2016/2017 Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Annual Product Review: Notice of Availability of Annual Statistics, Acceptance of Public Comments and Withdrawal of Certain Petitions, 12487-12488 [2017-04121]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 41 / Friday, March 3, 2017 / Notices
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Pedro Ramirez at (202) 245–0333.
Assistance for the hearing impaired is
available through the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Board’s decision is posted on the
Board’s Web site, https://www.stb.gov.
Copies of the decision may be
purchased by contacting the Board’s
Office of Public Assistance,
Governmental Affairs, and Compliance
at (202) 245–0238. Assistance for the
hearing impaired is available through
FIRS at 1–800–877–8339.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 10704(a)
Decided: February 27, 2017.
By the Board, Board Members Begeman,
Elliott, and Miller.
Marline Simeon,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2017–04133 Filed 3–2–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
[Docket No. USTR–2016–2009]
2016/2017 Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP) Annual Product
Review: Notice of Availability of
Annual Statistics, Acceptance of
Public Comments and Withdrawal of
Certain Petitions
Office of the United States
Trade Representative.
ACTION: Request for comments.
AGENCY:
The Office of the United
States Trade Representative (USTR) is
announcing the availability of full 2016
calendar year import statistics relating
to competitive need limitations (CNLs)
under the Generalized System of
Preferences (GSP) program. USTR will
accept public comments submitted by
March 22, 2017, regarding: (1) Possible
de minimis CNL waivers; and (2)
possible redesignations of articles
currently not eligible for GSP benefits
because they previously exceeded the
CNL thresholds. USTR also is
announcing the withdrawal by the
petitioners of certain previously
accepted CNL waiver petitions.
DATES: Written comments are due by
midnight, Wednesday, March 22, 2017.
ADDRESSES: You should submit written
comments through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov using docket
number USTR–2016–0009. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments in
section III below. For alternatives to on-
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:42 Mar 02, 2017
Jkt 241001
line submissions, please contact USTR
at gsp@ustr.eop.gov before transmitting
a comment and in advance of the
deadline.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Naomi Freeman, Director for GSP,
Office of the United States Trade
Representative, 600 17th Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20508. The telephone
number is (202) 395–2974 and the email
address is gsp@ustr.eop.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Statutory Provisions Related to CNLs
The GSP program provides for the
duty-free importation of designated
articles when imported from designated
beneficiary developing countries
(BDCs). 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). Section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974
Act sets out the two CNLs. When the
President determines that a BDC
exported to the United States during a
calendar year either: (1) A quantity of a
GSP-eligible article having a value in
excess of the applicable amount for that
year ($175 million for 2016), or (2) a
quantity of a GSP-eligible article having
a value equal to or greater than 50
percent of the value of total U.S. imports
of the article from all countries (the ‘‘50
percent’’ CNL), the President must
terminate GSP duty-free treatment for
that article from that BDC by no later
than July 1 of the next calendar year,
unless a waiver is granted.
De minimis waivers: Under section
503(c)(2)(F) of the 1974 Act, the
President may waive the 50 percent
CNL with respect to an eligible article
imported from a BDC if the value of
total imports of that article from all
countries during the calendar year did
not exceed the applicable de minimis
amount for that year ($23 million for
2016).
Redesignations: Under section
503(c)(2)(C) of the 1974 Act, if imports
of an eligible article from a BDC ceased
to receive duty-free treatment due to
exceeding a CNL in a prior year, the
President may, subject to the
considerations in sections 501 and 502
of the 1974 Act, redesignate such an
article for duty-free treatment if imports
in the most recently completed calendar
year did not exceed the CNLs.
Exclusions from GSP duty-free
treatment where CNLs have been
exceeded will be effective July 1, 2017,
unless the President grants a waiver.
Any CNL-based exclusions, CNL waiver
revocations, and decisions with respect
to de minimis waivers and
redesignations will be based on full
2016 calendar year import data.
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Frm 00061
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
12487
II. 2016 Import Statistics
In order to provide notice of articles
that have exceeded the CNLs for 2016
and to afford an opportunity for
comment regarding (1) potential de
minimis waivers and (2) potential
redesignations for 2016, USTR has
posted product lists on the USTR Web
site at https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/
preference-programs/generalizedsystem-preferences-gsp/current-reviews/
gsp-20162017 under the title ‘‘2016
Import Statistics Relating to Competitive
Need Limitations for GSP’’. You also
can find these lists at
www.regulations.gov in Docket Number
USTR–2016–0009. There were no
articles that were subject to CNL waiver
revocation for 2016 based on the
provisions of section 503(d)(4)(B)(ii) of
the 1974 Act, as amended by Public Law
109–432. You can view full 2016
calendar year data for individual tariff
subheadings on the Web site of the U.S.
International Trade Commission at
https://dataweb.usitc.gov.
The lists available on the USTR Web
site contain, for each article, the
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
United States (HTSUS) subheading and
BDC country of origin, the value of
imports of the article for the 2016
calendar year, and the percentage of
total U.S. imports of that article from all
countries.
The lists published on the USTR Web
site are for informational purposes only.
They may not include all articles to
which the GSP CNLs may apply. All
determinations and decisions regarding
the CNLs of the GSP program will be
based on full 2016 calendar year import
data with respect to each GSP-eligible
article. We advise each interested party
to conduct its own review of 2016
import data with respect to the possible
application of the GSP CNL provisions.
List I on the USTR Web site shows
GSP-eligible articles from BDCs that
exceeded a CNL by having been
exported in excess of $175 million, or in
a quantity equal to or greater than 50
percent of the total U.S. import value, in
2016. These products will be removed
from eligibility for GSP for the subject
countries on July 1, 2017, unless the
President grants a waiver for the
product for the subject country in
response to a petition filed by an
interested party. Such petitions for CNL
waivers must have been previously
submitted in the 2016/2017 GSP Annual
Review. (See 80 FR 50376 and 80 FR
71913). The last column in List I shows
the product for which a petition has
been accepted and is now under review.
List II identifies GSP-eligible articles
from BDCs that are above the 50 percent
E:\FR\FM\03MRN1.SGM
03MRN1
12488
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 41 / Friday, March 3, 2017 / Notices
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES
CNL, but that are eligible for a de
minimis waiver of the 50 percent CNL.
Articles eligible for de minimis waivers
are automatically considered in the GSP
annual review process, without the
filing of a petition.
List III shows GSP-eligible articles
from certain BDCs that currently are not
receiving GSP duty-free treatment, but
may be considered for GSP
redesignation based on 2016 trade data
and consideration of certain statutory
factors. Recommendations to the
President on de minimis waivers and
redesignations will be made as part of
the GSP annual review process, and
public comments (including comments
in support of or in opposition to de
minimis waivers and redesignations) are
invited in accordance with the
Requirements for Submissions below.
III. Public Comments
Requirements for Submissions. You
must submit written comments
submitted in response to this notice
electronically by midnight, Wednesday,
March 22, 2017. All submissions must
be made in English and submitted
electronically via https://
www.regulations.gov using docket
number USTR–2016–0009. USTR will
not accept hand-delivered submissions.
All submissions for the GSP Annual
Review must conform to the GSP
regulations set forth at 15 CFR part
2007, except as modified below. These
regulations are available on the USTR
Web site at https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/
trade-development/preferenceprograms/generalized-systempreference-gsp/gsp-program-inf. We
strongly advise any person or party
making a submission to review the GSP
regulations as well as the GSP
Guidebook, which is available at the
same link.
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. We strongly
prefer that you provide submissions in
an attached document and, in such
cases, that parties note ‘‘See attached’’
in the ‘‘Type Comment’’ field on the
online submission form.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:42 Mar 02, 2017
Jkt 241001
At the beginning of the submission, or
on the first page (if an attachment),
please note that the submission is in
response to this Federal Register notice
and indicate the specific product(s)
(including the eight-digit HTSUS
subheading) that is the subject of the
comment and on which of the relevant
lists described above, (e.g., List I) it
appears. Submissions should not exceed
30 single-spaced, standard letter-size
pages in 12-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
submission tracking number upon
completion of the submissions
procedure at https://
www.regulations.gov. The tracking
number, which you should keep, is your
confirmation that the submission was
received into https://
www.regulations.gov. USTR is not
responsible for any delays in a
submission due to technical difficulties,
nor is it able to provide any technical
assistance for the https://
www.regulations.gov Web site.
Documents not submitted in accordance
with these instructions may not be
considered in this review. If an
interested party is unable to provide
submissions as requested, please contact
the GSP program at USTR to arrange for
an alternative method of transmission.
Business Confidential Petitions. An
interested party requesting that
information contained in a submission
be treated as business confidential
information must certify that the
information is business confidential and
would not customarily be released to
the public by the submitter. You must
clearly designate confidential business
information by marking the submission
‘‘BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL’’ at the top
and bottom of the cover page and on
each succeeding page, and indicating
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, you separately
must submit a non-confidential version
(i.e., not as part of the same submission
with the confidential version),
indicating where confidential
information has been redacted. We will
place the non-confidential version in
the docket and it will be 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 part 2003.6, will be
PO 00000
Frm 00062
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
available for public viewing pursuant to
15 CFR part 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. We will make public
versions of all documents relating to the
2016/2017 Annual Product Review
available for public viewing in docket
USTR–2016–0009 at
www.regulations.gov upon completion
of processing.
IV. Withdrawal of Certain CNL Waiver
Petitions
In a January 23, 2017 Federal Register
notice (82 FR 7915), USTR announced
the acceptance of CNL waiver petitions
for the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Review.
Following the release of full 2016
calendar year trade data, the following
CNL waiver petitions have been
withdrawn from the 2016/2017 GSP
Annual Review because the product
imported from the subject GSP
beneficiary country did not surpass the
CNL thresholds for 2016:
• HTS 6802.99.00 from Brazil
• HTS 0714.90.10 from Ecuador
• HTS 0410.00.00 and HTS 4011.20.10
from Indonesia
• HTS 8525.80.30 and HTS 9001.50.00
from Thailand
The CNL waiver petition for HTS
4409.10.05 from Brazil is being
considered in the 2016/2017 Annual
Review.
Erland Herfindahl,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative
for the Generalized System of Preferences,
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2017–04121 Filed 3–2–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290–F7–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration
Sunshine Act Meetings; Unified Carrier
Registration Plan Board of Directors
Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Unified Carrier
Registration Plan Board of Directors
meeting.
AGENCY:
The meeting will be held on
March 14, 2017, from 12:00 Noon to
3:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time.
PLACE: This meeting will be open to the
public via conference call. Any
interested person may call 1–877–422–
1931, passcode 2855443940, to listen
and participate in this meeting.
STATUS: Open to the public.
DATES:
E:\FR\FM\03MRN1.SGM
03MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 41 (Friday, March 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12487-12488]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-04121]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
[Docket No. USTR-2016-2009]
2016/2017 Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Annual Product
Review: Notice of Availability of Annual Statistics, Acceptance of
Public Comments and Withdrawal of Certain Petitions
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is
announcing the availability of full 2016 calendar year import
statistics relating to competitive need limitations (CNLs) under the
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. USTR will accept
public comments submitted by March 22, 2017, regarding: (1) Possible de
minimis CNL waivers; and (2) possible redesignations of articles
currently not eligible for GSP benefits because they previously
exceeded the CNL thresholds. USTR also is announcing the withdrawal by
the petitioners of certain previously accepted CNL waiver petitions.
DATES: Written comments are due by midnight, Wednesday, March 22, 2017.
ADDRESSES: You should submit written comments through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov using docket number
USTR-2016-0009. Follow the instructions for submitting comments in
section III below. For alternatives to on-line submissions, please
contact USTR at gsp@ustr.eop.gov before transmitting a comment and in
advance of the deadline.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Freeman, Director for GSP,
Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW.,
Washington, DC 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-2974 and the
email address is gsp@ustr.eop.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Statutory Provisions Related to CNLs
The GSP program provides for the duty-free importation of
designated articles when imported from designated beneficiary
developing countries (BDCs). 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). Section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act sets out the two CNLs. When
the President determines that a BDC exported to the United States
during a calendar year either: (1) A quantity of a GSP-eligible article
having a value in excess of the applicable amount for that year ($175
million for 2016), or (2) a quantity of a GSP-eligible article having a
value equal to or greater than 50 percent of the value of total U.S.
imports of the article from all countries (the ``50 percent'' CNL), the
President must terminate GSP duty-free treatment for that article from
that BDC by no later than July 1 of the next calendar year, unless a
waiver is granted.
De minimis waivers: Under section 503(c)(2)(F) of the 1974 Act, the
President may waive the 50 percent CNL with respect to an eligible
article imported from a BDC if the value of total imports of that
article from all countries during the calendar year did not exceed the
applicable de minimis amount for that year ($23 million for 2016).
Redesignations: Under section 503(c)(2)(C) of the 1974 Act, if
imports of an eligible article from a BDC ceased to receive duty-free
treatment due to exceeding a CNL in a prior year, the President may,
subject to the considerations in sections 501 and 502 of the 1974 Act,
redesignate such an article for duty-free treatment if imports in the
most recently completed calendar year did not exceed the CNLs.
Exclusions from GSP duty-free treatment where CNLs have been
exceeded will be effective July 1, 2017, unless the President grants a
waiver. Any CNL-based exclusions, CNL waiver revocations, and decisions
with respect to de minimis waivers and redesignations will be based on
full 2016 calendar year import data.
II. 2016 Import Statistics
In order to provide notice of articles that have exceeded the CNLs
for 2016 and to afford an opportunity for comment regarding (1)
potential de minimis waivers and (2) potential redesignations for 2016,
USTR has posted product lists on the USTR Web site at https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/preference-programs/generalized-system-preferences-gsp/current-reviews/gsp-20162017 under the title ``2016 Import Statistics
Relating to Competitive Need Limitations for GSP''. You also can find
these lists at www.regulations.gov in Docket Number USTR-2016-0009.
There were no articles that were subject to CNL waiver revocation for
2016 based on the provisions of section 503(d)(4)(B)(ii) of the 1974
Act, as amended by Public Law 109-432. You can view full 2016 calendar
year data for individual tariff subheadings on the Web site of the U.S.
International Trade Commission at https://dataweb.usitc.gov.
The lists available on the USTR Web site contain, for each article,
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading
and BDC country of origin, the value of imports of the article for the
2016 calendar year, and the percentage of total U.S. imports of that
article from all countries.
The lists published on the USTR Web site are for informational
purposes only. They may not include all articles to which the GSP CNLs
may apply. All determinations and decisions regarding the CNLs of the
GSP program will be based on full 2016 calendar year import data with
respect to each GSP-eligible article. We advise each interested party
to conduct its own review of 2016 import data with respect to the
possible application of the GSP CNL provisions.
List I on the USTR Web site shows GSP-eligible articles from BDCs
that exceeded a CNL by having been exported in excess of $175 million,
or in a quantity equal to or greater than 50 percent of the total U.S.
import value, in 2016. These products will be removed from eligibility
for GSP for the subject countries on July 1, 2017, unless the President
grants a waiver for the product for the subject country in response to
a petition filed by an interested party. Such petitions for CNL waivers
must have been previously submitted in the 2016/2017 GSP Annual Review.
(See 80 FR 50376 and 80 FR 71913). The last column in List I shows the
product for which a petition has been accepted and is now under review.
List II identifies GSP-eligible articles from BDCs that are above
the 50 percent
[[Page 12488]]
CNL, but that are eligible for a de minimis waiver of the 50 percent
CNL. Articles eligible for de minimis waivers are automatically
considered in the GSP annual review process, without the filing of a
petition.
List III shows GSP-eligible articles from certain BDCs that
currently are not receiving GSP duty-free treatment, but may be
considered for GSP redesignation based on 2016 trade data and
consideration of certain statutory factors. Recommendations to the
President on de minimis waivers and redesignations will be made as part
of the GSP annual review process, and public comments (including
comments in support of or in opposition to de minimis waivers and
redesignations) are invited in accordance with the Requirements for
Submissions below.
III. Public Comments
Requirements for Submissions. You must submit written comments
submitted in response to this notice electronically by midnight,
Wednesday, March 22, 2017. All submissions must be made in English and
submitted electronically via https://www.regulations.gov using docket
number USTR-2016-0009. USTR will not accept hand-delivered submissions.
All submissions for the GSP Annual Review must conform to the GSP
regulations set forth at 15 CFR part 2007, except as modified below.
These regulations are available on the USTR Web site at https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/trade-development/preference-programs/generalized-system-preference-gsp/gsp-program-inf. We strongly advise any person or
party making a submission to review the GSP regulations as well as the
GSP Guidebook, which is available at the same link.
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. We strongly prefer that you provide submissions 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), please note that the submission is in response to this
Federal Register notice and indicate the specific product(s) (including
the eight-digit HTSUS subheading) that is the subject of the comment
and on which of the relevant lists described above, (e.g., List I) it
appears. Submissions should not exceed 30 single-spaced, standard
letter-size pages in 12-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 submission tracking number upon
completion of the submissions procedure at https://www.regulations.gov.
The tracking number, which you should keep, is your confirmation that
the submission was received into https://www.regulations.gov. USTR is
not responsible for any delays in a submission due to technical
difficulties, nor is it able to provide any technical assistance for
the https://www.regulations.gov Web site. Documents not submitted in
accordance with these instructions may not be considered in this
review. If an interested party is unable to provide submissions as
requested, please contact the GSP program at USTR to arrange for an
alternative method of transmission.
Business Confidential Petitions. An interested party requesting
that information contained in a submission be treated as business
confidential information must certify that the information is business
confidential and would not customarily be released to the public by the
submitter. You must clearly designate confidential business information
by marking the submission ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' at the top and
bottom of the cover page and on each succeeding page, and indicating
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, you separately must submit a non-confidential version
(i.e., not as part of the same submission with the confidential
version), indicating where confidential information has been redacted.
We will place the non-confidential version in the docket and it will be
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 part 2003.6, will be available for public viewing
pursuant to 15 CFR part 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. We will make public versions of all
documents relating to the 2016/2017 Annual Product Review available for
public viewing in docket USTR-2016-0009 at www.regulations.gov upon
completion of processing.
IV. Withdrawal of Certain CNL Waiver Petitions
In a January 23, 2017 Federal Register notice (82 FR 7915), USTR
announced the acceptance of CNL waiver petitions for the 2016/2017 GSP
Annual Review. Following the release of full 2016 calendar year trade
data, the following CNL waiver petitions have been withdrawn from the
2016/2017 GSP Annual Review because the product imported from the
subject GSP beneficiary country did not surpass the CNL thresholds for
2016:
HTS 6802.99.00 from Brazil
HTS 0714.90.10 from Ecuador
HTS 0410.00.00 and HTS 4011.20.10 from Indonesia
HTS 8525.80.30 and HTS 9001.50.00 from Thailand
The CNL waiver petition for HTS 4409.10.05 from Brazil is being
considered in the 2016/2017 Annual Review.
Erland Herfindahl,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Generalized System
of Preferences, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2017-04121 Filed 3-2-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F7-P