# Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar From Egypt: Preliminary Affirmative Countervailing Duty Determination, and Alignment of Final Determination With Final Antidumping Duty Determination
**AGENCY:**
Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
**SUMMARY:**
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of steel concrete reinforcing bar (rebar) from Egypt. The period of investigation is January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. Interested parties are invited to comment on this preliminary determination.
**DATES:**
Applicable January 13, 2026.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Lingjun Wang, AD/CVD Operations, Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-2316.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
**Background**
This preliminary determination is made in accordance with section 703(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). On June 30, 2025, Commerce published the notice of initiation of this investigation. [^1] On July 25, 2025, Commerce postponed the preliminary determination of this investigation until November 3, 2025. [^2]
[^1]*See Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Algeria, Egypt, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Initiation of Countervailing Duty Investigations,* 90 FR 27838 (June 30, 2025) ( *Initiation Notice* ).
[^2]*See Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from Algeria, Egypt, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: Postponement of Preliminary Determinations in the Countervailing Duty Investigations,* 90 FR 35278 (July 25, 2025).
Due to the lapse in appropriations and Federal Government shutdown, on November 14, 2025, Commerce tolled all deadlines in administrative proceedings by 47 days. [^3] 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. [^4] Accordingly, the deadline for this preliminary determination is now January 8, 2026.
[^3]*See* Memorandum, “Deadlines Affected by the Shutdown of the Federal Government,” dated November 14, 2025.
[^4]*See* Memorandum, “Tolling of all Case Deadlines,” dated November 24, 2025.
For a complete description of the events that followed the initiation of this investigation, *see* the Preliminary Decision Memorandum. [^5] A list of topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is included as Appendix II of 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.*
[^5]*See* Memorandum, “Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary Affirmative Determination in the Countervailing Duty Investigation of Steel Concrete Reinforcing Bar from the Arab Republic of Egypt,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).
**Scope of the Investigation**
The product covered by this investigation is rebar from Egypt. 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.* Thus, the scope of the investigation is unchanged from the *Initiation Notice.*
[^6]*See Antidumping Duties; Countervailing Duties, Final Rule,* 62 FR 27296, 27323 (May 19, 1997) ( *Preamble* ).
[^7]*See Initiation Notice,* 90 FR at 25225-26.
**Methodology**
Commerce is conducting this investigation in accordance with section 701 of the Act. For each of the subsidy programs found countervailable, Commerce preliminarily determines that there is a subsidy, *i.e.,* a financial contribution by an “authority” that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient, and that the subsidy is specific. [^8] For a full description of the methodology underlying our preliminary determination, *see* the Preliminary Decision Memorandum.
[^8]*See* sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding benefit; and section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
**Alignment**
In accordance with section 705(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.210(b)(4), Commerce is aligning the final determination of this CVD investigation with the final determination in the companion less-than-fair value (LTFV) investigation of rebar from Egypt based on the petitioner's request. [^9] Consequently, the final CVD determination will be issued on the same date as the final LTFV determination, which is currently scheduled to be issued no later than May 26, 2026, unless postponed.
[^9] The petitioner is the Rebar Trade Action Coalition. *See* Petitioner's Letter, “Request to Align Countervailing Duty Investigation Final Determinations with Antidumping Duty Investigation Final Determinations,” dated January 6, 2026.
**All-Others Rate**
Sections 703(d) and 705(c)(5)(A) of the Act provide that, in the preliminary determination, Commerce shall determine an estimated all-others rate for companies not individually examined. This rate shall be an amount equal to the weighted average of the estimated subsidy rates established for those companies individually examined, excluding any rates that are zero, *de minimis,* or based entirely under section 776 of the Act. If the rates established for all exporters and producers individually investigated are zero, *de minimis,* or determined entirely under facts available, Commerce may use any reasonable method to establish an all-others rate. [^10]
[^10]*See* sections 705(c)(5)(A)(i) and (ii) of the Act.
In this investigation, Commerce preliminarily calculated an individual estimated countervailable subsidy rate for the Ezz Group that is not zero, *de minimis,* or based entirely on the facts otherwise available. [^11] Commerce calculated the all-others rate using the individual estimated subsidy rate calculated for the sole examined respondent, *i.e.,* the Ezz Group.
[^11] The Ezz Group consists of mandatory respondents and cross-owned companies Ezz Steel Company S.A.E. (ESR) and Al-Ezz Dekheila Steel Alexandria Company (SAE) (EZDK), as well the following additional cross-owned companies: Al-Ezz Flat Steel Company (SAE) (EFS), Ezz Rolling Mills Company (SAE) (ERM), Al-Ezz Group Holding Company for Industry & Investment (Ezz Industries), and Contra Steel Co. (Contra).
**Preliminary Determination**
Commerce preliminarily determines that the following estimated countervailable subsidy rates exist for the period of investigation January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024:
| Company | Subsidy rate |
| --- | --- |
| Al-Ezz Dekheila Steel Alexandria Company (SAE); Ezz Steel Company S.A.E.; Ezz Rolling Mills Company (SAE); Al-Ezz Flat Steel Company (SAE); Contra Steel Co.; Al-Ezz Group Holding Company for Industry & Investment | 29.51 |
| All Others | 29.51 |
**Suspension of Liquidation**
In accordance with section 703(d)(2) of the Act, Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to suspend liquidation of entries of rebar from Egypt, as described in Appendix I to this notice, 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 703(d)(1)(B) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.107(e), Commerce will instruct CBP to require a cash deposit equal to the estimated company-specific countervailable subsidy rate or the estimated all-others rate, as follows: (1) the cash deposit rate for the respondents listed above will be equal to the company-specific estimated individual countervailable subsidy rates determined in this preliminary determination; (2) if both the producer and exporter of the subject merchandise have company-specific estimated subsidy rates determined in this preliminary determination, and their rates differ, then the applicable cash deposit rate will be the higher of these two rates; (3) if either the producer or the exporter, but not both, of the subject merchandise have a company-specific estimated subsidy rate determined in this preliminary determination, the applicable cash deposit rate will be that company's company-specific rate; and (4) the cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters will be equal to the estimated all-others subsidy rate.
**Disclosure**
Commerce intends to disclose its calculations and analysis performed in connection with this preliminary determination within five days of its public announcement, or if there is no public announcement, within five days of the date of publication of this notice in the *Federal Register* , 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, excluding scope 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. 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. [^12] 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. [^13]
[^12]*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* ).
[^13]*See* 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).
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. [^14] 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). [^15]
[^14] We use the term “issue” here to describe an argument that Commerce would normally address in a comment of the Issues and Decision Memorandum.
[^15]*See APO and Service Final Rule.*
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 in the *Federal Register* . 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. Oral presentations at the hearing will be limited to issues raised in the briefs. If a request for a hearing is made, Commerce intends to hold the hearing at a date and time to be determined. Parties should confirm by telephone the date, time, and location of the hearing two days before the scheduled date.
**U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Notification**
In accordance with section 703(f) of the Act, Commerce will notify the ITC of its 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 imports of rebar from Egypt are materially injuring, or threaten material injury to, the U.S. industry.
**Notification to Interested Parties**
This determination is issued and published in accordance with sections 703(f) and 777(i) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.205(c).
Dated: January 8, 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 this investigation 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. Injury Test
IV. Diversification of Egypt's Economy
V. Subsidies Valuation
VI. Analysis of Programs
VII. Recommendation