Generalized System of Preferences: Import Statistics Relating to Competitive Need Limitations, 80707-80708 [2016-27542]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 221 / Wednesday, November 16, 2016 / Notices Sunshine Act, Public Law 94–409, that the Commission will host the SEC Government-Business Forum on Small Business Capital Formation on Thursday, November 17, 2016, beginning at 9:00 a.m., in the Auditorium, Room L–002. The forum will include remarks by SEC Commissioners and a panel discussion that Commissioners may attend. The panel discussion will explore how capital formation options are working for small businesses after the implementation of the JOBS Act. This Sunshine Act notice is being issued because a majority of the Commission may attend the meeting. For further information, please contact Brent J. Fields from the Office of the Secretary at (202) 551–5400. Dated: November 10, 2016. Brent J. Fields, Secretary. BILLING CODE 4710–25–P OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Generalized System of Preferences: Import Statistics Relating to Competitive Need Limitations This notice is to inform the public of the availability of import statistics for the first nine months of 2016 relating to competitive need limitations (CNLs) under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. These import statistics identify some articles for which the 2016 trade levels may exceed statutory CNLs. Interested parties may find this information useful in deciding whether to submit a petition to waive the CNLs for individual beneficiary developing countries (BDCs) with respect to specific GSP-eligible articles. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Freeman at (202) 395–2974 or gsp@ustr.eop.gov. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: SUMMARY: DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Delegation of Authority No: 408] Delegation to the Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs of Authority To Concur With the Secretary of Defense on Certain Actions asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES [FR Doc. 2016–27553 Filed 11–15–16; 8:45 am] Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Notice. BILLING CODE 8011–01–P By virtue of the authority vested in the Secretary of State, including sections 1233 and 1513 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 (Pub. L. 110–181) (FY 2008 NDAA); 10 U.S.C. 127d; section 1226 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Pub. L. 114–92) (FY 2016 NDAA); and section 1 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act (22 U.S.C. 2651a), and delegated pursuant to Delegation of Authority 245–1, dated February 13, 2009, I hereby delegate to the Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs, to the extent authorized by law, the authority to concur with the Secretary of Defense on the use of the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund pursuant to section 1513 of the FY 2008 NDAA; the use of the Global Lift and Sustain authority pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 127d; and the use of the Coalition Support Fund authority pursuant to section 1233 of the FY 2008 NDAA and section 1226 of the FY 2016 NDAA. Notwithstanding this delegation of authority, any function or authority delegated by this Delegation may be exercised by the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, the Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, or the Under Secretary for Arms Control and 16:23 Nov 15, 2016 Dated: October 19, 2016. Heather Higginbottom, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. AGENCY: [FR Doc. 2016–27631 Filed 11–14–16; 11:15 am] VerDate Sep<11>2014 International Security. Any reference in this delegation of authority to any statute or delegation of authority shall be deemed to be a reference to such statute or delegation of authority as amended from time to time. This delegation of authority shall be published in the Federal Register. Jkt 241001 I. Competitive Need Limitations The GSP program provides for the duty-free importation of designated articles when imported from designated BDCs. The GSP program is authorized by Title V of the Trade Act of 1974 as amended, 19 U.S.C. 2461, et seq., (1974 Act), and is implemented in accordance with Executive Order 11888 of November 24, 1975, as modified by subsequent Executive Orders and Presidential Proclamations. Section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act sets out the two different measures for CNLs. When the President determines that a BDC has 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 PO 00000 Frm 00077 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 80707 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 (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 the President grants a waiver before the exclusion goes into effect. CNLs do not apply to least-developed countries or beneficiaries of the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Any interested party may submit a petition seeking a waiver of the 2016 CNL for individual beneficiary developing countries with respect to specific GSP-eligible articles. In addition, 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). II. Implementation of Competitive Need Limitations Exclusions from GSP duty-free treatment where CNLs have been exceeded will be effective July 1, 2017, unless the President grants a waiver before the exclusion goes into effect. Exclusions for exceeding a CNL will be based on full 2016 calendar-year import statistics. III. Interim 2016 Import Statistics In order to provide advance notice of articles that may exceed the CNLs for 2016, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has compiled interim import statistics for the first nine months of 2016 relating to CNLs. This information can be viewed at: https:// ustr.gov/issue-areas/preferenceprograms/generalized-systempreferences-gsp/current-reviews/gsp20162017. Full calendar-year 2016 data for individual tariff subheadings will be available in February 2017 on the Web site of the U.S. International Trade Commission at https://dataweb.usitc.gov. The interim 2016 import statistics are organized to show, for each article, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) subheading and BDC of origin, the value of imports of the article from the specified country for the first nine months of 2016, and the corresponding share of total imports of that article from all countries. The list includes the GSP-eligible articles from BDCs that, based on interim nine-month 2016 data, exceed $110 million dollars, or an amount greater than 42 percent of E:\FR\FM\16NON1.SGM 16NON1 asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 80708 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 221 / Wednesday, November 16, 2016 / Notices the total value of U.S. imports of that product. In all, the following 11 products met the criteria to be placed on the list: 1. 0410.00.00—Other edible products of animal origin (Indonesia) 2. 0714.90.10—Fresh or chilled dasheens, whether or not sliced or in the form of pellets (Ecuador) 3. 1104.29.90—Grains of cereals other than barley, oats or corn, hulled, pearled, clipped, sliced, kibbled or otherwise worked, but not rolled or flaked (Turkey) 4. 2909.19.18—Ethers of acyclic monohydric alcohols & derivatives, not elsewhere specified (Brazil) 5. 2933.99.22—Other heterocyclic aromatic or modified aromatic pesticides with nitrogen hereoatom(s) only, not elsewhere specified (India) 6. 4011.20.10—New pneumatic radial tires, of rubber, of a kind used on buses or trucks (Indonesia) 7. 4409.10.05—Coniferous wood continuously shaped along any of its ends, whether or not also continuously shaped along any of its edges or faces (Brazil) 8. 6801.00.00—Setts, curbstones and flagstones, of natural stone (except slate) (Turkey) 9. 6802.99.00—Monumental or building stone & arts. thereof, not elsewhere specified, further worked than simply cut/sawn (Brazil) 10. 8525.80.30—Television cameras, not elsewhere specified (Thailand) 11. 9001.50.00—Spectacle lenses of materials other than glass, unmounted (Thailand) The list published on the USTR Web site includes the relevant nine-month trade statistics for each of these products and is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only. The list is based on interim 2016 trade data, and may not include all articles that may be affected by the GSP CNLs. Regardless of whether or not an article is included on the list referenced in this notice, all determinations and decisions regarding application of the CNLs of the GSP program will be based on full calendaryear 2016 import data for each GSPeligible article. Each interested party is advised to conduct its own review of 2016 import data with regard to the possible application of GSP CNLs. Please see the notice announcing the 2016 GSP Review which was published in the Federal Register on August 25, 2016 (81 FR 58547), regarding submission of product petitions requesting a waiver of a CNL. The notice and comments are available at https:// VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:23 Nov 15, 2016 Jkt 241001 www.regulations.gov/docket?D=USTR2016-0009. Erland Herfindahl, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the GSP Program, Chairman, GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. [FR Doc. 2016–27542 Filed 11–15–16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3290–F7–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Highway Administration [Docket No. FHWA–2016–0019] Renewal Package From the State of California to the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program and Proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Assigning Environmental Responsibilities to the State Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). ACTION: Notice of proposed MOU and request for comments. AGENCY: This notice announces that FHWA has received and reviewed a renewal package from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) requesting renewed participation in the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Program (Program). This Program allows for FHWA to assign, and States to assume, responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and all or part of FHWA’s responsibilities for environmental review, consultation, or other actions required under any Federal environmental law with respect to one or more Federal highway projects within the State. The FHWA has determined the renewal package to be complete, and developed a draft renewal MOU with Caltrans outlining how the State will implement the program with FHWA oversight. The public is invited to comment on Caltrans’ request, including its renewal package and the proposed renewal MOU, which includes the proposed assignments and assumptions of environmental review, consultation and other activities. DATES: Please submit comments by December 16, 2016. ADDRESSES: To ensure that you do not duplicate your docket submissions, please submit them by only one of the following means: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00078 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 the online instructions for submitting comments. • Facsimile (Fax): 1–202–493–2251. • Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., West Building Ground Floor Room W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001. • Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Instructions: You must include the agency name and docket number at the beginning of your comments. All comments received will be posted without change to https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the FHWA: Shawn Oliver by email at: shawn.oliver@dot.gov or by telephone at (916) 498–5048. The FHWA California Division Office’s normal business hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Pacific Time), Monday–Friday, except for Federal holidays. For the State of California: Tammy Massengale by email at tammy.massengale@dot.ca.gov or by telephone at (916) 653–5157. State business hours are the same as above although State holidays may not completely coincide with Federal holidays. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Electronic Access An electronic copy of this notice may be downloaded from the Federal Register’s home page at https:// www.archives.gov. An electronic version of the application materials and proposed MOU may be downloaded by accessing the DOT DMS docket, as described above, at https:// www.regulations.gov/. Background Section 327 of title 23, United States Code (23 U.S.C. 327), allows the Secretary of the DOT (Secretary) to assign, and a State to assume, the responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and all or part of the responsibilities for environmental review, consultation, or other actions required under certain Federal environmental laws with respect to one or more Federal-aid highway projects within the State. The FHWA is authorized to act on behalf of the Secretary with respect to these matters. Caltrans entered the Surface Transportation Project Delivery Pilot E:\FR\FM\16NON1.SGM 16NON1

Agencies

Office of the United States Trade Representative

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80707-80708]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27542]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Generalized System of Preferences: Import Statistics Relating to 
Competitive Need Limitations

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This notice is to inform the public of the availability of 
import statistics for the first nine months of 2016 relating to 
competitive need limitations (CNLs) under the Generalized System of 
Preferences (GSP) program. These import statistics identify some 
articles for which the 2016 trade levels may exceed statutory CNLs. 
Interested parties may find this information useful in deciding whether 
to submit a petition to waive the CNLs for individual beneficiary 
developing countries (BDCs) with respect to specific GSP-eligible 
articles.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Freeman at (202) 395-2974 or 
gsp@ustr.eop.gov.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

I. Competitive Need Limitations

    The GSP program provides for the duty-free importation of 
designated articles when imported from designated BDCs. The GSP program 
is authorized by Title V of the Trade Act of 1974 as amended, 19 U.S.C. 
2461, et seq., (1974 Act), and is implemented in accordance with 
Executive Order 11888 of November 24, 1975, as modified by subsequent 
Executive Orders and Presidential Proclamations.
    Section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act sets out the two different 
measures for CNLs. When the President determines that a BDC has 
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 (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 the President grants a waiver before 
the exclusion goes into effect. CNLs do not apply to least-developed 
countries or beneficiaries of the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
    Any interested party may submit a petition seeking a waiver of the 
2016 CNL for individual beneficiary developing countries with respect 
to specific GSP-eligible articles. In addition, 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).

II. Implementation of Competitive Need Limitations

    Exclusions from GSP duty-free treatment where CNLs have been 
exceeded will be effective July 1, 2017, unless the President grants a 
waiver before the exclusion goes into effect. Exclusions for exceeding 
a CNL will be based on full 2016 calendar-year import statistics.

III. Interim 2016 Import Statistics

    In order to provide advance notice of articles that may exceed the 
CNLs for 2016, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has compiled 
interim import statistics for the first nine months of 2016 relating to 
CNLs. This information can be viewed at: https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/preference-programs/generalized-system-preferences-gsp/current-reviews/gsp-20162017.
    Full calendar-year 2016 data for individual tariff subheadings will 
be available in February 2017 on the Web site of the U.S. International 
Trade Commission at https://dataweb.usitc.gov.
    The interim 2016 import statistics are organized to show, for each 
article, the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) 
subheading and BDC of origin, the value of imports of the article from 
the specified country for the first nine months of 2016, and the 
corresponding share of total imports of that article from all 
countries. The list includes the GSP-eligible articles from BDCs that, 
based on interim nine-month 2016 data, exceed $110 million dollars, or 
an amount greater than 42 percent of

[[Page 80708]]

the total value of U.S. imports of that product. In all, the following 
11 products met the criteria to be placed on the list:

1. 0410.00.00--Other edible products of animal origin (Indonesia)
2. 0714.90.10--Fresh or chilled dasheens, whether or not sliced or in 
the form of pellets (Ecuador)
3. 1104.29.90--Grains of cereals other than barley, oats or corn, 
hulled, pearled, clipped, sliced, kibbled or otherwise worked, but not 
rolled or flaked (Turkey)
4. 2909.19.18--Ethers of acyclic monohydric alcohols & derivatives, not 
elsewhere specified (Brazil)
5. 2933.99.22--Other heterocyclic aromatic or modified aromatic 
pesticides with nitrogen hereo-atom(s) only, not elsewhere specified 
(India)
6. 4011.20.10--New pneumatic radial tires, of rubber, of a kind used on 
buses or trucks (Indonesia)
7. 4409.10.05--Coniferous wood continuously shaped along any of its 
ends, whether or not also continuously shaped along any of its edges or 
faces (Brazil)
8. 6801.00.00--Setts, curbstones and flagstones, of natural stone 
(except slate) (Turkey)
9. 6802.99.00--Monumental or building stone & arts. thereof, not 
elsewhere specified, further worked than simply cut/sawn (Brazil)
10. 8525.80.30--Television cameras, not elsewhere specified (Thailand)
11. 9001.50.00--Spectacle lenses of materials other than glass, 
unmounted (Thailand)

    The list published on the USTR Web site includes the relevant nine-
month trade statistics for each of these products and is provided as a 
courtesy for informational purposes only. The list is based on interim 
2016 trade data, and may not include all articles that may be affected 
by the GSP CNLs. Regardless of whether or not an article is included on 
the list referenced in this notice, all determinations and decisions 
regarding application of the CNLs of the GSP program will be based on 
full calendar-year 2016 import data for each GSP-eligible article. Each 
interested party is advised to conduct its own review of 2016 import 
data with regard to the possible application of GSP CNLs. Please see 
the notice announcing the 2016 GSP Review which was published in the 
Federal Register on August 25, 2016 (81 FR 58547), regarding submission 
of product petitions requesting a waiver of a CNL. The notice and 
comments are available at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=USTR-2016-0009.

Erland Herfindahl,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the GSP Program, 
Chairman, GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office 
of the U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2016-27542 Filed 11-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F7-P

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