Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Investigations, Orders, or Reviews: Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods from Austria

Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods From Austria: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigation

DATES:

Applicable April 22, 2026.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Petition

On April 2, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) received a countervailing duty (CVD) petition concerning imports of certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from Austria, filed in proper form on behalf of the U.S. OCTG Manufacturers Association, ⁽¹⁾ United States Steel Corporation, and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC (USW) (collectively, the petitioners). ⁽²⁾ The CVD Petition was accompanied by antidumping duty (AD) petitions concerning imports of OCTG from Austria, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. ⁽³⁾

Between April 6 and 15, 2026, Commerce requested supplemental information pertaining to certain aspects of the Petition in supplemental questionnaires. ⁽⁴⁾ On April 8 and 20, 2026, the petitioners filed timely responses to these requests for additional information. ⁽⁵⁾

In accordance with section 702(b)(1) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), the petitioners allege that the Government of Austria (GOA) is providing countervailable subsidies, within the meaning of sections 701 and 771(5) of the Act, to producers of OCTG from Austria, and that such imports are materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, the domestic industry producing OCTG in the United States. Consistent with section 702(b)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.202(b), for those alleged programs on which we are initiating a CVD investigation, the Petition was accompanied by information reasonably available to the petitioners supporting their allegations.

Commerce finds that the petitioners filed the Petition on behalf of the domestic industry, because the petitioners are interested parties, as defined in sections 771(9)(C), (D), and (E) of the Act. ⁽⁶⁾ Commerce also finds that the petitioners demonstrated sufficient industry support with respect to the initiation of the requested CVD investigation. ⁽⁷⁾

Period of Investigation (POI)

Because the Petition was filed on April 2, 2026, the POI is January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. ⁽⁸⁾

Scope of the Investigation

The product covered by this investigation is OCTG from Austria. For a full description of the scope of this investigation, see the appendix to this notice.

Comments on the Scope of the Investigation

As discussed in the Preamble to Commerce's regulations, we are setting aside a period for interested parties to raise issues regarding product coverage ( i.e., scope). ⁽⁹⁾ Commerce will consider all scope comments received from interested parties and, if necessary, will consult with interested parties prior to the issuance of the preliminary determination. If scope comments include factual information, all such factual information should be limited to public information. ⁽¹⁰⁾ Commerce requests that interested parties provide at the beginning of their scope comments a public executive summary for each comment or issue raised in their submission. Commerce further requests that interested parties limit their public executive summary of each comment or issue to no more than 450 words, not including citations. Commerce intends to use the public executive summaries as the basis of the comment summaries included in the analysis of scope comments. To facilitate preparation of its questionnaires, Commerce requests that scope comments be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on May 12, 2026, which is 20 calendar days from the signature date of this notice. Any rebuttal comments, which may include factual information, and should also be limited to public information, must be filed by 5:00 p.m. ET on May 22, 2026, which is 10 calendar days from the initial comment deadline.

Commerce requests that any factual information that parties consider relevant to the scope of this investigation be submitted during that period. However, if a party subsequently finds that additional factual information pertaining to the scope of the investigation may be relevant, the party must contact Commerce and request permission to submit the additional information. All scope comments must be filed simultaneously on the records of the concurrent AD and CVD investigations.

Filing Requirements

All submissions to Commerce must be filed electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping Duty and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS), unless an exception applies. ⁽¹¹⁾ An electronically filed document must be received successfully in its entirety by the time and date it is due.

Consultations

Pursuant to sections 702(b)(4)(A)(i) and (ii) of the Act, Commerce notified the GOA of the receipt of the Petition and provided an opportunity for consultations with respect to the Petition. ⁽¹²⁾ Commerce held consultations with the GOA on April 20, 2026. ⁽¹³⁾

Determination of Industry Support for the Petition

Section 702(b)(1) of the Act requires that a petition be filed on behalf of the domestic industry. Section 702(c)(4)(A) of the Act provides that a petition meets this requirement if the domestic producers or workers who support the petition account for: (i) at least 25 percent of the total production of the domestic like product; and (ii) more than 50 percent of the production of the domestic like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the petition. Moreover, section 702(c)(4)(D) of the Act provides that, if the petition does not establish support of domestic producers or workers accounting for more than 50 percent of the total production of the domestic like product, Commerce shall: (i) poll the industry or rely on other information in order to determine if there is support for the petition, as required by subparagraph (A); or (ii) determine industry support using a statistically valid sampling method to poll the "industry."

Section 771(4)(A) of the Act defines the "industry" as the producers as a whole of a domestic like product. Thus, to determine whether a petition has the requisite industry support, the statute directs Commerce to look to producers and workers who produce the domestic like product. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which is responsible for determining whether "the domestic industry" has been injured, must also determine what constitutes a domestic like product in order to define the industry. While both Commerce and the ITC apply the same statutory definition regarding the domestic like product, ⁽¹⁴⁾ they do so for different purposes and pursuant to a separate and distinct authority. In addition, Commerce's determination is subject to limitations of time and information. Although this may result in different definitions of the like product, such differences do not render the decision of either agency contrary to law. ⁽¹⁵⁾

Section 771(10) of the Act defines the domestic like product as "a product which is like, or in the absence of like, most similar in characteristics and uses with, the article subject to an investigation under this title." Thus, the reference point from which the domestic like product analysis begins is "the article subject to an investigation" ( i.e., the class or kind of merchandise to be investigated, which normally will be the scope as defined in the petition).

With regard to the domestic like product, the petitioner does not offer a definition of the domestic like product distinct from the scope of the investigation. ⁽¹⁶⁾ Based on our analysis of the information submitted on the record, we have determined that OCTG, as defined in the scope, constitutes a single domestic like product, and we have analyzed industry support in terms of that domestic like product. ⁽¹⁷⁾

In determining whether the petitioners have standing under section 702(c)(4)(A) of the Act, we considered the industry support data contained in the Petition with reference to the domestic like product as defined in the "Scope of the Investigation," in the appendix to this notice. To establish industry support, the petitioners provided the 2025 shipments of the domestic like product for the U.S. producers that support the Petitions, and compared this to the estimated total 2025 shipments of the domestic like product for the entire domestic industry. ⁽¹⁸⁾ Because total production data for the domestic like product for 2025 are not reasonably available to the petitioners, and the petitioners have established that shipments are a reasonable proxy for production data, ⁽¹⁹⁾ we relied on data provided by the petitioners for purposes of measuring industry support. ⁽²⁰⁾

Our review of the data provided in the Petition, the First General Issues Supplement, the Second General Issues Supplement, and other information readily available to Commerce indicates that the petitioners have established industry support for the Petition. ⁽²¹⁾ First, the Petition established support from domestic producers (or workers) accounting for more than 50 percent of the total production of the domestic like product and, as such, Commerce is not required to take further action in order to evaluate industry support ( e.g., polling). ⁽²²⁾ Second, the domestic producers (or workers) have met the statutory criteria for industry support under section 702(c)(4)(A)(i) of the Act because the domestic producers (or workers) who support the Petition account for at least 25 percent of the total production of the domestic like product. ⁽²³⁾ Finally, the domestic producers (or workers) have met the statutory criteria for industry support under section 702(c)(4)(A)(ii) of the Act because the domestic producers (or workers) who support the Petition account for more than 50 percent of the production of the domestic like product produced by that portion of the industry expressing support for, or opposition to, the Petition. ⁽²⁴⁾ Accordingly, Commerce determines that the Petition was filed on behalf of the domestic industry within the meaning of section 702(b)(1) of the Act. ⁽²⁵⁾

Injury Test

Because Austria is a "Subsidies Agreement Country" within the meaning of section 701(b) of the Act, section 701(a)(2) of the Act applies to this investigation. Accordingly, the ITC must determine whether imports of the subject merchandise from Austria materially injure, or threaten material injury to, a U.S. industry.

Allegations and Evidence of Material Injury and Causation

The petitioners allege that imports of the subject merchandise are benefiting from countervailable subsidies and that such imports are causing, or threaten to cause, material injury to the U.S. industry producing the domestic like product.

The petitioners contend that the industry's injured condition is illustrated by a significant increase in the volume of subject imports; reduced market share; underselling and price depression and/or suppression; and negative impact on financial performance. ⁽²⁶⁾ We assessed the allegations and supporting evidence regarding material injury, threat of material injury, causation, as well as negligibility, and we have determined that these allegations are properly supported by adequate evidence, and meet the statutory requirements for initiation. ⁽²⁷⁾

Initiation of CVD Investigation

Based upon the examination of the Petition and supplemental responses, we find that they meet the requirements of section 702 of the Act. Therefore, we are initiating a CVD investigation to determine whether imports of OCTG from Austria benefit from countervailable subsidies conferred by the GOA. In accordance with section 703(b)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.205(b)(1), unless postponed, we will make our preliminary determination no later than 65 days after the date of this initiation.

Based on our review of the Petition, we find that there is sufficient information to initiate a CVD investigation on 11 programs alleged by the petitioners. For a full discussion of the basis for our decision to initiate on each program, see the Austria CVD Initiation Checklist. A public version of the initiation checklist for this investigation is available on ACCESS.

Respondent Selection

In the Petition, the petitioners identified three companies in Austria. ⁽²⁸⁾ Commerce intends to follow its standard practice in CVD investigations and calculate company-specific subsidy rates in the investigation. Following standard practice in CVD investigations, in the event Commerce determines that the number of companies is large, and it cannot individually examine each company based upon Commerce's resources, where appropriate, Commerce intends to select mandatory respondents based on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data for imports under the appropriate Harmonized tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheadings listed in the "Scope of the Investigation," in the appendix.

On April 21, 2026, Commerce released CBP data on imports of OCTG from Austria under administrative protective order (APO) to all parties with access to information protected by APO and indicated that interested parties wishing to comment on CBP data and/or respondent selection must do so within three days of the publication date of the notice of initiation of this investigation. ⁽²⁹⁾ Comments must be filed electronically using ACCESS. An electronically filed document must be received successfully in its entirety via ACCESS by 5:00 p.m. ET on the specified deadline. Commerce will not accept rebuttal comments regarding the CBP data or respondent selection.

Interested parties must submit applications for disclosure under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(b). Instructions for filing such applications may be found on Commerce's website at https://www.trade.gov/administrative-protective-orders.

Distribution of a Copy of the Petition

In accordance with section 702(b)(4)(A) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.202(f), a copy of the public version of the Petition has been provided to the GOA via ACCESS. To the extent practicable, we will attempt to provide a copy of the public version of the Petition to each exporter named in the Petition, as provided under 19 CFR 351.203(c)(2).

ITC Notification

Commerce will notify the ITC of its initiation, as required by section 702(d) of the Act.

Preliminary Determination by the ITC

The ITC will preliminarily determine, within 45 days after the date on which the Petition was filed, whether there is a reasonable indication that imports of OCTG from Austria are materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, a U.S. industry. ⁽³⁰⁾ A negative ITC determination will result in the investigation being terminated. ⁽³¹⁾ Otherwise, this CVD investigation will proceed according to statutory and regulatory time limits.

Submission of Factual Information

Factual information is defined in 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) as: (i) evidence submitted in response to questionnaires; (ii) evidence submitted in support of allegations; (iii) publicly available information to value factors of production under 19 CFR 351.408(c) or to measure the adequacy of remuneration under 19 CFR 351.511(a)(2); (iv) evidence placed on the record by Commerce; and (v) evidence other than factual information described in (i)-(iv). Section 351.301(b) of Commerce's regulations requires any party, when submitting factual information, to specify under which subsection of 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) the information is being submitted  ⁽³²⁾ and, if the information is submitted to rebut, clarify, or correct factual information already on the record, to provide an explanation identifying the information already on the record that the factual information seeks to rebut, clarify, or correct. ⁽³³⁾ Time limits for the submission of factual information are addressed in 19 CFR 351.301, which provides specific time limits based on the type of factual information being submitted. Interested parties should review the regulations prior to submitting factual information in this investigation.

Extensions of Time Limits

Parties may request an extension of time limits before the expiration of a time limit established under 19 CFR 351.301, or as otherwise specified by Commerce. In general, an extension request will be considered untimely if it is filed after the expiration of the time limit established under 19 CFR 351.301, or as otherwise specified by Commerce. ⁽³⁴⁾ For submissions that are due from multiple parties simultaneously, an extension request will be considered untimely if it is filed after 10:00 a.m. ET on the due date. Under certain circumstances, Commerce may elect to specify a different time limit by which extension requests will be considered untimely for submissions which are due from multiple parties simultaneously. In such a case, we will inform parties in a letter or memorandum of the deadline (including a specified time) by which extension requests must be filed to be considered timely. An extension request must be made in a separate, standalone submission; under limited circumstances we will grant untimely filed requests for the extension of time limits, where we determine, based on 19 CFR 351.302, that extraordinary circumstances exist. Parties should review Commerce's regulations concerning the extension of time limits and the Time Limits Final Rule prior to submitting factual information in this investigation. ⁽³⁵⁾

Certification Requirements

Any party submitting factual information in an AD or CVD proceeding must certify to the accuracy and completeness of that information. ⁽³⁶⁾ Parties must use the certification formats provided in 19 CFR 351.303(g). ⁽³⁷⁾ Commerce intends to reject factual submissions if the submitting party does not comply with the applicable certification requirements.

Notification to Interested Parties

Interested parties must submit applications for disclosure under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305. Parties wishing to participate in this investigation should ensure that they meet the requirements of 19 CFR 351.103(d) ( e.g., by filing the required letters of appearance). Note that Commerce has amended certain of its requirements pertaining to the service of documents in 19 CFR 351.303(f). ⁽³⁸⁾

This notice is issued and published pursuant to sections 702 and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.203(c).

Appendix

Scope of the Investigation

The merchandise covered by the investigation is certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG), which are hollow steel products of circular cross-section, including oil well casing and tubing, of iron (other than cast iron) or steel (both carbon and alloy), whether seamless or welded, regardless of end finish ( e.g., whether or not plain end, threaded, or threaded and coupled) whether or not conforming to American Petroleum Institute (API) or non-API specifications, whether finished (including limited service OCTG products) or unfinished (including green tubes and limited service OCTG products), whether or not thread protectors are attached. The scope of the investigation also covers OCTG coupling stock.

Subject merchandise includes material matching the above description that has been finished, packaged, or otherwise processed in a third country, including by performing any heat treatment, cutting, upsetting, threading, coupling, or any other finishing, packaging, or processing that would not otherwise remove the merchandise from the scope of the investigation if performed in the country of manufacture of the OCTG.

Excluded from the scope of the investigation are: casing, tubing, or coupling stock containing 10.5 percent or more by weight of chromium; drill pipe; unattached couplings; and unattached thread protectors.

The merchandise subject to the investigation is currently classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) under item numbers: 7304.29.1010, 7304.29.1020, 7304.29.1030, 7304.29.1040, 7304.29.1050, 7304.29.1060, 7304.29.1080, 7304.29.2010, 7304.29.2020, 7304.29.2030, 7304.29.2040, 7304.29.2050, 7304.29.2060, 7304.29.2080, 7304.29.3110, 7304.29.3120, 7304.29.3130, 7304.29.3140, 7304.29.3150, 7304.29.3160, 7304.29.3180, 7304.29.4110, 7304.29.4120, 7304.29.4130, 7304.29.4140, 7304.29.4150, 7304.29.4160, 7304.29.4180, 7304.29.5015, 7304.29.5030, 7304.29.5045, 7304.29.5060, 7304.29.5075, 7304.29.6115, 7304.29.6130, 7304.29.6145, 7304.29.6160, 7304.29.6175, 7305.20.2000, 7305.20.4000, 7305.20.6000, 7305.20.8000, 7306.29.1030, 7306.29.1090, 7306.29.2000, 7306.29.3100, 7306.29.4100, 7306.29.6010, 7306.29.6050, 7306.29.8110, and 7306.29.8150.

The merchandise subject to the investigation may also enter under the following HTSUS item numbers: 7304.39.0024, 7304.39.0028, 7304.39.0032, 7304.39.0036, 7304.39.0040, 7304.39.0044, 7304.39.0048, 7304.39.0052, 7304.39.0056, 7304.39.0062, 7304.39.0068, 7304.39.0072, 7304.39.0076, 7304.39.0080, 7304.59.6000, 7304.59.8015, 7304.59.8020, 7304.59.8025, 7304.59.8030, 7304.59.8035, 7304.59.8040, 7304.59.8045, 7304.59.8050, 7304.59.8055, 7304.59.8060, 7304.59.8065, 7304.59.8070, 7304.59.8080, 7305.31.4000, 7305.31.6090, 7306.30.5055, 7306.30.5090, 7306.50.5050, and 7306.50.5070.

The HTSUS subheadings and specifications above are provided for convenience and customs purposes only. The written description of the scope of the investigation is dispositive.

[FR Doc. 2026-08195 Filed 4-27-26; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P

⁽¹⁾  The members of the U.S. OCTG Manufacturers Association joining the CVD petition are Axis Pipe and Tube LLC, Borusan Pipe U.S., Inc., PTC Liberty Tubulars LLC, Tenaris USA, Vallourec STAR L.P., and Welded Tube USA, Inc.

⁽²⁾ See Petitioners' Letter, "Petition for the Imposition of Antidumping and Countervailing Duties," dated April 2, 2026 (Petition).

⁽³⁾ Id.

⁽⁴⁾ See Commerce's Letters, "Supplemental Questions," dated April 9, 2026 (First General Issues Supplemental Questionnaire); "Supplemental Questions," dated April 6, 2026 (Austria CVD Supplemental Questionnaire); and "Second Supplemental Questions," dated April 15, 2026 (Second General Issues Questionnaire).

⁽⁵⁾ See Petitioners' Letters, "Petitioners' Response to General Issues Supplemental Questions and Amendment to Volume I of the Petitions," dated April 14, 2026 (First General Issues Supplement); "Response to Supplemental Questions," dated April 8, 2026 (Austria CVD Supplemental Response); and "Petitioners' Response to Second General Issues Supplemental Questions and Amendment to Volume I of the Petitions," dated April 20, 2026 (Second General Issues Supplement).

⁽⁶⁾  United States Steel Corporation is an interested party under section 771(9)(C) of the Act. The USW is a certified union representing workers engaged in the production of OCTG in the United States and therefore is an interested party under section 771(9)(D) of the Act. The U.S. OCTG Manufacturers Association is a trade association representing domestic producers of OCTG and therefore is an interested party under section 771(9)(E) of the Act.

⁽⁷⁾ See section on "Determination of Industry Support for the Petition," infra.

⁽⁸⁾ See 19 CFR 351.204(b)(2).

⁽⁹⁾ See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule, 62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997) ( Preamble ); see also 19 CFR 351.312.

⁽¹⁰⁾ See 19 CFR 351.102(b)(21) (defining "factual information").

⁽¹¹⁾ See Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings: Electronic Filing Procedures; Administrative Protective Order Procedures, 76 FR 39263 (July 6, 2011); see also Enforcement and Compliance; Change of Electronic Filing System Name, 79 FR 69046 (November 20, 2014), for details of Commerce's electronic filing requirements, effective August 5, 2011. Information on using ACCESS can be found at https://access.trade.gov/help.aspx and a handbook can be found at https://access.trade.gov/help/Handbook_on_Electronic_Filing_Procedures.pdf.

⁽¹²⁾ See Commerce's Letter, "Invitation for Consultations to Discuss the Countervailing Duty Petition," dated April 2, 2026.

⁽¹³⁾ See Memorandum, "Consultations with the Government of Austria," dated April 20, 2026; see also GOA's Letter, "Consultation with the US Department of Commerce," dated April 22, 2026.

⁽¹⁴⁾ See section 771(10) of the Act.

⁽¹⁵⁾ See USEC, Inc. v. United States, 132 F. Supp. 2d 1, 8 (CIT 2001) (citing Algoma Steel Corp., Ltd. v. United States, 688 F. Supp. 639, 644 (CIT 1988), aff'd Algoma Steel Corp., Ltd. v. United States, 865 F.2d 240 (Fed. Cir. 1989)).

⁽¹⁶⁾  For a discussion of the domestic like product analysis as applied to this case and information regarding industry support, see Checklist, "Countervailing Duty Investigation Initiation Checklist: Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods from the Austria," dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Austria CVD Initiation Checklist), at Attachment II, "Analysis of Industry Support for the Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Petitions Covering Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods from Austria, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates" (Attachment II). This checklist is on file electronically via ACCESS.

⁽¹⁷⁾  For further discussion, see Attachment II of the Austria CVD Initiation Checklist.

⁽¹⁸⁾ Id.

⁽¹⁹⁾ Id.

⁽²⁰⁾  For further discussion, see Attachment II of the Austria CVD Initiation Checklist.

⁽²¹⁾ Id.

⁽²²⁾ Id.; see also section 702(c)(4)(D) of the Act.

⁽²³⁾ See Attachment II of the Austria CVD Initiation Checklist.

⁽²⁴⁾ Id.

⁽²⁵⁾ Id.

⁽²⁶⁾ Id.

⁽²⁷⁾ Id.

⁽²⁸⁾ See Petition at Volume I (page 18 and Exhibit I-11).

⁽²⁹⁾ See Memorandum, "Petition for the Imposition of Countervailing Duties on Imports of Certain Oil Country Tubular Goods from Austria: Release of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Entry Data," dated April 21, 2026.

⁽³⁰⁾ See section 703(a)(1) of the Act.

⁽³¹⁾ Id.

⁽³²⁾ See 19 CFR 351.301(b).

⁽³³⁾ See 19 CFR 351.301(b)(2).

⁽³⁴⁾ See 19 CFR 351.302.

⁽³⁵⁾ See 19 CFR 351.301; see also Extension of Time Limits; Final Rule, 78 FR 57790 (September 20, 2013) ( Time Limits Final Rule ), available at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-09-20/html/2013-22853.htm.

⁽³⁶⁾ See section 782(b) of the Act.

⁽³⁷⁾ See Certification of Factual Information to Import Administration During Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 78 FR 42678 (July 17, 2013) ( Final Rule ); see also frequently asked questions regarding the Final Rule, available at https://enforcement.trade.gov/tlei/notices/factual_info_final_rule_FAQ_07172013.pdf.

⁽³⁸⁾ See Administrative Protective Order, Service, and Other Procedures in Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Proceedings, 88 FR 67069 (September 29, 2023).