Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Notice Regarding the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review and Certain Country Practice Cases, 7915-7916 [2017-01362]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 13 / Monday, January 23, 2017 / Notices environmental analyses within specific sectors slated for vegetation maintenance each year. TVA anticipates that these sector area analyses would continue in the future, tiering off of the programmatic EIS when it is completed. Public Participation The public is invited to submit comments on the scope of this EIS no later than the date identified in the ‘‘Dates’’ section of this notice. After TVA prepares a draft of the EIS, TVA will release it for public comment. TVA anticipates holding public meetings at various locations throughout TVA’s seven-state service area after release of the draft EIS. Meeting details will be posted on TVA’s Web site at tva.gov/ nepa. Dated: January 13, 2017. M. Susan Smelley, Director, Environmental Permitting & Compliance. [FR Doc. 2017–01448 Filed 1–19–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8120–08–P OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Notice Regarding the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review and Certain Country Practice Cases Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Notice of hearing and receipt of public comments. AGENCY: This notice announces petitions submitted in connection with the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review that have been accepted for further review. This notice also sets forth the schedule for submitting comments and for a public hearing associated with the review of these petitions and products. This notice also announces the closure of the country practices review of worker rights in Fiji and Niger without change to those countries’ GSP trade benefits. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Freeman, Director for GSP, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 1724 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395–2974 and the email address is Naomi_S_Freeman@ ustr.eop.gov. mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: The schedule for the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review is set forth below: February 15, 2017—Due date for submission of comments, pre-hearing briefs and requests to appear at the GSP Subcommittee Public Hearing on the DATES: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:02 Jan 19, 2017 Jkt 241001 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review. February 22, 2017—The GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) will convene a public hearing on all petitioned product additions, product removals, and competitive needs limitation (CNL) waiver petitions that were accepted for the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review. The hearing will be held in Rooms 1 and 2, 1724 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20508, beginning at 9:30 a.m. March 15, 2017—Due date for submission of post-hearing comments or briefs in connection with the GSP Subcommittee Public Hearing. April 2017—The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is expected to publish a public version of its report providing advice on the probable economic effect of the prospective addition and removal of products and granting of CNL waiver petitions considered as part of 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review. Comments from interested parties on the USITC report on these products should be posted on www.regulations.gov in Docket Number USTR–2016–0009 following the instructions provided below and will be due ten calendar days after the date of the USITC’s publication of the public version of the report. July 1, 2017—Effective date for any modifications that the President proclaims to the list of articles eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP resulting from the 2016/2017 Annual Product Review and for determinations related to CNL waivers. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Certain Country Practice Reviews The status of country practices reviews being considered as part of the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Review is described in the list of Active and Closed Country Practices Reviews, which is available on the USTR GSP Web site at https://ustr.gov/node/6526. This list includes previously accepted country practices petitions. The United States Trade Representative, drawing on the advice of the TPSC, has decided to close the country practices review cases in docket number USTR–2013–0012 regarding worker rights in Fiji, and docket number USTR–2013–0005 regarding worker rights in Niger, in view of progress made by the governments of Fiji and Niger, respectively, in addressing worker rights issues in those countries. Background The GSP program provides for the duty-free importation of designated articles when imported from designated beneficiary developing countries. The PO 00000 Frm 00133 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 7915 GSP program is authorized by Title V of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2461, et seq.), as amended (1974 Act), and is implemented in accordance with Executive Order 11888 of November 24, 1975, as modified by subsequent Executive Orders and Presidential Proclamations. Petitions Requesting Modifications of Product Eligibility In a notice published in the Federal Register on August 25, 2016 (81 FR 58547), the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced the initiation of the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Review and indicated that the interagency GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC was prepared to receive petitions to modify the list of products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program and petitions to waive CNLs on imports of certain products from specific beneficiary countries. The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC has reviewed the product and CNL waiver petitions submitted in response to these announcements, and has decided to accept for review five petitions to add a product to the list of those eligible for duty-free treatment under GSP, one petition to remove a product from GSP eligibility for certain GSP beneficiary countries, and seven petitions to waive CNLs. A list of petitions and products accepted for review is posted on the USTR Web site at https://ustr.gov/issueareas/preference-programs/generalizedsystem-preferences-gsp/current-reviews/ gsp-20162017 under the title ‘‘Petitions Accepted in the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review.’’ This list also can be found at www.regulations.gov in Docket Number USTR–2016–0009. Acceptance of a petition indicates only that the TPSC found that the subject petition warranted further consideration and that a review of the requested action will take place. The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC invites comments in support of or in opposition to any petition that has been accepted for the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review. The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC will also convene a public hearing on these products and petitions. See below for information on how to submit a request to testify at this hearing. Notice of Public Hearing The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC will hold a hearing on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 beginning at 9:30 a.m., for products and petitions accepted for the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review. The hearing will be held at 1724 F Street NW., Washington, E:\FR\FM\23JAN1.SGM 23JAN1 7916 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 13 / Monday, January 23, 2017 / Notices mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES DC 20508 and will be open to the public. A transcript of the hearing will be made available on www.regulations.gov approximately two weeks after the hearing. All interested parties wishing to make an oral presentation at the hearing must submit, following the ‘‘Requirements for Submissions’’ set out below, the name, address, telephone number, and email address (if available), of the witness(es) representing their organization by midnight, Friday, February 15, 2017. Requests to present oral testimony in connection with the public hearing must be accompanied by a written brief or summary statement, in English, and also must be received by midnight, Friday, February 15, 2017. Oral testimony before the GSP Subcommittee will be limited to five-minute presentations that summarize or supplement information contained in briefs or statements submitted for the record. Post-hearing briefs or statements will be accepted if they conform with the regulations cited below and are submitted, in English, by midnight, Friday, March 15, 2017. Parties not wishing to appear at the public hearing may submit pre-hearing and posthearing briefs or comments by the aforementioned deadlines. Requirements for Submissions Submissions in response to this notice (including requests to testify, written comments, and pre-hearing and posthearing briefs) must be submitted by the applicable deadlines set forth in this notice. All submissions must be made in English and submitted electronically via https://www.regulations.gov, using docket number USTR–2016–0009. Hand-delivered submissions will not be accepted. To make a submission using https://www.regulations.gov, enter docket number USTR–2016–0009 in the ‘‘Search for’’ field on the home page and click ‘‘Search.’’ The site will provide a search-results page listing all documents associated with this docket. Find a reference to this notice by selecting ‘‘Notice’’ under ‘‘Document Type’’ in the ‘‘Filter Results by’’ section on the left side of the screen and click on the link entitled ‘‘Comment Now.’’ The https://www.regulations.gov Web site offers the option of providing comments by filling in a ‘‘Type Comment’’ field or by attaching a document using the ‘‘Upload file(s)’’ field. The Subcommittee prefers that submissions be provided in an attached document and, in such cases, that parties note ‘‘See attached’’ in the ‘‘Type Comment’’ field on the online submission form. At the beginning of the submission, or on the first page (if an attachment) should VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:02 Jan 19, 2017 Jkt 241001 be the following text (in bold and underlined): (1) ‘‘2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review;’’ (2) the product description and related HTS tariff number; and (3) whether the document is a ‘‘Written Comment,’’ ‘‘Notice of Intent to Testify,’’ ‘‘Prehearing brief,’’ or a ‘‘Post-hearing brief.’’ Submissions should not exceed thirty single-spaced, standard letter-size pages in twelve-point type, including attachments. Any data attachments to the submission should be included in the same file as the submission itself, and not as separate files. Each submitter will receive a tracking number upon completion of the submissions procedure at https:// www.regulations.gov. The tracking number will be the submitter’s confirmation that the submission was received into https:// www.regulations.gov. The confirmation should be kept for the submitter’s records. USTR is not able to provide technical assistance for the Web site. Documents not submitted in accordance with these instructions may not be considered in this review. If unable to provide submissions as requested, please contact the GSP Program at USTR to arrange for an alternative method of transmission. https://www.regulations.gov upon completion of processing, usually within two weeks of the relevant due date or date of the submission. Public versions of all documents relating to the 2016/2017 Annual Product Review will be made available for public viewing in docket USTR–2016–0009 at www.regulations.gov upon completion of processing. Erland Herfindahl, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Generalized System of Preferences, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. [FR Doc. 2017–01362 Filed 1–19–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3190–F7–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Sixty Ninth Plenary for RTCA SC–135 Environmental Testing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). ACTION: Sixty Ninth Plenary for RTCA SC–135 Environmental Testing. AGENCY: The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public of a meeting of Sixty Ninth Plenary RTCA SC–135 Business Confidential Submissions Environmental Testing. DATES: The meeting will be held April An interested party requesting that 27, 2017 09:00 a.m.–05:00 p.m. information contained in a submission be treated as business confidential ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at: information must certify that such RTCA Headquarters, 1150 18th Street information is business confidential and NW., Suite 910, Washington, DC 20036. would not customarily be released to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: the public by the submitter. Rebecca Morrison at rmorrison@rtca.org Confidential business information must or 202–330–0654, or The RTCA be clearly designated as such. The Secretariat, 1150 18th Street NW., Suite submission must be marked ‘‘BUSINESS 910, Washington, DC 20036, or by CONFIDENTIAL’’ at the top and bottom telephone at (202) 833–9339, fax at (202) of the cover page and each succeeding 833–9434, or Web site at https:// page, and the submission should www.rtca.org. indicate, via brackets, the specific SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant information that is confidential. to section 10(a) (2) of the Federal Additionally, ‘‘Business Confidential’’ Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92– must be included in the ‘‘Type 463, 5 U.S.C., App.), notice is hereby Comment’’ field. For any submission given for a meeting of the Sixty Ninth containing business confidential RTCA SC–135 Environmental Testing information, a non-confidential version Plenary. The agenda will include the must be submitted separately (i.e., not as following: part of the same submission with the Thursday, April 27, 2017—9:00 a.m. to confidential version), indicating where 5:00 p.m. confidential information has been redacted. The non-confidential version 1. Chairmen’s Opening Remarks, will be placed in the docket and open Introductions. to public inspection. 2. Approval of Summary from the Sixty-Eighth Meeting—(RTCA Paper No. Public Viewing of Review Submissions 026–17/SC135–711). Submissions in response to this 3. Review Working Group Summaries. notice, except for information granted 4. Review Schedule. ‘‘business confidential’’ status under 15 5. New/Unfinished Business. CFR 2003.6, will be available for public 6. Establish Date for Next SC–135 viewing pursuant to 15 CFR 2007.6 at Meeting. PO 00000 Frm 00134 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\23JAN1.SGM 23JAN1

Agencies

Office of the United States Trade Representative

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7915-7916]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01362]

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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Notice Regarding the
2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review and Certain Country Practice Cases

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of hearing and receipt of public comments.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces petitions submitted in connection with
the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review that have been accepted for
further review. This notice also sets forth the schedule for submitting
comments and for a public hearing associated with the review of these
petitions and products. This notice also announces the closure of the
country practices review of worker rights in Fiji and Niger without
change to those countries' GSP trade benefits.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Freeman, Director for GSP,
Office of the United States Trade Representative, 1724 F Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-2974 and the
email address is Naomi_S_Freeman@ustr.eop.gov.

DATES: The schedule for the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review is set
forth below: February 15, 2017--Due date for submission of comments,
pre-hearing briefs and requests to appear at the GSP Subcommittee
Public Hearing on the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review. February 22,
2017--The GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC)
will convene a public hearing on all petitioned product additions,
product removals, and competitive needs limitation (CNL) waiver
petitions that were accepted for the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product
Review. The hearing will be held in Rooms 1 and 2, 1724 F Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20508, beginning at 9:30 a.m. March 15, 2017--Due date
for submission of post-hearing comments or briefs in connection with
the GSP Subcommittee Public Hearing.
April 2017--The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is
expected to publish a public version of its report providing advice on
the probable economic effect of the prospective addition and removal of
products and granting of CNL waiver petitions considered as part of
2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review. Comments from interested parties
on the USITC report on these products should be posted on
www.regulations.gov in Docket Number USTR-2016-0009 following the
instructions provided below and will be due ten calendar days after the
date of the USITC's publication of the public version of the report.
July 1, 2017--Effective date for any modifications that the President
proclaims to the list of articles eligible for duty-free treatment
under the GSP resulting from the 2016/2017 Annual Product Review and
for determinations related to CNL waivers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Certain Country Practice Reviews

The status of country practices reviews being considered as part of
the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Review is described in the list of Active and
Closed Country Practices Reviews, which is available on the USTR GSP
Web site at https://ustr.gov/node/6526. This list includes previously
accepted country practices petitions. The United States Trade
Representative, drawing on the advice of the TPSC, has decided to close
the country practices review cases in docket number USTR-2013-0012
regarding worker rights in Fiji, and docket number USTR-2013-0005
regarding worker rights in Niger, in view of progress made by the
governments of Fiji and Niger, respectively, in addressing worker
rights issues in those countries.

Background

The GSP program provides for the duty-free importation of
designated articles when imported from designated beneficiary
developing countries. The GSP program is authorized by Title V of the
Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2461, et seq.), as amended (1974 Act), and
is implemented in accordance with Executive Order 11888 of November 24,
1975, as modified by subsequent Executive Orders and Presidential
Proclamations.

Petitions Requesting Modifications of Product Eligibility

In a notice published in the Federal Register on August 25, 2016
(81 FR 58547), the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
announced the initiation of the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Review and
indicated that the interagency GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC was
prepared to receive petitions to modify the list of products that are
eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program and petitions to
waive CNLs on imports of certain products from specific beneficiary
countries.
The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC has reviewed the product and CNL
waiver petitions submitted in response to these announcements, and has
decided to accept for review five petitions to add a product to the
list of those eligible for duty-free treatment under GSP, one petition
to remove a product from GSP eligibility for certain GSP beneficiary
countries, and seven petitions to waive CNLs.
A list of petitions and products accepted for review is posted on
the USTR Web site at https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/preference-programs/generalized-system-preferences-gsp/current-reviews/gsp-20162017 under
the title ``Petitions Accepted in the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product
Review.'' This list also can be found at www.regulations.gov in Docket
Number USTR-2016-0009. Acceptance of a petition indicates only that the
TPSC found that the subject petition warranted further consideration
and that a review of the requested action will take place.
The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC invites comments in support of or
in opposition to any petition that has been accepted for the 2016/2017
GSP Annual Product Review. The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC will also
convene a public hearing on these products and petitions. See below for
information on how to submit a request to testify at this hearing.

Notice of Public Hearing

The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC will hold a hearing on Wednesday,
February 22, 2017 beginning at 9:30 a.m., for products and petitions
accepted for the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review. The hearing will
be held at 1724 F Street NW., Washington,

[[Page 7916]]

DC 20508 and will be open to the public. A transcript of the hearing
will be made available on www.regulations.gov approximately two weeks
after the hearing.
All interested parties wishing to make an oral presentation at the
hearing must submit, following the ``Requirements for Submissions'' set
out below, the name, address, telephone number, and email address (if
available), of the witness(es) representing their organization by
midnight, Friday, February 15, 2017. Requests to present oral testimony
in connection with the public hearing must be accompanied by a written
brief or summary statement, in English, and also must be received by
midnight, Friday, February 15, 2017. Oral testimony before the GSP
Subcommittee will be limited to five-minute presentations that
summarize or supplement information contained in briefs or statements
submitted for the record. Post-hearing briefs or statements will be
accepted if they conform with the regulations cited below and are
submitted, in English, by midnight, Friday, March 15, 2017. Parties not
wishing to appear at the public hearing may submit pre-hearing and
post-hearing briefs or comments by the aforementioned deadlines.

Requirements for Submissions

Submissions in response to this notice (including requests to
testify, written comments, and pre-hearing and post-hearing briefs)
must be submitted by the applicable deadlines set forth in this notice.
All submissions must be made in English and submitted electronically
via https://www.regulations.gov, using docket number USTR-2016-0009.
Hand-delivered submissions will not be accepted. To make a submission
using https://www.regulations.gov, enter docket number USTR-2016-0009 in
the ``Search for'' field on the home page and click ``Search.'' The
site will provide a search-results page listing all documents
associated with this docket. Find a reference to this notice by
selecting ``Notice'' under ``Document Type'' in the ``Filter Results
by'' section on the left side of the screen and click on the link
entitled ``Comment Now.'' The https://www.regulations.gov Web site
offers the option of providing comments by filling in a ``Type
Comment'' field or by attaching a document using the ``Upload file(s)''
field. The Subcommittee prefers that submissions be provided in an
attached document and, in such cases, that parties note ``See
attached'' in the ``Type Comment'' field on the online submission form.
At the beginning of the submission, or on the first page (if an
attachment) should be the following text (in bold and underlined): (1)
``2016/2017 GSP Annual Product Review;'' (2) the product description
and related HTS tariff number; and (3) whether the document is a
``Written Comment,'' ``Notice of Intent to Testify,'' ``Pre-hearing
brief,'' or a ``Post-hearing brief.'' Submissions should not exceed
thirty single-spaced, standard letter-size pages in twelve-point type,
including attachments. Any data attachments to the submission should be
included in the same file as the submission itself, and not as separate
files.
Each submitter will receive a tracking number upon completion of
the submissions procedure at https://www.regulations.gov. The tracking
number will be the submitter's confirmation that the submission was
received into https://www.regulations.gov. The confirmation should be
kept for the submitter's records. USTR is not able to provide technical
assistance for the Web site. Documents not submitted in accordance with
these instructions may not be considered in this review. If unable to
provide submissions as requested, please contact the GSP Program at
USTR to arrange for an alternative method of transmission.

Business Confidential Submissions

An interested party requesting that information contained in a
submission be treated as business confidential information must certify
that such information is business confidential and would not
customarily be released to the public by the submitter. Confidential
business information must be clearly designated as such. The submission
must be marked ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' at the top and bottom of the
cover page and each succeeding page, and the submission should
indicate, via brackets, the specific information that is confidential.
Additionally, ``Business Confidential'' must be included in the ``Type
Comment'' field. For any submission containing business confidential
information, a non-confidential version must be submitted separately
(i.e., not as part of the same submission with the confidential
version), indicating where confidential information has been redacted.
The non-confidential version will be placed in the docket and open to
public inspection.

Public Viewing of Review Submissions

Submissions in response to this notice, except for information
granted ``business confidential'' status under 15 CFR 2003.6, will be
available for public viewing pursuant to 15 CFR 2007.6 at https://www.regulations.gov upon completion of processing, usually within two
weeks of the relevant due date or date of the submission. Public
versions of all documents relating to the 2016/2017 Annual Product
Review will be made available for public viewing in docket USTR-2016-
0009 at www.regulations.gov upon completion of processing.

Erland Herfindahl,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Generalized System
of Preferences, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2017-01362 Filed 1-19-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-F7-P

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