The Canadian International Trade Tribunal has initiated an interim review of its order concerning stainless steel round bar with diameters ranging from 25 up to 570 mm originating in or exported from the Federal Republic of Germany, France, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, Chinese Taipei, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea.

On April 1, 2004, the Tribunal received a request from Hitachi Canadian Industries Limited (Hitachi) for an interim review of the Order to exclude the following products:

• Hot-finished, oil-quenched, rough-machined stainless steel round bar in varying diameters (KT5301ES20) or equivalent.
• Hot-rolled, quenched stainless steel round bar in varying diameters (KT5321AS17) or equivalent.
• Hot-rolled and annealed Ni-Cr stainless steel round bar in varying diameters (KT5400AS6) or equivalent.
• Hot-finished rough-machined Cr-Ni-W-Cb steel round bar in varying diameters (KT5401AS5) or equivalent.
• Heat-rolled, solution-treated and double-aged Cr-Ni-Mo-Ti-V steel round bar in varying diameters (KT5708AS2) or equivalent.

The Tribunal has decided that the request was properly documented and invited comments from interested parties on Hitachi's request. One submission was received from Atlas Specialty Steels Inc., in which Atlas stated that it did not oppose the request.

In light of Hitachi's request and Atlas's reply, the Tribunal decided that an interim review was warranted. The purpose of this interim review is to determine if the Order should be amended to exclude the products listed above. Submissions already filed by parties have been placed on the record of the interim review. Any further submissions by interested parties respecting the products for which an exclusion has been requested or their description should be filed no later than July 7, 2004.

The Tribunal has notified the President of the Canada Border Services Agency, as well as other interested persons, of the commencement of an interim review. The Tribunal will make its decision on whether to amend the Order no later than July 26, 2004. Written submissions, correspondence or requests for information regarding this notice should be sent to the attention of The Secretary at the Canadian International Trade Tribunal.