81 FR 11290 - Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2015 Review

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 42 (March 3, 2016)

Following receipt of a letter on behalf of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) dated February 16, 2016, advising that several petitioners have withdrawn requests for waivers of the competitive need limitation under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program and that USTR accordingly was withdrawing its request for advice regarding such petitions, the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) has amended the scope of its investigation and will not provide advice regarding the withdrawn petitions.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 42 (Thursday, March 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11290-11291]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04649]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-556]


Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2015 
Review

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Change in scope of investigation.

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[[Page 11291]]

SUMMARY: Following receipt of a letter on behalf of the United States 
Trade Representative (USTR) dated February 16, 2016, advising that 
several petitioners have withdrawn requests for waivers of the 
competitive need limitation under the Generalized System of Preferences 
(GSP) program and that USTR accordingly was withdrawing its request for 
advice regarding such petitions, the U.S. International Trade 
Commission (Commission) has amended the scope of its investigation and 
will not provide advice regarding the withdrawn petitions.

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://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information specific to this 
investigation may be obtained from Mahnaz Khan, Project Leader, Office 
of Industries (202-205-2046 or [email protected]), Jessica 
Pugliese, Deputy Project Leader, Office of Industries (202-205-3064 or 
[email protected]), or Cynthia Foreso, Technical Advisor, 
Office of Industries (202-205-3348 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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: The February 16, 2016, letter from USTR advised the 
Commission that several petitioners have withdrawn requests for waivers 
of the competitive need limitation (CNL) under the GSP program, and 
that in view of the withdrawals USTR is withdrawing its request for 
Commission advice as to whether any industry in the United States is 
likely to be adversely affected by the waiver of the CNLs, whether like 
or directly competitive products were being produced in the United 
States on January 1, 1995, and what would be the probable economic 
effect on total U.S. imports, as well as on consumers, of the subject 
CNL waivers. The letter asked that the Commission continue with its 
analysis of all other petitions cited in the December 30, 2015 and 
January 12, 2016 letters from Ambassador Michael Froman.
    As a result, the Commission is terminating the portion of its 
investigation that concerns the waivers that are the subject of the 
withdrawn petitions and will not provide advice regarding them. The 
withdrawn petitions concern the following articles, HTS subheadings, 
countries, and petitioners:

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           HTS subheading                 Brief description               Country               Petitioner
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1509.10.40.........................  Virgin olive oil and its     Tunisia...............  Government of Tunisia.
                                      fractions, whether or not
                                      refined, not chemically
                                      modified, weighing with
                                      the immediate container 18
                                      kg or over.
2804.29.00.........................  Rare gases, other than       Ukraine...............  Government of Ukraine.
                                      argon.
4202.92.04.........................  Insulated beverage bag w/    Philippines...........  Camelbak Products.
                                      outer surface textiles,
                                      interior only flexible
                                      plastic container storing/
                                      dispensing beverage thru
                                      flexible tubing.
6911.10.37.........................  Porcelain or china (o/than   Indonesia.............  Lenox Corporation.
                                      bone china) household
                                      table & kitchenware in
                                      sets in which aggregate
                                      val. of arts./US not 6 (b)
                                      o/$56 n/o $200.
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    In response to the USTR's letter of December 30, 2015, the 
Commission published its notice of institution of this investigation 
and the scheduling of a public hearing in connection therewith in the 
Federal Register on January 19, 2016 (81 FR 2904). As stated in that 
notice, the public hearing in this investigation (concerning the 
remaining articles) was held on February 24, 2016. In response to the 
USTR's letter of January 12, 2016, the Commission published a notice in 
the Federal Register on January 22, 2016 (81 FR 3819) to expand the 
scope of the investigation to provide probable economic effect advice 
with regard to certain handbags and travel goods products covered by 
five additional HTS statistical reporting numbers.
    The hearing date and deadlines for filing pre-hearing and post-
hearing briefs and all other written submissions in this investigation 
remain the same as previously announced, as does the information 
relating to the filing of those documents. As previously announced, the 
Commission expects to transmit its report in this investigation to the 
USTR by April 28, 2016.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: February 26, 2016.
William R. Bishop,
Supervisory Hearings and Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016-04649 Filed 3-2-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7020-02-P