Request for Public Comments To Compile the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, 49055-49056 [2012-20077]
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srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 158 / Wednesday, August 15, 2012 / Notices
• Form Number: DS–4076.
• Respondents: Business and
Nonprofit Organizations.
• Estimated Number of Respondents:
1,260.
• Estimated Number of Responses:
1,260.
• Average Hours per Response: 10
hours.
• Total Estimated Burden: 12,600
hours.
• Frequency: On Occasion.
• Obligation to Respond: Voluntary.
DATES: The Department will accept
comments from the public up to 60 days
from August 15, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments and questions
should be directed to Nicholas Memos,
Office of Defense Trade Controls Policy,
U.S. Department of State, who may be
reached via the following methods:
• Internet: Persons with access to the
Internet may view and comment on this
notice by going to the Federal
regulations Web site at
www.regulations.gov. You can search for
the document by selecting ‘‘Notice’’
under Document Type, entering the
Public Notice number as the ‘‘Keyword
or ID,’’ checking the ‘‘Open for
Comment’’ box, and then clicking
‘‘Search.’’ If necessary, use the ‘‘Narrow
by Agency’’ option on the Results page.
• Email: memosni@state.gov.
• Mail: Nicholas Memos, SA–1, 12th
Floor, Directorate of Defense Trade
Controls, Bureau of Political-Military
Affairs, U.S. Department of State,
Washington, DC 20522–0112.
You must include the information
collection title, the form number, and
the OMB control number in the subject
line of your message/letter.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Direct requests for additional
information regarding the collection
listed in this notice to Nicholas Memos,
PM/DDTC, SA–1, 12th Floor,
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls,
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S.
Department of State, Washington, DC
20522–0112, who may be reached via
phone at (202) 663–2829, or via email at
memosni@state.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We are
soliciting public comments to permit
the Department to:
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of our
functions.
• Evaluate the accuracy of our
estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used.
• Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected.
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17:49 Aug 14, 2012
Jkt 226001
• Minimize the reporting burden on
those who are to respond, including the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of technology.
Abstract of proposed collection: The
export, temporary import, temporary
export and brokering of defense articles,
defense services and related technical
data are licensed by the Directorate of
Defense Trade Controls in accordance
with the International Traffic in Arms
Regulations (22 CFR parts 120–130) and
Section 38 of the Arms Export Control
Act. Those of the public who
manufacture or export defense articles,
defense services, and related technical
data, or the brokering thereof, must
register with the Department of State.
The information submitted pursuant
to this collection will be used to
evaluate whether a particular defense
article or defense service is covered by
the U.S. Munitions List, and therefore is
subject to export licensing jurisdiction
of the Department of State. This
collection may also be used to request
a change in U.S. Munitions List category
designation, request the removal a
defense article from the U.S. Munitions
List, or request the reconsideration of a
previous commodity jurisdiction
determination.
Methodology: These forms/
information collections are to be sent
electronically to the Directorate of
Defense Trade Controls via the
Directorate of Defense Trade Controls
Web site.
Dated: June 27, 2012.
Robert S. Kovac,
Managing Director of Defense Trade Controls,
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S.
Department of State.
[FR Doc. 2012–20041 Filed 8–14–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710–25–P
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Request for Public Comments To
Compile the National Trade Estimate
Report on Foreign Trade Barriers
Office of the United States
Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Pursuant to section 181 of the
Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19
U.S.C. 2241), the Office of the United
States Trade Representative (USTR) is
required to publish annually the
National Trade Estimate Report on
Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE). With this
notice, the Trade Policy Staff Committee
(TPSC) is requesting interested persons
to submit comments to assist it in
identifying significant barriers to U.S.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00108
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
49055
exports of goods, services, and U.S.
foreign direct investment for inclusion
in the NTE.
The TPSC invites written comments
from the public on issues that USTR
should examine in preparing the NTE.
In 2013, USTR will once again release
in conjunction with the NTE report two
reports dealing with additional trade
barriers—one on SPS measures and one
on standards-related measures. USTR
will invite written comments from the
public on issues that should be
examined in preparing those two reports
through a separate Notice in the Federal
Register that will be forthcoming.
Information regarding such measures
should NOT be submitted in response to
this Notice.
DATES: Public comments are due not
later than October 15, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Submissions should be
made via the Internet at
www.regulations.gov docket number
USTR–2012–0021. For alternatives to
on-line submissions please contact
Donald W. Eiss (202–395–3475). The
public is strongly encouraged to file
submissions electronically rather than
by facsimile or mail.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions regarding the NTE or on
submitting comments in response to this
notice should be directed to Donald W.
Eiss at (202) 395–3475.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NTE
sets out an inventory of the most
important foreign barriers affecting U.S.
exports of goods and services, U.S.
foreign direct investment, and
protection of intellectual property
rights. The inventory facilitates U.S.
negotiations aimed at reducing or
eliminating these barriers. The report
also provides a valuable tool in
enforcing U.S. trade laws and
strengthening the rules-based trading
system. The 2012 NTE Report may be
found on USTR’s Internet Home Page
(https://www.ustr.gov) under the tab
‘‘Reports’’.
To ensure compliance with the NTE’s
statutory mandate and the Obama
Administration’s commitment to focus
on the most significant foreign trade
barriers, USTR will be guided by the
existence of active private sector interest
in deciding which restrictions to
include in the NTE.
Topics on which the TPSC Seeks
Information: To assist USTR in
preparing the NTE, commenters should
submit information related to one or
more of the following categories of
foreign trade barriers:
(1) Import policies (e.g., tariffs and
other import charges, quantitative
E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM
15AUN1
srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
49056
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 158 / Wednesday, August 15, 2012 / Notices
restrictions, import licensing, and
customs barriers);
(2) Government procurement
restrictions (e.g.,’’buy national policies’’
and closed bidding);
(3) Export subsidies (e.g., export
financing on preferential terms and
agricultural export subsidies that
displace U.S. exports in third country
markets);
(4) Lack of intellectual property
protection (e.g., inadequate patent,
copyright, and trademark regimes);
(5) Services barriers (e.g., limits on the
range of financial services offered by
foreign financial institutions, regulation
of international data flows, restrictions
on the use of data processing, quotas on
imports of foreign films, and barriers to
the provision of services by
professionals);
(6) Investment barriers (e.g.,
limitations on foreign equity
participation and on access to foreign
government-funded R&D consortia, local
content, technology transfer and export
performance requirements, and
restrictions on repatriation of earnings,
capital, fees, and royalties);
(7) Government-tolerated
anticompetitive conduct of state-owned
or private firms that restrict the sale or
purchase of U.S. goods or services in the
foreign country’s markets;
(8) Trade restrictions affecting
electronic commerce (e.g., tariff and
non-tariff measures, burdensome and
discriminatory regulations and
standards, and discriminatory taxation);
and
(9) Other barriers (e.g., barriers that
encompass more than one category,
such as bribery and corruption, or that
affect a single sector).
In responding to this notice,
commenters should place particular
emphasis on any practices that may
violate U.S. trade agreements. The TPSC
is also interested in receiving new or
updated information pertinent to the
barriers covered in the 2012 NTE as well
as information on new barriers. If USTR
does not include in the NTE information
that it receives pursuant to this notice,
it will maintain the information for
potential use in future discussions or
negotiations with trading partners.
Estimate of Increase in Exports: Each
comment should include an estimate of
the potential increase in U.S. exports
that would result from removing any
foreign trade barrier the comment
identifies, as well as a description of the
methodology the commenter used to
derive the estimate. Estimates should be
expressed within the following value
ranges: Less than $5 million; $5 to $25
million; $25 million to $50 million; $50
million to $100 million; $100 million to
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:49 Aug 14, 2012
Jkt 226001
$500 million; or over $500 million.
These estimates will help USTR
conduct comparative analyses of a
barrier’s effect over a range of
industries.
Requirements for Submissions:
Commenters providing information on
foreign trade barriers in more than one
country should, whenever possible,
provide a separate submission for each
country. Comments addressing SPS or
standards-related measures should not
be submitted in response to this request
but should be submitted in response to
the separate request for comments
which will be forthcoming.
In order to ensure the timely receipt
and consideration of comments, USTR
strongly encourages commenters to
make on-line submissions, using the
https://www.regulations.gov Web site.
Comments should be submitted under
docket number USTR–2012–0021.
To find this docket, enter the docket
number in the ‘‘Enter Keyword or ID’’
window at the https://
www.regulations.gov home page and
click ‘‘Search.’’ The site will provide a
search-results page listing all documents
associated with that docket number.
Find a reference to this notice by
selecting ‘‘Notices’’ under ‘‘Document
Type’’ on the search-results page, and
click on the link entitled ‘‘Submit a
Comment.’’ (For further information on
using the www.regulations.gov Web site,
please consult the resources provided
on the Web site by clicking on the
‘‘Help’’ tab.)
The https://www.regulations.gov Web
site provides the option of making
submissions by filling in a comments
field, or by attaching a document. USTR
prefers submissions to be provided in an
attached document. If a document is
attached, please identify the name of the
country to which the submission
pertains in the ‘‘Comments’’ field. For
example: ‘‘See attached comment for
(name of country)’’. USTR prefers
submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the submission
is in an application other than those
two, please indicate the name of the
application in the ‘‘Comments’’ field.
For any comments submitted
electronically containing business
confidential information, the file name
of the business confidential version
should begin with the characters ‘‘BC’’.
The top of any page containing business
confidential information must be clearly
marked ‘‘BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL’’.
Any person filing comments that
contain business confidential
information must also file in a separate
submission a public version of the
comments. The file name of the public
version of the comments should begin
PO 00000
Frm 00109
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
with the character ‘‘P’’. The ‘‘BC’’ and
‘‘P’’ should be followed by the name of
the person or entity submitting the
comments. If a comment contains no
business confidential information, the
file name should begin with the
character ‘‘P’’, followed by the name of
the person or entity submitting the
comments.
Please do not attach separate cover
letters to electronic submissions; rather,
include any information that might
appear in a cover letter in the comments
themselves. Similarly, to the extent
possible, please include any exhibits,
annexes, or other attachments in the
same file as the submission itself, not as
separate files.
Public inspection of submissions:
Comments will be placed in the docket
and open to public inspection pursuant
to 15 CFR 2006.13, except confidential
business information exempt from
public inspection in accordance with 15
CFR 2006.15. Comments may be viewed
on the https://www.regulations.gov Web
site by entering the relevant docket
number in the search field on the home
page.
Douglas M. Bell,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2012–20077 Filed 8–14–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290–F2–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Categorical Exclusion From Further
Environmental Review for Standard
Terminal Arrival Route Procedures and
Standard Instrument Departure
Procedures for Washington Dulles
International Airport
Air Traffic Procedures
Advisory Committee. Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The FAA is issuing this notice
to advise the public of its environmental
review of two standard terminal arrival
route (STAR) procedures and two
standard instrument departure (SID)
procedures at Washington Dulles
International Airport (IAD). As required
by the National Environmental Policy
Act, an evaluation has been performed
on the two proposed STAR procedures
and the two proposed SID procedures to
determine the level of environmental
review warranted. The FAA has elected
to ‘‘Categorically Exclude from further
environmental review’’ the proposed
STAR procedures identified as GIBBZ
(RNAV) STAR and DOCCS STAR and
the proposed SID procedures identified
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\15AUN1.SGM
15AUN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49055-49056]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20077]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Request for Public Comments To Compile the National Trade
Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 181 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended
(19 U.S.C. 2241), the Office of the United States Trade Representative
(USTR) is required to publish annually the National Trade Estimate
Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE). With this notice, the Trade
Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is requesting interested persons to
submit comments to assist it in identifying significant barriers to
U.S. exports of goods, services, and U.S. foreign direct investment for
inclusion in the NTE.
The TPSC invites written comments from the public on issues that
USTR should examine in preparing the NTE.
In 2013, USTR will once again release in conjunction with the NTE
report two reports dealing with additional trade barriers--one on SPS
measures and one on standards-related measures. USTR will invite
written comments from the public on issues that should be examined in
preparing those two reports through a separate Notice in the Federal
Register that will be forthcoming. Information regarding such measures
should NOT be submitted in response to this Notice.
DATES: Public comments are due not later than October 15, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Submissions should be made via the Internet at
www.regulations.gov docket number USTR-2012-0021. For alternatives to
on-line submissions please contact Donald W. Eiss (202-395-3475). The
public is strongly encouraged to file submissions electronically rather
than by facsimile or mail.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the NTE or on
submitting comments in response to this notice should be directed to
Donald W. Eiss at (202) 395-3475.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The NTE sets out an inventory of the most
important foreign barriers affecting U.S. exports of goods and
services, U.S. foreign direct investment, and protection of
intellectual property rights. The inventory facilitates U.S.
negotiations aimed at reducing or eliminating these barriers. The
report also provides a valuable tool in enforcing U.S. trade laws and
strengthening the rules-based trading system. The 2012 NTE Report may
be found on USTR's Internet Home Page (https://www.ustr.gov) under the
tab ``Reports''.
To ensure compliance with the NTE's statutory mandate and the Obama
Administration's commitment to focus on the most significant foreign
trade barriers, USTR will be guided by the existence of active private
sector interest in deciding which restrictions to include in the NTE.
Topics on which the TPSC Seeks Information: To assist USTR in
preparing the NTE, commenters should submit information related to one
or more of the following categories of foreign trade barriers:
(1) Import policies (e.g., tariffs and other import charges,
quantitative
[[Page 49056]]
restrictions, import licensing, and customs barriers);
(2) Government procurement restrictions (e.g.,''buy national
policies'' and closed bidding);
(3) Export subsidies (e.g., export financing on preferential terms
and agricultural export subsidies that displace U.S. exports in third
country markets);
(4) Lack of intellectual property protection (e.g., inadequate
patent, copyright, and trademark regimes);
(5) Services barriers (e.g., limits on the range of financial
services offered by foreign financial institutions, regulation of
international data flows, restrictions on the use of data processing,
quotas on imports of foreign films, and barriers to the provision of
services by professionals);
(6) Investment barriers (e.g., limitations on foreign equity
participation and on access to foreign government-funded R&D consortia,
local content, technology transfer and export performance requirements,
and restrictions on repatriation of earnings, capital, fees, and
royalties);
(7) Government-tolerated anticompetitive conduct of state-owned or
private firms that restrict the sale or purchase of U.S. goods or
services in the foreign country's markets;
(8) Trade restrictions affecting electronic commerce (e.g., tariff
and non-tariff measures, burdensome and discriminatory regulations and
standards, and discriminatory taxation); and
(9) Other barriers (e.g., barriers that encompass more than one
category, such as bribery and corruption, or that affect a single
sector).
In responding to this notice, commenters should place particular
emphasis on any practices that may violate U.S. trade agreements. The
TPSC is also interested in receiving new or updated information
pertinent to the barriers covered in the 2012 NTE as well as
information on new barriers. If USTR does not include in the NTE
information that it receives pursuant to this notice, it will maintain
the information for potential use in future discussions or negotiations
with trading partners.
Estimate of Increase in Exports: Each comment should include an
estimate of the potential increase in U.S. exports that would result
from removing any foreign trade barrier the comment identifies, as well
as a description of the methodology the commenter used to derive the
estimate. Estimates should be expressed within the following value
ranges: Less than $5 million; $5 to $25 million; $25 million to $50
million; $50 million to $100 million; $100 million to $500 million; or
over $500 million. These estimates will help USTR conduct comparative
analyses of a barrier's effect over a range of industries.
Requirements for Submissions: Commenters providing information on
foreign trade barriers in more than one country should, whenever
possible, provide a separate submission for each country. Comments
addressing SPS or standards-related measures should not be submitted in
response to this request but should be submitted in response to the
separate request for comments which will be forthcoming.
In order to ensure the timely receipt and consideration of
comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to make on-line
submissions, using the https://www.regulations.gov Web site. Comments
should be submitted under docket number USTR-2012-0021.
To find this docket, enter the docket number in the ``Enter Keyword
or ID'' window at the https://www.regulations.gov home page and click
``Search.'' The site will provide a search-results page listing all
documents associated with that docket number. Find a reference to this
notice by selecting ``Notices'' under ``Document Type'' on the search-
results page, and click on the link entitled ``Submit a Comment.'' (For
further information on using the www.regulations.gov Web site, please
consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on the
``Help'' tab.)
The https://www.regulations.gov Web site provides the option of
making submissions by filling in a comments field, or by attaching a
document. USTR prefers submissions to be provided in an attached
document. If a document is attached, please identify the name of the
country to which the submission pertains in the ``Comments'' field. For
example: ``See attached comment for (name of country)''. USTR prefers
submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the
submission is in an application other than those two, please indicate
the name of the application in the ``Comments'' field.
For any comments submitted electronically containing business
confidential information, the file name of the business confidential
version should begin with the characters ``BC''. The top of any page
containing business confidential information must be clearly marked
``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL''. Any person filing comments that contain
business confidential information must also file in a separate
submission a public version of the comments. The file name of the
public version of the comments should begin with the character ``P''.
The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed by the name of the person or
entity submitting the comments. If a comment contains no business
confidential information, the file name should begin with the character
``P'', followed by the name of the person or entity submitting the
comments.
Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a
cover letter in the comments themselves. Similarly, to the extent
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in
the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files.
Public inspection of submissions: Comments will be placed in the
docket and open to public inspection pursuant to 15 CFR 2006.13, except
confidential business information exempt from public inspection in
accordance with 15 CFR 2006.15. Comments may be viewed on the https://www.regulations.gov Web site by entering the relevant docket number in
the search field on the home page.
Douglas M. Bell,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2012-20077 Filed 8-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F2-P