80 FR 42120 - Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2014 Review

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 136 (July 16, 2015)

Following receipt of a request on June 30, 2015, from the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted investigation No. 332-554, Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2014 Review, for the purpose of providing such advice and information.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 136 (Thursday, July 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42120-42121]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17418]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-554]


Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2014 
Review

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of institution of investigation and opportunity to 
furnish information.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on June 30, 2015, from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR), the U.S. International Trade 
Commission (Commission) instituted investigation No. 332-554, 
Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2014 Review, 
for the purpose of providing such advice and information.

DATES: July 30, 2015: Deadline for filing all written submissions.
    August 28, 2015: Transmittal of Commission report to the United 
States Trade Representative.

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 this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information specific to this 
investigation may be obtained from Cynthia B. Foreso, Project Leader, 
Office of Industries (202-205-3348 or [email protected]) or 
Sabina Neumann, Deputy Project Leader, Office of Industries (202-205-
3000 or [email protected]). For information on the legal aspects 
of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's 
Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or 
[email protected]). The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or 
[email protected]). 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 Web site (http://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: Advice concerning waiver of competitive need 
limitations. In his letter the USTR requested, under authority 
delegated by the President, pursuant to section 332(g) of the Tariff 
Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), and in accordance with section 
503(d)(1)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2463(d)(1)(A)), that 
the Commission provide advice on whether any industry in the United 
States is likely to be adversely affected by a waiver of the 
competitive need limitations specified in section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 
Trade Act of 1974 for two articles from Thailand: HTS 2008.19.15 
(Coconuts, otherwise prepared or preserved, nesoi) and HTS 7408.29.10 
(Copper alloys (o/than brass, cupro-nickel or nickel-silver), wire, 
coated or plated with metal).
    Pursuant to section 332(g) and in accordance with section 
503(c)(2)(E) of the 1974 Act the USTR also requested that the 
Commission provide its advice with respect to whether like or directly 
competitive products were being produced in the United States on 
January 1, 1995. The USTR also requested that the Commission provide 
its advice as to the probable economic effect on total U.S. imports, as 
well as on consumers, of the requested waivers.
    Data relating to certain cotton articles. Pursuant to section 
332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, the USTR requested that the 
Commission provide data on U.S. production, imports, exports, and 
consumption for the period 2012-2014 for the following articles: HTS 
5201.00.18 (Cotton, not carded or combed, having a staple length under 
28.575 mm (1\1/8\ inches), n/harsh or rough, nesoi), HTS 5201.00.28 
(Cotton not carded or combed, harsh or rough, staple length of 29.36875 
mm or more but under 34.925 mm & white in color, nesoi), HTS 5201.00.38 
(Cotton, not carded or combed, staple length of 28.575 mm or more but 
under 34.925 mm, nesoi), HTS 5202.99.30 (Cotton card strips made from 
cotton waste having staple length under 30.1625 mm & lap, sliver & 
roving waste, nesoi), and HTS 5203.00.30 (Cotton fibers, carded or 
combed, of cotton fiber processed, but not spun, nesoi). The USTR 
requested that the Commission, to the extent practicable, provide the 
requested data separately and individually for each U.S. Harmonized

[[Page 42121]]

Tariff Schedule subheading subject to this request.
    The USTR noted that his office had previously notified the 
Commission that these five cotton articles were being considered for 
designation as eligible articles under the GSP program for least-
developed beneficiary developing countries only, and that the 
Commission had provided its advice in May 2012 (in its report on 
investigation No. 332-529) as to the probable economic effect of the 
elimination of U.S. import duties on those articles for least-developed 
beneficiary developing countries under the GSP program.
    Time for reporting, possible classification of report. As requested 
by USTR, the Commission will provide its advice by August 28, 2015. The 
USTR indicated that those sections of the Commission's report and 
related working papers that contain the Commission's advice will be 
classified as ``confidential,'' and that USTR considers the 
Commission's report to be an inter-agency memorandum that will contain 
pre-decisional advice and be subject to the deliberative process 
privilege.
    Written Submissions: Interested parties are invited to file written 
submissions concerning this investigation. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later 
than 5:15 p.m., July 30, 2015. All written submissions must conform 
with 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 p.m. 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 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 
is clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions, 
except for confidential business information, will be made available 
for inspection by interested parties.
    The Commission may include in the report it sends to the President 
and the USTR some or all of the confidential business information it 
receives in this investigation. The USTR has asked that the Commission 
make available a public version of its report shortly after it sends 
its report to the President and the USTR, with any classified or 
privileged information deleted. Any confidential business information 
received in this investigation and used in the preparation of the 
report will not be published in the public version of the report in 
such a manner as would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the 
information.
    Summaries of Written Submissions: The Commission intends to publish 
summaries of the positions of interested persons. Persons wishing to 
have a summary of their position included in the report should include 
a summary with their written submission. The summary may not exceed 500 
words, should be in MSWord format or a format that can be easily 
converted to MSWord, and should not include any confidential business 
information. The summary will be published as provided if it meets 
these requirements and is germane to the subject matter of the 
investigation. The Commission will identify the name of the 
organization furnishing the summary and will include a link to the 
Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS) where the 
full written submission can be found.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: July 13, 2015.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2015-17418 Filed 7-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P