Trade Preferences for Nepal: Request for Public Comments on Review of Nepal's Country Eligibility, 17235-17236 [2016-06926]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 59 / Monday, March 28, 2016 / Notices Submit completed loan applications to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. ADDRESSES: Notice is hereby given that as a result of the President’s major disaster declaration on 03/19/2016, applications for disaster loans may be filed at the address listed above or other locally announced locations. The following areas have been determined to be adversely affected by the disaster: Primary Counties (Physical Damage and Economic Injury Loans): Jasper, Newton, Orange. Contiguous Counties (Economic Injury Loans Only): Texas: Angelina, Hardin, Jefferson, Sabine, San Augustine, Tyler. Louisiana: Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron, Sabine, Vernon. The Interest Rates are: Percent 3.625 1.813 6.250 4.000 2.625 2.625 (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers 59002 and 59008) James E. Rivera, Associate Administrator for Disaster Assistance. [FR Doc. 2016–06970 Filed 3–25–16; 8:45 am] 4.000 2.625 The number assigned to this disaster for physical damage is 14675B and for economic injury is 146760. Lhorne on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES This is an amendment of the Presidential declaration of a major disaster for Public Assistance Only for the State of Missouri (FEMA–4250–DR), dated 02/10/2016. Incident: Severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding. Incident Period: 12/23/2015 through 01/09/2016. Effective Date: 03/17/2016. Physical Loan Application Deadline Date: 04/11/2016. Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan Application Deadline Date: 11/10/2016. ADDRESSES: Submit completed loan applications to: U.S. Small Business Administration Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A Escobar, Office of Disaster Assistance, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW., Suite 6050, Washington, DC 20416. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of the President’s major disaster declaration for Private Non-Profit organizations in the State of Missouri, dated 02/10/2016, is hereby amended to include the following areas as adversely affected by the disaster. Primary Counties: Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Shannon All other information in the original declaration remains unchanged. SUMMARY: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers 59002 and 59008) James E. Rivera, Associate Administrator for Disaster Assistance. [FR Doc. 2016–06968 Filed 3–25–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 14:52 Mar 25, 2016 Missouri Disaster Number MO–00079 U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Amendment 1. Alan Escobar, Office of Disaster Assistance, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW., Suite 6050, Washington, DC 20416. VerDate Sep<11>2014 [Disaster Declaration #14629 and #14630] AGENCY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Physical Damage: Homeowners With Credit Available Elsewhere .......... Homeowners Without Credit Available Elsewhere .......... Businesses With Credit Available Elsewhere .................. Businesses Without Credit Available Elsewhere .......... Non-Profit Organizations With Credit Available Elsewhere Non-Profit Organizations Without Credit Available Elsewhere .......................... For Economic Injury: Businesses & Small Agricultural Cooperatives Without Credit Available Elsewhere Non-Profit Organizations Without Credit Available Elsewhere .......................... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Jkt 238001 BILLING CODE 8025–01–P DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice: 9499] Determination and Certification Under Section 490(b)(l)(A) of the Foreign Assistance Act Relating to the Largest Exporting and Importing Countries of Certain Precursor Chemicals Pursuant to Section 490(b)(l)(A) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, I hereby determine and certify that the top five exporting and PO 00000 Frm 00103 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 17235 importing countries and economies of pseudoephedrine and ephedrine (China, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan 1 Turkey, and the United Kingdom) have cooperated fully with the United States, or have taken adequate steps on their own, to achieve full compliance with the goals and objectives established by the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. This Determination and Certification shall be published in the Federal Register and copies shall be provided to Congress, together with the accompanying Memorandum of Justification. Dated March 14, 2016. Antony J. Blinken, Deputy Secretary of State. [FR Doc. 2016–06954 Filed 3–25–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4710–17–P OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Trade Preferences for Nepal: Request for Public Comments on Review of Nepal’s Country Eligibility Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: This notice announces the initiation of a review of the eligibility of Nepal to receive preferential treatment for the articles described in the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015. The South Asia Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee is developing recommendations for the President on Nepal’s eligibility. The Subcommittee is requesting written comments from the public for this review. The Subcommittee will consider the written comments in developing its recommendations for the President. This notice identifies the eligibility criteria that the President must consider in determining whether to provide preferential treatment to certain articles from Nepal. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dawn Shackleford, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for India, or SUMMARY: 1 With respect to all references to ‘‘country ‘‘or ‘‘countries’’ on this page, it should be noted that the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, Public Law 96–8, Section 4(b)(l), provides that ‘‘[w]henever the laws of the United States refer or relate to foreign countries, nations, states, governments, or similar entities, such terms shall include and such laws shall apply with respect to Taiwan.’’ 22 U.S.C. 3303(b)(l). E:\FR\FM\28MRN1.SGM 28MRN1 17236 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 59 / Monday, March 28, 2016 / Notices Aimee Larsen, Director for GSP, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., Washington DC 20508. The telephone numbers are (202) 395–9658 or (202) 395–2974, respectively. The email addresses are Dawn_Shackleford@ ustr.eop.gov or Aimee_B_Larsen@ ustr.eop.gov. Public comments are due by 5:00 p.m., 30 days from the date of publication of this Federal Register Notice. DATES: Lhorne on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Background Information The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (Sec. 915 of P.L. 114–125) authorizes the President to designate Nepal as eligible for preferential treatment for certain articles. The President may authorize the provision of preferential treatment for certain articles imported directly from Nepal if the President determines that Nepal meets the eligibility criteria set forth in: (1) Paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 104(a) of African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), as amended (Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 2000, Pub. L. 106– 200) (19 U.S.C. 3703(a)); and (2) section 502 of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) (Title V of the Trade Act of 1974) (1974 Act) (19 U.S.C. 2462). Section 104(a) of AGOA includes requirements that the country has established or is making continual progress toward establishing, inter alia: A market-based economy; the rule of law, political pluralism, and the right to due process; the elimination of barriers to U.S. trade and investment; economic policies to reduce poverty; a system to combat corruption and bribery; and the protection of internationally recognized worker rights. In addition, AGOA provides that the country may not engage in activities that undermine U.S. national security or foreign policy interests or engage in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights or provide support for acts of international terrorism. Section 502(b) of the 1974 Act includes bases for ineligibility for benefits and section 502(c) includes factors that the President shall take into account in determining whether to provide benefits under the GSP. Among the factors that the President shall take into account under section 502(c) include: An expression by the country to be designated as a beneficiary; the level of economic development; whether or not other major developed countries are providing preferential treatment; the extent to which the country has assured the United States VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:52 Mar 25, 2016 Jkt 238001 that it will provide market access and refrain from unreasonable export practices; the extent to which the county is providing adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights; the extent to which the country has taken action to reduce trade distorting investment practices and policies and reduce or eliminate barriers to trade in services; and whether or not the country has taken or is taking steps to afford workers with internationally recognized worker rights. Please see section paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) 104(a) of AGOA and section 502 of the 1974 Act for a complete list of relevant eligibility criteria. Separately, before providing preferential treatment to any article from Nepal, the President must also determine, after receiving the advice of the United States International Trade Commission, that these articles are not import sensitive in the context of imports from Nepal. Requirements for Submissions Persons submitting written comments must do so electronically by 5:00 p.m., 30 days from the date of publication of this Federal Register Notice, using www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR–2016–0005. Instructions for submitting business confidential versions are provided below. Handdelivered submissions will not be accepted. All written materials must be submitted in English to the Chairman of the South Asia Subcommittee of the TPSC. To make a submission using https:// www.regulations.gov, enter the docket number 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 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 South Asia Subcommittee prefers that submissions be provided as an attached document. 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:// PO 00000 Frm 00104 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 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. 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. Such submissions may be viewed by entering the country-specific docket number in the search field at https:// www.regulations.gov. Dawn Shackleford, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for India, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. [FR Doc. 2016–06926 Filed 3–25–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3290–F6–P E:\FR\FM\28MRN1.SGM 28MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 59 (Monday, March 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17235-17236]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06926]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Trade Preferences for Nepal: Request for Public Comments on 
Review of Nepal's Country Eligibility

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces the initiation of a review of the 
eligibility of Nepal to receive preferential treatment for the articles 
described in the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015. 
The South Asia Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee is 
developing recommendations for the President on Nepal's eligibility. 
The Subcommittee is requesting written comments from the public for 
this review. The Subcommittee will consider the written comments in 
developing its recommendations for the President. This notice 
identifies the eligibility criteria that the President must consider in 
determining whether to provide preferential treatment to certain 
articles from Nepal.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dawn Shackleford, Deputy Assistant 
U.S. Trade Representative for India, or

[[Page 17236]]

Aimee Larsen, Director for GSP, Office of the United States Trade 
Representative, 600 17th Street NW., Washington DC 20508. The telephone 
numbers are (202) 395-9658 or (202) 395-2974, respectively. The email 
addresses are Dawn_Shackleford@ustr.eop.gov or 
Aimee_B_Larsen@ustr.eop.gov.

DATES: Public comments are due by 5:00 p.m., 30 days from the date of 
publication of this Federal Register Notice.

Background Information

    The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (Sec. 915 
of P.L. 114-125) authorizes the President to designate Nepal as 
eligible for preferential treatment for certain articles. The President 
may authorize the provision of preferential treatment for certain 
articles imported directly from Nepal if the President determines that 
Nepal meets the eligibility criteria set forth in: (1) Paragraphs (1), 
(2), and (3) of section 104(a) of African Growth and Opportunity Act 
(AGOA), as amended (Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 2000, 
Pub. L. 106-200) (19 U.S.C. 3703(a)); and (2) section 502 of the 
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) (Title V of the Trade Act of 
1974) (1974 Act) (19 U.S.C. 2462).
    Section 104(a) of AGOA includes requirements that the country has 
established or is making continual progress toward establishing, inter 
alia: A market-based economy; the rule of law, political pluralism, and 
the right to due process; the elimination of barriers to U.S. trade and 
investment; economic policies to reduce poverty; a system to combat 
corruption and bribery; and the protection of internationally 
recognized worker rights. In addition, AGOA provides that the country 
may not engage in activities that undermine U.S. national security or 
foreign policy interests or engage in gross violations of 
internationally recognized human rights or provide support for acts of 
international terrorism.
    Section 502(b) of the 1974 Act includes bases for ineligibility for 
benefits and section 502(c) includes factors that the President shall 
take into account in determining whether to provide benefits under the 
GSP. Among the factors that the President shall take into account under 
section 502(c) include: An expression by the country to be designated 
as a beneficiary; the level of economic development; whether or not 
other major developed countries are providing preferential treatment; 
the extent to which the country has assured the United States that it 
will provide market access and refrain from unreasonable export 
practices; the extent to which the county is providing adequate and 
effective protection of intellectual property rights; the extent to 
which the country has taken action to reduce trade distorting 
investment practices and policies and reduce or eliminate barriers to 
trade in services; and whether or not the country has taken or is 
taking steps to afford workers with internationally recognized worker 
rights.
    Please see section paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) 104(a) of AGOA and 
section 502 of the 1974 Act for a complete list of relevant eligibility 
criteria.
    Separately, before providing preferential treatment to any article 
from Nepal, the President must also determine, after receiving the 
advice of the United States International Trade Commission, that these 
articles are not import sensitive in the context of imports from Nepal.

Requirements for Submissions

    Persons submitting written comments must do so electronically by 
5:00 p.m., 30 days from the date of publication of this Federal 
Register Notice, using www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2016-
0005. Instructions for submitting business confidential versions are 
provided below. Hand-delivered submissions will not be accepted. All 
written materials must be submitted in English to the Chairman of the 
South Asia Subcommittee of the TPSC.
    To make a submission using https://www.regulations.gov, enter the 
docket number 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 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 South Asia 
Subcommittee prefers that submissions be provided as an attached 
document. 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 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.

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. Such submissions may 
be viewed by entering the country-specific docket number in the search 
field at https://www.regulations.gov.

Dawn Shackleford,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for India, Office of the 
U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2016-06926 Filed 3-25-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F6-P
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