the estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for exporters and producers individually
investigated, excluding any zero or de minimis margins, and any margins determined entirely under section 776 of the Act.

In this investigation, Commerce has preliminarily calculated an individually estimated weighted-average dumping margin for
Promet Steel JSC (Promet), the only individually examined exporter/producer in this investigation, of 52.80 percent. Because
the only individually calculated dumping margin is not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts otherwise available, the estimated weighted-average dumping margin calculated for Promet is the
margin assigned to all other producers and exporters, pursuant to section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act.

Preliminary Determination

Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated weighted-average dumping margins exist:

| Exporter/producer | Estimated
weighted-average dumping margin (percent) |
| --- | --- |
| Promet Steel JSC | 52.80 |
| All Others | 52.80 |

Suspension of Liquidation

In accordance with section 733(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend
liquidation of entries of subject merchandise, as described in Appendix I, entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption
on or after the date of publication of this notice in the
Federal Register
. Further, pursuant to section 733(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(d), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash
deposit equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margin or the estimated all-others rate, as follows: (1) the cash
deposit rate for the respondent listed above will be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margins
determined in this preliminary determination; (2) if the exporter is not a respondent identified above, but the producer is,
then the cash deposit rate will be equal to the company-specific estimated weighted-average dumping margins established for
that producer of the subject merchandise; and (3) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters will be equal
to the all-others estimated weighted-average dumping margin.

Disclosure

Commerce intends to disclose to interested parties its calculations and analysis performed in connection with this preliminary
determination within five days of the public announcement or, if there is no public announcement, within five days of the
date of publication of this notice in accordance with 19 CFR 351.224(b).

Consistent with 19 CFR 351.224(e), Commerce will analyze and, if appropriate, correct any timely allegations of significant
ministerial errors by amending the preliminary determination. However, consistent with 19 CFR 351.224(d), Commerce will not
consider incomplete allegations that do not address the significance standard under 19 CFR 351.224(g) following the preliminary
determination. Instead, Commerce will address such allegations in the final determination together with issues raised in the
case briefs or other written comments.

Verification

As provided in section 782(i)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to verify the information relied upon in making its final determination.

Public Comment

Case briefs or other written comments may be submitted to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance no later
than seven days after the date on which the last verification report is issued in this investigation. (8) A timeline for the submission of case briefs and written comments will be notified to interested parties at a later date.
Rebuttal briefs, limited to issues raised in the case briefs, may be filed not later than five days after the date for filing
case briefs. (9) Interested parties who submit case or rebuttal briefs in this proceeding must submit: (1) a table of contents listing each
issue; and (2) a table of authorities. (10)

As provided under 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2)(iii) and (d)(2)(iii), we request that interested parties provide at the beginning of
their briefs a public, executive summary for each issue raised in their briefs. (11) Further, we request that interested parties limit their public executive summary of each issue to no more than 450 words,
not including citations. We intend to use the public executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in
the issues and decision memorandum that will accompany the final determination in this investigation. We request that interested
parties include footnotes for relevant citations in the executive summary of each issue. Note that Commerce has amended certain
of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f). (12)

Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to request a hearing, limited to issues raised in the case and
rebuttal briefs, must submit a written request to the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department
of Commerce, within 30 days after the date of publication of this notice. Requests should contain (1) the party's name, address,
and telephone number; (2) the number of participants, and whether any participant is a foreign national; and (3) a list of
the issues to be discussed. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a time and date to
be determined. Parties should confirm the date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.

All briefs and hearing requests must be filed electronically using ACCESS. (13) An electronically filed document must be received successfully in its entirety in ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the
established deadline.

Postponement of Final Determination and Extension of Provisional Measures

Section 735(a)(2) of the Act provides that a final determination may be postponed until not later than 135 days after the
date of the publication of the

  preliminary determination if, in the event of an affirmative preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is
  made by exporters who account for a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise, or in the event of a negative
  preliminary determination, a request for such postponement is made by the petitioner. Section 351.210(e)(2) of Commerce's
  regulations requires that a request by exporters for postponement of the final determination be accompanied by a request for
  extension of provisional measures from a four-month period to a period not more than six months in duration.

On January 7, 2026, pursuant to 19 CFR 351.210(e), Promet requested that Commerce postpone the final determination and that
the provisional measures be extended to a period not to exceed six months. (14) In accordance with section 735(a)(2)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(2)(ii), because: (1) the preliminary determination
is affirmative; (2) the requesting exporter accounts for a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise; and
(3) no compelling reasons for denial exist, Commerce is postponing the final determination and extending the provisional measures
from a four-month period to a period not greater than six months. Accordingly, Commerce will make its final determination
no later than 135 days after the date of publication of this preliminary determination.

U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Notification

In accordance with section 733(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify the ITC of its preliminary determination. If the final
determination is affirmative, the ITC will determine before the later of 120 days after the date of this preliminary determination
or 45 days after the final determination whether these imports are materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the
U.S. industry.

Notification to Interested Parties

This preliminary determination is issued and published in accordance with sections 733(f) and 777(i)(1) of the Act, and 19
CFR 351.205(c).

Dated: March 9, 2026. Christopher Abbott, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant
Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I

Scope of the Investigation

The merchandise subject to this investigation is steel concrete reinforcing bar imported in either straight length or coil
form (rebar) regardless of metallurgy, length, diameter, or grade or lack thereof.

The subject merchandise includes rebar that has been further processed in the subject countries or a third country, including
but not limited to cutting, grinding, galvanizing, painting, coating, or any other processing that would not otherwise remove
the merchandise from the scope of these investigations if performed in the country of manufacture of the rebar.

Specifically excluded are plain rounds (i.e., nondeformed or smooth rebar).

The subject merchandise is classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) primarily under item
numbers 7213.10.0000, 7214.20.0000, and 7228.30.8010. The subject merchandise may also enter under other HTSUS numbers including
7221.00.0017, 7221.00.0018, 7221.00.0030, 7221.00.0045, 7222.11.0001, 7222.11.0057, 7222.11.0059, 7222.30.0001, 7227.20.0080,
7227.90.6030, 7227.90.6035, 7227.90.6040, 7228.20.1000, and 7228.60.6000. HTSUS numbers are provided for convenience and customs
purposes; however, the written description of the scope remains dispositive.

Appendix II

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Period of Investigation

IV. Discussion of the Methodology

V. Currency Conversion

VI. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2026-04946 Filed 3-12-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P

Footnotes

(1) See Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Algeria, Bulgaria, Egypt, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Initiation of Less-Than-Fair-Value
Investigations, 90 FR 27846 (June 30, 2025) (Initiation Notice).

(2) See Memorandum, “Deadlines Affected by the Shutdown of the Federal Government,” dated November 14, 2025.

(3) See Memorandum, “Tolling of all Case Deadlines,” dated November 24, 2025.

(4) See Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Bulgaria, Egypt, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Postponement of Preliminary
Determinations in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigations, 91 FR 696 (January 8, 2026).

(5) See Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Determination in the Less-Than-Fair-Value Investigation of Steel Concrete
Reinforcing Bar from Bulgaria,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).

(6) See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule, 62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997) (Preamble).

(7) See Initiation Notice, 90 FR at 27846.

(8) See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(i); see also 19 CFR 351.303 (for general filing requirements).

(9) See 19 CFR 351.309(d); see also Administrative Protective Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR 67069, 67077 (September 29, 2023) (APO and Service Final Rule).

(10) See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).

(11) We use the term “issue” here to describe an argument that Commerce would normally address in a comment of the Issues and
Decision Memorandum.

(12) See APO and Service Final Rule.

(13) See 19 CFR 351.303.

(14) See Promet's Letter, “Request to Extend Final Determination,” dated January 7, 2026.

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