Renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences and Retroactive Application for Certain Liquidations and Reliquidations Under the GSP, 44986-44987 [2015-18459]

Download as PDF 44986 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 144 / Tuesday, July 28, 2015 / Notices Duration of the Test CBP will collect biographic information and fingerprint data from select non-exempt aliens departing on selected international flights from the identified airports for a period of approximately one year from the start of the test. The information collected will constitute a departure record for that alien and will be maintained in the CBP and DHS databases for recording entries and departures. Privacy Paperwork Reduction Act asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES U.S. Customs and Border Protection Renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences and Retroactive Application for Certain Liquidations and Reliquidations Under the GSP U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security. ACTION: General notice. AGENCY: The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a renewable preferential trade program that allows the eligible products of designated beneficiary developing countries to directly enter the United States free of duty. The GSP program expired on July 31, 2013, but has been renewed through December 31, 2017, effective July 29, 2015, with retroactive effect between August 1, 2013 to July 28, 2015, by a provision in the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015. This document provides notice to importers that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will again accept claims for GSP dutyfree treatment for merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption and that CBP will process refunds on duties paid, without interest, on GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered during the period that the GSP program was lapsed. Formal and informal entries that were filed electronically via the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) using Special Program Indicator (SPI) Code ‘‘A’’ as a prefix to the tariff number will be automatically processed by CBP and no further action by the filer is required to initiate the refund process. Non-ABI filers, and ABI filers that did not include SPI Code ‘‘A’’ on the entry, must timely submit a duty refund request to CBP. CBP will continue conducting verifications to ensure that GSP benefits are available to eligible entries only. DATES: Effective July 29, 2015, the filing of GSP-eligible entry summaries may be resumed without the payment of estimated duties, and CBP will initiate the automatic liquidation or reliquidation of formal and informal entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered on or after August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 and filed via ABI with SPI Code ‘‘A’’ notated on the entry. Requests for refunds of GSP duties paid on eligible non-ABI entries, or eligible ABI entries filed without SPI Code ‘‘A,’’ must be filed with CBP no later than December 28, 2015. ADDRESSES: Instructions for submitting a request to CBP to liquidate or SUMMARY: CBP will ensure that all Privacy Act requirements and applicable policies are adhered to during the implementation of this test. Additionally, CBP will be issuing a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), which will outline how CBP will ensure compliance with Privacy Act protections. The PIA will examine the privacy impact of the BE-Mobile Air Test as it relates to DHS’s Fair Information Practice Principles (FIPPs). The FIPPs account for the nature and purpose of the information being collected in relation to DHS’s mission to preserve, protect and secure the United States. The PIA will address issues such as the security, integrity, and sharing of data, use limitation and transparency. Once issued, the PIA will be made publicly available at: https:// www.dhs.gov/privacy-documents-uscustoms-and-border-protection. CBP has also issued an update to the DHS/CBP– 007 Border Crossing Information (BCI) System of Records, which fully encompasses all the data that is being collected at the selected airports. The system of records notice (SORN) was published in the Federal Register on May 11, 2015 (80 FR 26937). CBP requires aliens subject to this notice to provide biometric and biographic data at the airports selected for the test in the circumstances described above. This requirement is considered an information collection requirement under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501, et seq.). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, has previously approved this information collection for use. The OMB control number for this collection is 1651–0138. Date: July 22, 2015. R. Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner. [FR Doc. 2015–18418 Filed 7–27–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9111–14–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 19:17 Jul 27, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 reliquidate entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered on or after August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 are located at https://www.cbp.gov/ trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/ special-trade-legislation/generalizedsystem-preferences. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General questions concerning this notice should be directed to Maggie Gray, Office of International Trade, Trade Agreements Branch, 202–863– 6621. For operational questions regarding: Formal/Informal Entries and Baggage Declarations: Celestine Harrell, 202–863–6937; Mail Entries: Katherine Changes, 202–344–1767 or Robert Woods, 202–344–1236; Non-ABI Informal Entries: contact the port of entry where goods were entered. Questions from filers regarding ABI transmissions should be directed to their assigned ABI client representative. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Section 501 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2461), authorizes the President to establish a Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) to provide duty-free treatment for eligible articles imported directly from designated beneficiary countries for specific time periods. Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 2465, as amended by section 1011(a) of Public Law 105–277, 112 Stat. 2681, duty-free treatment under the GSP program expired on July 31, 2013. On June 29, 2015, the President signed the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 (Publ. L. 114–27). Section 201 of Public Law 114–27 pertains to the extension of duty-free treatment and the retroactive application for certain liquidations and reliquidations under the GSP. Section 201(b)(1) provides that GSP duty-free treatment will be applied to eligible articles from designated beneficiary countries that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after July 29, 2015 through December 31, 2017. Section 201(b)(2) provides that for entries made on or after August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015, to which duty-free treatment would have applied if GSP had been in effect during that time period (‘‘covered entries’’), any duty paid with respect to such entry will be refunded provided that a request for liquidation or reliquidation of that entry, containing sufficient information to enable U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to locate the entry or to reconstruct the entry if it cannot be located, is filed with CBP by December 28, 2015 (180 days after enactment of Pub. L. 114–27). Section 201(b)(2)(C) provides that any amounts owed by the E:\FR\FM\28JYN1.SGM 28JYN1 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 144 / Tuesday, July 28, 2015 / Notices United States pursuant to section 2(b)(2)(A) will be paid without interest. Field locations will not issue GSP refunds except as instructed to do so by CBP Headquarters. The processing of retroactive GSP duty refunds will be administered by CBP according to the terms set forth below. Duty-Free Entry Summaries Effective July 29, 2015, filers may resume filing GSP-eligible entry summaries without the payment of estimated duties. GSP Duty Refunds asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Formal/Informal Entries CBP will automatically liquidate or reliquidate formal and informal entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that were entered on or after August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 and filed electronically via the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) using Special Program Indicator (SPI) Code ‘‘A’’ as a prefix to the listed tariff number. Such entry filings will be treated as a conforming request for a liquidation or reliquidation pursuant to section 201(b)(2)(B) of Public Law 114–27, and no further action by the filer will be required to initiate a retroactive GSP duty refund. CBP expects to begin processing automatic refunds for these entries shortly after July 29, 2015. CBP will not automatically process GSP duty refunds for formal covered entries that were not filed electronically via ABI, nor for formal and informal covered entries that were filed electronically via ABI with payment of estimated duties, but without inclusion of the SPI Code ‘‘A’’ as a prefix to the listed tariff number. In both situations, requests for liquidation or reliquidation of covered entries must be made by December 28, 2015 pursuant to the procedures set forth in https:// www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/ trade-agreements/special-tradelegislation/generalized-systempreferences. Mail Entries For merchandise that was imported via the mail, addressees must request liquidation or reliquidation of covered entries by December 28, 2015 pursuant to the procedures set forth in https:// www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/ trade-agreements/special-tradelegislation/generalized-systempreferences. Baggage Declarations and Non-ABI Informals Travelers/importers must request liquidation or reliquidation of covered entries by December 28, 2015 pursuant VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:17 Jul 27, 2015 Jkt 235001 to the procedures set forth in https:// www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/ trade-agreements/special-tradelegislation/generalized-systempreferences. Countries Eligible for Retroactive Benefits The Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 reauthorization of GSP provides retroactive benefits only to goods from a country that is a beneficiary of the GSP program as of July 29, 2015. As such, this excludes countries such as Bangladesh 1 and Russia 2 that lost eligibility between July 31, 2013 and July 29, 2015. Dated: July 23, 2015. Brenda Smith, Assistant Commissioner, Office of International Trade. BILLING CODE 9111–14–P DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR–5831–N–37] 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Service Coordinators in Multifamily Housing Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: HUD has submitted the proposed information collection requirement described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The purpose of this notice is to allow for an additional 30 days of public comment. DATES: Comments Due Date: August 27, 2015. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding this proposal. Comments should refer to the proposal by name and/or OMB Control Number and should be sent to: HUD Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; fax: 202–395–5806. Email: OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anna Guido, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20410; email Colette Pollard at Colette Pollard@hud. or telephone 202–402–3400. This is not a toll-free number. Persons with hearing SUMMARY: PO 00000 2 See 78 FR 39949 (July 2, 2013). 79 FR 60945 (October 8, 2014). Frm 00064 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 or speech impairments may access this number through TTY by calling the tollfree Federal Relay Service at (800) 877– 8339. Copies of available documents submitted to OMB may be obtained from Ms. Pollard. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice informs the public that HUD is seeking approval from OMB for the information collection described in Section A. The Federal Register notice that solicited public comment on the information collection for a period of 60 days was published on April 28, 2015 at 80 FR 23564. A. Overview of Information Collection [FR Doc. 2015–18459 Filed 7–27–15; 8:45 am] 1 See 44987 Title of Information Collection: Service Coordinators in Multifamily Housing. OMB Approval Number: 2502–0447. Type of Request: Revision of currently approved collection. Form Numbers: HUD–2530, HUD– 92456, HUD–92456–G, HUD–50080– SCMF, HUD–91186, HUD–91186–A, SF–424, SF–424-Supp, HUD–2880, SF– LLL, SF–425. Description of the need for the information and proposed use: This request seeks approval for the following items: 1. Revision of form HUD–50080– SCMF; 2. Elimination of the standard form (SF) 425 ‘‘Federal Financial Report’’ and form HUD–96010 ‘‘Logic Model’’ for Service Coordinator in Multifamily Housing grant recipients, and 3. Grant application intake submission requirements for the Upcoming Notice of Funding availability (NOFA) for the Seniors and Services Demonstration program. The eligible applicant pool for this demonstration will be aligned with the Service Coordinators in Multifamily Housing program. As a result, this request will reduce the number of respondents, responses per annum, frequency of Responses, and total Estimated Burden hours. The collection of information is necessary to ensure efficient and proper use of funds for eligible activities. Without this information, HUD staff cannot assess the need for funds and effectively monitor grantees’ program performance and administration. In addition, the information collection will assist applicants in better determining their need for funds. The information will also enable grantees to more effectively evaluate their program performance; account for funds, and maintain appropriate program records. E:\FR\FM\28JYN1.SGM 28JYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 144 (Tuesday, July 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44986-44987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18459]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection


Renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences and Retroactive 
Application for Certain Liquidations and Reliquidations Under the GSP

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland 
Security.

ACTION: General notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a renewable 
preferential trade program that allows the eligible products of 
designated beneficiary developing countries to directly enter the 
United States free of duty. The GSP program expired on July 31, 2013, 
but has been renewed through December 31, 2017, effective July 29, 
2015, with retroactive effect between August 1, 2013 to July 28, 2015, 
by a provision in the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015. This 
document provides notice to importers that U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) will again accept claims for GSP duty-free treatment 
for merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption 
and that CBP will process refunds on duties paid, without interest, on 
GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered during the period that the 
GSP program was lapsed. Formal and informal entries that were filed 
electronically via the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) using Special 
Program Indicator (SPI) Code ``A'' as a prefix to the tariff number 
will be automatically processed by CBP and no further action by the 
filer is required to initiate the refund process. Non-ABI filers, and 
ABI filers that did not include SPI Code ``A'' on the entry, must 
timely submit a duty refund request to CBP. CBP will continue 
conducting verifications to ensure that GSP benefits are available to 
eligible entries only.

DATES: Effective July 29, 2015, the filing of GSP-eligible entry 
summaries may be resumed without the payment of estimated duties, and 
CBP will initiate the automatic liquidation or reliquidation of formal 
and informal entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered on or 
after August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 and filed via ABI with SPI 
Code ``A'' notated on the entry. Requests for refunds of GSP duties 
paid on eligible non-ABI entries, or eligible ABI entries filed without 
SPI Code ``A,'' must be filed with CBP no later than December 28, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Instructions for submitting a request to CBP to liquidate or 
reliquidate entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that was entered on or 
after August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 are located at https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/special-trade-legislation/generalized-system-preferences.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General questions concerning this 
notice should be directed to Maggie Gray, Office of International 
Trade, Trade Agreements Branch, 202-863-6621. For operational questions 
regarding: Formal/Informal Entries and Baggage Declarations: Celestine 
Harrell, 202-863-6937; Mail Entries: Katherine Changes, 202-344-1767 or 
Robert Woods, 202-344-1236; Non-ABI Informal Entries: contact the port 
of entry where goods were entered. Questions from filers regarding ABI 
transmissions should be directed to their assigned ABI client 
representative.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 501 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2461), 
authorizes the President to establish a Generalized System of 
Preferences (GSP) to provide duty-free treatment for eligible articles 
imported directly from designated beneficiary countries for specific 
time periods. Pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 2465, as amended by section 1011(a) 
of Public Law 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681, duty-free treatment under the 
GSP program expired on July 31, 2013. On June 29, 2015, the President 
signed the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 (Publ. L. 114-27). 
Section 201 of Public Law 114-27 pertains to the extension of duty-free 
treatment and the retroactive application for certain liquidations and 
reliquidations under the GSP. Section 201(b)(1) provides that GSP duty-
free treatment will be applied to eligible articles from designated 
beneficiary countries that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, 
for consumption on or after July 29, 2015 through December 31, 2017. 
Section 201(b)(2) provides that for entries made on or after August 1, 
2013 through July 28, 2015, to which duty-free treatment would have 
applied if GSP had been in effect during that time period (``covered 
entries''), any duty paid with respect to such entry will be refunded 
provided that a request for liquidation or reliquidation of that entry, 
containing sufficient information to enable U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) to locate the entry or to reconstruct the entry if it 
cannot be located, is filed with CBP by December 28, 2015 (180 days 
after enactment of Pub. L. 114-27). Section 201(b)(2)(C) provides that 
any amounts owed by the

[[Page 44987]]

United States pursuant to section 2(b)(2)(A) will be paid without 
interest.
    Field locations will not issue GSP refunds except as instructed to 
do so by CBP Headquarters. The processing of retroactive GSP duty 
refunds will be administered by CBP according to the terms set forth 
below.

Duty-Free Entry Summaries

    Effective July 29, 2015, filers may resume filing GSP-eligible 
entry summaries without the payment of estimated duties.

GSP Duty Refunds

Formal/Informal Entries

    CBP will automatically liquidate or reliquidate formal and informal 
entries of GSP-eligible merchandise that were entered on or after 
August 1, 2013 through July 28, 2015 and filed electronically via the 
Automated Broker Interface (ABI) using Special Program Indicator (SPI) 
Code ``A'' as a prefix to the listed tariff number. Such entry filings 
will be treated as a conforming request for a liquidation or 
reliquidation pursuant to section 201(b)(2)(B) of Public Law 114-27, 
and no further action by the filer will be required to initiate a 
retroactive GSP duty refund. CBP expects to begin processing automatic 
refunds for these entries shortly after July 29, 2015.
    CBP will not automatically process GSP duty refunds for formal 
covered entries that were not filed electronically via ABI, nor for 
formal and informal covered entries that were filed electronically via 
ABI with payment of estimated duties, but without inclusion of the SPI 
Code ``A'' as a prefix to the listed tariff number. In both situations, 
requests for liquidation or reliquidation of covered entries must be 
made by December 28, 2015 pursuant to the procedures set forth in 
https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/special-trade-legislation/generalized-system-preferences.

Mail Entries

    For merchandise that was imported via the mail, addressees must 
request liquidation or reliquidation of covered entries by December 28, 
2015 pursuant to the procedures set forth in https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/special-trade-legislation/generalized-system-preferences.

Baggage Declarations and Non-ABI Informals

    Travelers/importers must request liquidation or reliquidation of 
covered entries by December 28, 2015 pursuant to the procedures set 
forth in https://www.cbp.gov/trade/priority-issues/trade-agreements/special-trade-legislation/generalized-system-preferences.

Countries Eligible for Retroactive Benefits

    The Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 reauthorization of GSP 
provides retroactive benefits only to goods from a country that is a 
beneficiary of the GSP program as of July 29, 2015. As such, this 
excludes countries such as Bangladesh \1\ and Russia \2\ that lost 
eligibility between July 31, 2013 and July 29, 2015.
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    \1\ See 78 FR 39949 (July 2, 2013).
    \2\ See 79 FR 60945 (October 8, 2014).

    Dated: July 23, 2015.
Brenda Smith,
Assistant Commissioner, Office of International Trade.
[FR Doc. 2015-18459 Filed 7-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-14-P
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