AGOA: Trade and Investment Performance Overview; AGOA: Economic Effects of Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports, U.S. AGOA Rules of Origin: Possible Changes To Promote Regional Integration and Increase Exports to the United States; EU-South Africa FTA: Impact on U.S. Exports to South Africa, 69438-69440 [2013-27575]
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69438
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 223 / Tuesday, November 19, 2013 / Notices
Historic Landmarks Program, National
Park Service, 1201 Eye Street NW., 8th
Floor, Washington, DC 20005; telephone
(202) 354–2216 or email: Patty_Henry@
nps.gov.
TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
17:21 Nov 18, 2013
[FR Doc. 2013–27565 Filed 11–18–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312–51–P
Jkt 232001
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 332–542, Investigation
No. 332–544, Investigation No. 332–545,
Investigation No. 332–546]
AGOA: Trade and Investment
Performance Overview; AGOA:
Economic Effects of Providing DutyFree Treatment for Imports, U.S. AGOA
Rules of Origin: Possible Changes To
Promote Regional Integration and
Increase Exports to the United States;
EU-South Africa FTA: Impact on U.S.
Exports to South Africa
United States International
Trade Commission.
ACTION: Institution of investigations,
scheduling of public hearing, and
opportunity to provide written
submissions.
AGENCY:
Following receipt of a request
dated September 30, 2013 (received
October 17, 2013) from the United
States Trade Representative (USTR)
under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of
1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), the U.S.
International Trade Commission
(Commission) instituted four
investigations for the purpose of
providing the requested information:
investigation No. 332–542, AGOA:
Trade and Investment Performance
Overview; investigation No. 332–544,
AGOA: Economic Effects of Providing
Duty-Free Treatment for Imports;
investigation No. 332–545, U.S. AGOA
Rules of Origin: Possible Changes to
Promote Regional Integration and
Increase Exports to the United States;
and investigation No. 332–546, EUSouth Africa FTA: Impact on U.S.
Exports to South Africa.
DATES:
December 13, 2013: Deadline for filing
requests to appear at the public
hearing.
December 17, 2013: Deadline for filing
pre-hearing briefs and statements.
January 14, 2014: Public hearing.
January 21, 2014: Deadline for filing
post-hearing briefs and statements.
January 21, 2014: Deadline for filing all
other written submissions.
April 17, 2014: Transmittal to USTR of
Commission reports on investigation
Nos. 332–542, 332–544, and 332–546.
April 30, 2014: Transmittal to USTR of
report on Commission investigation
No. 332–545.
SUMMARY:
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All Commission offices,
including the Commission’s hearing
rooms, are located in the United States
International Trade Commission
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington,
DC. All written submissions should be
addressed to the Secretary, United
States International Trade Commission,
500 E Street SW., Washington, DC
20436. The public record for these
investigations may be viewed on the
Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS)
at https://edis.usitc.gov/edis3-internal/
app.
ADDRESSES:
The
purpose of the meeting of the
Landmarks Committee of the National
Park System Advisory Board is to
evaluate nominations of historic
properties in order to advise the
National Park System Advisory Board of
the qualifications of each property being
proposed for National Historic
Landmark (NHL) designation, and to
make recommendations regarding the
possible designation of those properties
as National Historic Landmarks to the
National Park System Advisory Board at
a subsequent meeting at a place and
time to be determined. The Committee
also makes recommendations to the
National Park System Advisory Board
regarding amendments to existing
designations and proposals for
withdrawal of designation. The
members of the Landmarks Committee
are:
Ms. Belinda Faustinos, Acting Chair
Dr. James M. Allan
Dr. Cary Carson
Mr. Luis Hoyos, AIA
Dr. Barbara J. Mills
Dr. William J. Murtagh
Dr. William D. Seale
Dr. Michael E. Stevens
The meeting will be open to the
public. Pursuant to 36 CFR Part 65, any
member of the public may file, for
consideration by the Landmarks
Committee of the National Park System
Advisory Board, written comments
concerning the National Historic
Landmarks nominations, amendments
to existing designations, or proposals for
withdrawal of designation.
Comments should be submitted to J.
Paul Loether, Chief, National Register of
Historic Places and National Historic
Landmarks Program, National Park
Service, 1201 Eye Street NW., 8th Floor,
Washington, DC 20005, email: Paul_
Loether@nps.gov.
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
Dated: November 13, 2013.
Alma Ripps,
Chief, Office of Policy.
For
information with respect to specific
investigations:
(1) Investigation No. 332–542, Project
Leader Joanna Bonarriva (202–205–3312
or Joanna.Bonarriva@usitc.gov) or
Deputy Project Leader Joanne Guth
(202–205–3264 or Joanne.Guth@
usitc.gov);
(2) Investigation No. 332–544, Project
Leader Kathryn Lundquist (202–205–
2563 or Kathryn.Lundquist@usitc.gov)
or Deputy Project Leader Andrew David
(202–205–3368 or Andrew.David@
usitc.gov);
(3) Investigation No. 332–545, Project
Leader Deborah McNay (202–205–3425
or Deborah.McNay@usitc.gov) or Deputy
Project Leader Heidi Colby-Oizumi
(202–205–3391 or Heidi.Colby@
usitc.gov);
(4) Investigation No. 332–546, Project
Leader David Riker (202–205–2201 or
David.Riker@usitc.gov) or Deputy
Project Leader Kyle Johnson (202–205–
3229 or Kyle.Johnson@usitc.gov).
For information on the legal aspect of
each of these investigations, contact
William Gearhart of the Commission’s
Office of the General Counsel (202–205–
3091 or william.gearhart@usitc.gov).
The media should contact Margaret
O’Laughlin, Office of External Relations
(202–205–1819 or margaret.olaughlin@
usitc.gov). Hearing-impaired individuals
may obtain information on this matter
by contacting the Commission’s TDD
terminal at 202–205–1810. General
information concerning the Commission
may also be obtained by accessing its
Internet server (https://www.usitc.gov).
Persons with mobility impairments who
will need special assistance in gaining
access to the Commission should
contact the Office of the Secretary at
202–205–2000.
Background: As requested, the
Commission has instituted four
investigations for the purpose of
providing four reports as follows:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
E:\FR\FM\19NON1.SGM
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TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 223 / Tuesday, November 19, 2013 / Notices
Investigation No. 332–542, AGOA:
Trade and Investment Performance
Overview
In its first report (investigation No.
332–542), the Commission will, as
requested by the USTR, address the
following topics for sub-Saharan African
countries, as defined in the African
Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C.
3701 et seq.) (AGOA), and, where
applicable, those AGOA beneficiary
countries that are designated as lesser
developed beneficiary countries,
covering the period 2000–13:
• AGOA trade performance,
utilization and competitiveness factors,
including (1) a review of the literature
on the AGOA preference program, in
terms of expanding and diversifying the
exports of AGOA beneficiary countries
to the United States, compared to
preference programs offered by third
parties such as the EU; (2) identification
of non-crude petroleum sectors (i.e.,
manufacturing and agricultural) in
AGOA beneficiary countries in which
exports to the United States, under
AGOA and under the U.S. Generalized
System of Preferences program, have
increased the most, in absolute terms,
since 2000, and the key factors behind
this growth; (3) a description of the
main factors affecting AGOA trade in
the principal non-crude petroleum
products that AGOA beneficiary
countries export and that the United
States principally imports from nonsub-Saharan African sources; and (4)
based on a review of literature,
identification of products with potential
for integration into regional or global
supply chains, and export potential to
the United States under AGOA, as well
as factors that affect AGOA beneficiary
countries’ competitiveness in these
sectors.
• AGOA’s effects on the business and
investment climate in sub-Saharan
Africa, including (1) the identification
and description of changes, if any, in
the business and investment climates in
sub-Saharan African countries since
2000, including removal of barriers to
domestic and foreign investment; and
(2) a description of U.S. goods and
services-related investment trends in
sub-Saharan African countries since
2000 and a comparison of these trends
with investments by other countries in
sub-Saharan African countries,
including investments by the EU, China,
Brazil, and India, and identification of
any links between these investment
trends and the AGOA program.
• Current or potential reciprocal trade
agreements between sub-Saharan
African and non-sub-Saharan African
partners and the relationship of these
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:21 Nov 18, 2013
Jkt 232001
agreements to the objectives of AGOA,
including (1) a list of reciprocal trade
agreements that sub-Saharan African
countries have completed or are under
negotiation, a brief description of areas
covered or likely to be covered under
the agreements, and identification of
U.S. sectors/products impacted or
potentially impacted, including any
tariff differentials; and (2) examples of
developing countries that have moved
from unilateral trade preferences to
reciprocal trade agreements, and any
effects of the change for the developing
country in terms of expansion and
diversification of its trade.
The Commission will deliver this first
report to the USTR by April 17, 2014.
The USTR also stated that it intends to
make this report public.
Investigation No. 332–544, AGOA:
Economic Effects of Providing DutyFree Treatment for Imports
In its second report the Commission
will, as requested by the USTR, provide
an assessment of the economic effects of
providing duty-free treatment for
imports of products from AGOA
beneficiary countries on U.S. industries
producing like or directly competitive
products and on U.S. consumers. The
report will include an assessment of the
economic effect on U.S. industries and
consumers of imports of articles already
eligible for duty-free treatment under
AGOA, as well as an assessment of the
probable economic effect on U.S.
industries and consumers of the
extension of duty-free treatment to the
remaining articles in chapters 1 through
97 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of
the United States (HTS). The assessment
will take into account implementation
of U.S. commitments in the World
Trade Organization and will be based on
the HTS in effect during 2013 and trade
data for 2012.
The Commission will provide this
second report to the USTR by April 17,
2014. The USTR stated that this report
will be classified.
Investigation No. 332–545, U.S. AGOA
Rules of Origin: Possible Changes To
Promote Regional Integration and
Increase Exports to the United States
As requested by the USTR, in its third
report the Commission will, to the
extent practicable, identify possible
changes to the rules of origin under
AGOA that could have the potential to
promote regional integration and
increase exports to the United States,
and the leading manufactured or
processed goods (non-petroleum) which
might benefit from such changes.
The Commission will provide this
third report to the USTR by April 30,
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69439
2014. The USTR stated that this report
will be classified.
Investigation No. 332–546, EU-South
Africa FTA: Impact on U.S. Exports to
South Africa
As requested by the USTR, in its
fourth report the Commission will, to
the extent practicable, provide an
assessment of the impact of the EUSouth Africa Free Trade Agreement on
U.S. exports to South Africa.
This analysis will also identify the
U.S. sectors/products with potential for
increased U.S. exports if South Africa
were to reduce its MFN tariffs for those
U.S. products to the tariff levels of the
EU-South Africa FTA.
The Commission will provide this
fourth report to the USTR by April 17,
2014. The USTR stated that this report
will be classified.
The USTR indicated that those
sections of the Commission’s three
confidential reports that relate to
assessments and analyses will be
classified. The USTR also indicated that
he considers the Commission’s three
confidential reports to be inter-agency
memoranda that will contain predecisional advice and be subject to the
deliberative process privilege.
Public Hearing: A public hearing in
connection with these investigations
will be held at the U.S. International
Trade Commission Building, 500 E
Street SW., Washington, DC, beginning
at 9:30 a.m. on January 14, 2014.
Requests to appear at the public hearing
should be filed with the Secretary no
later than 5:15 p.m., December 13, 2013.
All pre-hearing briefs and statements
should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m.
December 17, 2013; and all post-hearing
briefs and statements should be filed no
later than 5:15 p.m. January 21, 2014.
All such briefs and statements should
otherwise comply with the filing
requirements in the ‘‘Submissions’’
section below. In the event that, as of
the close of business on December 13,
2013, no witnesses are scheduled to
appear at the hearing, the hearing will
be canceled. Any person interested in
attending the hearing as an observer or
nonparticipant should contact the Office
of the Secretary at 202–205–2000 after
December 13, 2013, for information
concerning whether the hearing will be
held.
Written Submissions: In lieu of or in
addition to participating in the hearing,
interested parties are invited to file
written submissions concerning any of
the four investigations. Each written
submission should identify the one or
more of the four investigations to which
the submission relates. All written
submissions should be addressed to the
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TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
69440
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 223 / Tuesday, November 19, 2013 / Notices
Secretary, and should be received not
later than 5:15 p.m., January 21, 2014.
All written submissions must conform
to the provisions of section 201.8 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 201.8
and the Commission’s Handbook on
Filing Procedures require that interested
parties file documents electronically on
or before the filing deadline and submit
eight (8) true paper copies by 12:00
noon eastern time on the next business
day. In the event that confidential
treatment of a document is requested,
interested parties must file, at the same
time as the eight paper copies, at least
four (4) additional true paper copies in
which the confidential information
must be deleted (see the following
paragraph for further information
regarding confidential business
information). Persons with questions
regarding electronic filing should
contact the Secretary (202–205–2000).
Any submissions that contain
confidential business information (CBI)
must also conform with the
requirements of section 201.6 of the
Commission’s Rules of Practice and
Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6
of the rules requires that the cover of the
document and the individual pages be
clearly marked as to whether they are
the ‘‘confidential’’ or ‘‘non-confidential’’
version, and that the confidential
business information be clearly
identified by means of brackets. All
written submissions, except for
confidential business information, will
be made available for inspection by
interested parties. In his request letter
the USTR said that it is the intent of his
office to make the Commission’s report
in the first investigation, No. 332–542
AGOA: Trade and Investment
Performance Overview, available to the
public in its entirety, and asked that the
Commission not include any
confidential business information or
national security classified information
in the report that it sends to the USTR.
Any confidential business information
received by the Commission in this
investigation and used in preparing this
report will not be published in a manner
that would reveal the operations of the
firm supplying the information. The
Commission may include some or all of
the confidential business information
submitted in the course of investigation
Nos. 332–544, 332–545, and 332–546 in
the reports it sends to the USTR in those
investigations. The Commission will not
otherwise publish any confidential
business information in a manner that
would reveal the operations of the firm
supplying the information.
By order of the Commission.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
17:21 Nov 18, 2013
Jkt 232001
Issued: November 13, 2013.
Lisa R. Barton,
Acting Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2013–27575 Filed 11–18–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020–02–P
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 337–TA–850]
Certain Electronic Imaging Devices;
Notice of Request for Statements on
the Public Interest
U.S. International Trade
Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that
the presiding administrative law judge
has issued a Final Initial Determination
and Recommended Determination on
Remedy and Bonding in the abovecaptioned investigation. The
Commission is soliciting comments on
public interest issues raised by the
recommended relief, specifically the
limited exclusion order (‘‘LEO’’)
recommended by the ALJ. This notice is
soliciting public interest comments from
the public only. Parties are to file public
interest submissions pursuant to 19 CFR
210.50(a)(4).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jia
Chen, Office of the General Counsel,
U.S. International Trade Commission,
500 E Street SW., Washington, DC
20436, telephone (202) 708–4737. The
public version of the complaint can be
accessed on the Commission’s
electronic docket (EDIS) at https://
edis.usitc.gov, and will be available for
inspection during official business
hours (8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.) in the
Office of the Secretary, U.S.
International Trade Commission, 500 E
Street SW., Washington, DC 20436,
telephone (202) 205–2000.
General information concerning the
Commission may also be obtained by
accessing its Internet server (https://
www.usitc.gov). The public record for
this investigation may be viewed on the
Commission’s electronic docket (EDIS)
at https://edis.usitc.gov. Hearingimpaired persons are advised that
information on this matter can be
obtained by contacting the
Commission’s TDD terminal on (202)
205–1810.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 provides
that if the Commission finds a violation
it shall exclude the articles concerned
from the United States:
SUMMARY:
unless, after considering the effect of such
exclusion upon the public health and
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
welfare, competitive conditions in the United
States economy, the production of like or
directly competitive articles in the United
States, and United States consumers, it finds
that such articles should not be excluded
from entry.
19 U.S.C. 1337(d)(1). A similar
provision applies to cease and desist
orders. 19 U.S.C. 1337(f)(1).
The Commission is interested in
further development of the record on
the public interest in these
investigations. Accordingly, members of
the public are invited to file
submissions of no more than five (5)
pages, inclusive of attachments,
concerning the public interest in light of
the administrative law judge’s
Recommended Determination on
Remedy and Bonding issued in this
investigation on September 30, 2013.
Comments should address whether
issuance of a LEO in this investigation
would affect the public health and
welfare in the United States,
competitive conditions in the United
States economy, the production of like
or directly competitive articles in the
United States, or United States
consumers.
In particular, the Commission is
interested in comments that:
(i) Explain how the articles
potentially subject to the recommended
orders are used in the United States;
(ii) identify any public health, safety,
or welfare concerns in the United States
relating to the recommended orders;
(iii) identify like or directly
competitive articles that complainant,
its licensees, or third parties make in the
United States which could replace the
subject articles if they were to be
excluded;
(iv) indicate whether complainant,
complainant’s licensees, and/or third
party suppliers have the capacity to
replace the volume of articles
potentially subject to the recommended
exclusion order and/or a cease and
desist order within a commercially
reasonable time; and
(v) explain how the LEO would
impact consumers in the United States.
Written submissions must be filed no
later than by close of business on
November 21, 2013.
Persons filing written submissions
must file the original document
electronically on or before the deadlines
stated above and submit 8 true paper
copies to the Office of the Secretary by
noon the next day pursuant to section
210.4(f) of the Commission’s Rules of
Practice and Procedure (19 CFR
210.4(f)). Submissions should refer to
the investigation number (‘‘Inv. No.
337–TA–850’’) in a prominent place on
the cover page and/or the first page.
E:\FR\FM\19NON1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69438-69440]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-27575]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 332-542, Investigation No. 332-544, Investigation
No. 332-545, Investigation No. 332-546]
AGOA: Trade and Investment Performance Overview; AGOA: Economic
Effects of Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports, U.S. AGOA Rules
of Origin: Possible Changes To Promote Regional Integration and
Increase Exports to the United States; EU-South Africa FTA: Impact on
U.S. Exports to South Africa
AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Institution of investigations, scheduling of public hearing,
and opportunity to provide written submissions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request dated September 30, 2013
(received October 17, 2013) from the United States Trade Representative
(USTR) under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C.
1332(g)), the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission)
instituted four investigations for the purpose of providing the
requested information: investigation No. 332-542, AGOA: Trade and
Investment Performance Overview; investigation No. 332-544, AGOA:
Economic Effects of Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports;
investigation No. 332-545, U.S. AGOA Rules of Origin: Possible Changes
to Promote Regional Integration and Increase Exports to the United
States; and investigation No. 332-546, EU-South Africa FTA: Impact on
U.S. Exports to South Africa.
DATES:
December 13, 2013: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public
hearing.
December 17, 2013: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and
statements.
January 14, 2014: Public hearing.
January 21, 2014: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and
statements.
January 21, 2014: Deadline for filing all other written submissions.
April 17, 2014: Transmittal to USTR of Commission reports on
investigation Nos. 332-542, 332-544, and 332-546.
April 30, 2014: Transmittal to USTR of report on Commission
investigation No. 332-545.
ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade
Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record
for these investigations may be viewed on the Commission's electronic
docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov/edis3-internal/app.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information with respect to
specific investigations:
(1) Investigation No. 332-542, Project Leader Joanna Bonarriva
(202-205-3312 or Joanna.Bonarriva@usitc.gov) or Deputy Project Leader
Joanne Guth (202-205-3264 or Joanne.Guth@usitc.gov);
(2) Investigation No. 332-544, Project Leader Kathryn Lundquist
(202-205-2563 or Kathryn.Lundquist@usitc.gov) or Deputy Project Leader
Andrew David (202-205-3368 or Andrew.David@usitc.gov);
(3) Investigation No. 332-545, Project Leader Deborah McNay (202-
205-3425 or Deborah.McNay@usitc.gov) or Deputy Project Leader Heidi
Colby-Oizumi (202-205-3391 or Heidi.Colby@usitc.gov);
(4) Investigation No. 332-546, Project Leader David Riker (202-205-
2201 or David.Riker@usitc.gov) or Deputy Project Leader Kyle Johnson
(202-205-3229 or Kyle.Johnson@usitc.gov).
For information on the legal aspect of each of these
investigations, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office of
the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or william.gearhart@usitc.gov). The
media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations
(202-205-1819 or margaret.olaughlin@usitc.gov). Hearing-impaired
individuals may obtain information on this matter by contacting the
Commission's TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General information
concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its
Internet server (https://www.usitc.gov). Persons with mobility
impairments who will need special assistance in gaining access to the
Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.
Background: As requested, the Commission has instituted four
investigations for the purpose of providing four reports as follows:
[[Page 69439]]
Investigation No. 332-542, AGOA: Trade and Investment Performance
Overview
In its first report (investigation No. 332-542), the Commission
will, as requested by the USTR, address the following topics for sub-
Saharan African countries, as defined in the African Growth and
Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) (AGOA), and, where applicable,
those AGOA beneficiary countries that are designated as lesser
developed beneficiary countries, covering the period 2000-13:
AGOA trade performance, utilization and competitiveness
factors, including (1) a review of the literature on the AGOA
preference program, in terms of expanding and diversifying the exports
of AGOA beneficiary countries to the United States, compared to
preference programs offered by third parties such as the EU; (2)
identification of non-crude petroleum sectors (i.e., manufacturing and
agricultural) in AGOA beneficiary countries in which exports to the
United States, under AGOA and under the U.S. Generalized System of
Preferences program, have increased the most, in absolute terms, since
2000, and the key factors behind this growth; (3) a description of the
main factors affecting AGOA trade in the principal non-crude petroleum
products that AGOA beneficiary countries export and that the United
States principally imports from non-sub-Saharan African sources; and
(4) based on a review of literature, identification of products with
potential for integration into regional or global supply chains, and
export potential to the United States under AGOA, as well as factors
that affect AGOA beneficiary countries' competitiveness in these
sectors.
AGOA's effects on the business and investment climate in
sub-Saharan Africa, including (1) the identification and description of
changes, if any, in the business and investment climates in sub-Saharan
African countries since 2000, including removal of barriers to domestic
and foreign investment; and (2) a description of U.S. goods and
services-related investment trends in sub-Saharan African countries
since 2000 and a comparison of these trends with investments by other
countries in sub-Saharan African countries, including investments by
the EU, China, Brazil, and India, and identification of any links
between these investment trends and the AGOA program.
Current or potential reciprocal trade agreements between
sub-Saharan African and non-sub-Saharan African partners and the
relationship of these agreements to the objectives of AGOA, including
(1) a list of reciprocal trade agreements that sub-Saharan African
countries have completed or are under negotiation, a brief description
of areas covered or likely to be covered under the agreements, and
identification of U.S. sectors/products impacted or potentially
impacted, including any tariff differentials; and (2) examples of
developing countries that have moved from unilateral trade preferences
to reciprocal trade agreements, and any effects of the change for the
developing country in terms of expansion and diversification of its
trade.
The Commission will deliver this first report to the USTR by April
17, 2014. The USTR also stated that it intends to make this report
public.
Investigation No. 332-544, AGOA: Economic Effects of Providing Duty-
Free Treatment for Imports
In its second report the Commission will, as requested by the USTR,
provide an assessment of the economic effects of providing duty-free
treatment for imports of products from AGOA beneficiary countries on
U.S. industries producing like or directly competitive products and on
U.S. consumers. The report will include an assessment of the economic
effect on U.S. industries and consumers of imports of articles already
eligible for duty-free treatment under AGOA, as well as an assessment
of the probable economic effect on U.S. industries and consumers of the
extension of duty-free treatment to the remaining articles in chapters
1 through 97 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
(HTS). The assessment will take into account implementation of U.S.
commitments in the World Trade Organization and will be based on the
HTS in effect during 2013 and trade data for 2012.
The Commission will provide this second report to the USTR by April
17, 2014. The USTR stated that this report will be classified.
Investigation No. 332-545, U.S. AGOA Rules of Origin: Possible Changes
To Promote Regional Integration and Increase Exports to the United
States
As requested by the USTR, in its third report the Commission will,
to the extent practicable, identify possible changes to the rules of
origin under AGOA that could have the potential to promote regional
integration and increase exports to the United States, and the leading
manufactured or processed goods (non-petroleum) which might benefit
from such changes.
The Commission will provide this third report to the USTR by April
30, 2014. The USTR stated that this report will be classified.
Investigation No. 332-546, EU-South Africa FTA: Impact on U.S. Exports
to South Africa
As requested by the USTR, in its fourth report the Commission will,
to the extent practicable, provide an assessment of the impact of the
EU-South Africa Free Trade Agreement on U.S. exports to South Africa.
This analysis will also identify the U.S. sectors/products with
potential for increased U.S. exports if South Africa were to reduce its
MFN tariffs for those U.S. products to the tariff levels of the EU-
South Africa FTA.
The Commission will provide this fourth report to the USTR by April
17, 2014. The USTR stated that this report will be classified.
The USTR indicated that those sections of the Commission's three
confidential reports that relate to assessments and analyses will be
classified. The USTR also indicated that he considers the Commission's
three confidential reports to be inter-agency memoranda that will
contain pre-decisional advice and be subject to the deliberative
process privilege.
Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with these
investigations will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on
January 14, 2014. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be
filed with the Secretary no later than 5:15 p.m., December 13, 2013.
All pre-hearing briefs and statements should be filed no later than
5:15 p.m. December 17, 2013; and all post-hearing briefs and statements
should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. January 21, 2014. All such
briefs and statements should otherwise comply with the filing
requirements in the ``Submissions'' section below. In the event that,
as of the close of business on December 13, 2013, no witnesses are
scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled. Any
person interested in attending the hearing as an observer or
nonparticipant should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-
2000 after December 13, 2013, for information concerning whether the
hearing will be held.
Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in
the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written submissions
concerning any of the four investigations. Each written submission
should identify the one or more of the four investigations to which the
submission relates. All written submissions should be addressed to the
[[Page 69440]]
Secretary, and should be received not later than 5:15 p.m., January 21,
2014. All written submissions must conform to the provisions of section
201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR
201.8). Section 201.8 and the Commission's Handbook on Filing
Procedures require that interested parties file documents
electronically on or before the filing deadline and submit eight (8)
true paper copies by 12:00 noon eastern time on the next business day.
In the event that confidential treatment of a document is requested,
interested parties must file, at the same time as the eight paper
copies, at least four (4) additional true paper copies in which the
confidential information must be deleted (see the following paragraph
for further information regarding confidential business information).
Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the
Secretary (202-205-2000).
Any submissions that contain confidential business information
(CBI) must also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the
Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section
201.6 of the rules requires that the cover of the document and the
individual pages be clearly marked as to whether they are the
``confidential'' or ``non-confidential'' version, and that the
confidential business information be clearly identified by means of
brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business
information, will be made available for inspection by interested
parties. In his request letter the USTR said that it is the intent of
his office to make the Commission's report in the first investigation,
No. 332-542 AGOA: Trade and Investment Performance Overview, available
to the public in its entirety, and asked that the Commission not
include any confidential business information or national security
classified information in the report that it sends to the USTR. Any
confidential business information received by the Commission in this
investigation and used in preparing this report will not be published
in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the
information. The Commission may include some or all of the confidential
business information submitted in the course of investigation Nos. 332-
544, 332-545, and 332-546 in the reports it sends to the USTR in those
investigations. The Commission will not otherwise publish any
confidential business information in a manner that would reveal the
operations of the firm supplying the information.
By order of the Commission.
Issued: November 13, 2013.
Lisa R. Barton,
Acting Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2013-27575 Filed 11-18-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P
