81_FR_44388 81 FR 44258 - Notice of a Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection

81 FR 44258 - Notice of a Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 130 (July 7, 2016)

Page Range44258-44259
FR Document2016-16047

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice announces the Foreign Agricultural Service's intention to request an extension for a currently approved information collection in support of the regulation providing for the issuance of certificates of quota eligibility (CQEs) required to enter sugar and sugar-containing products under the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) into the United States.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 130 (Thursday, July 7, 2016)
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 130 (Thursday, July 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44258-44259]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16047]


========================================================================
Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 130 / Thursday, July 7, 2016 / 
Notices

[[Page 44258]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Notice of a Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comment.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice 
announces the Foreign Agricultural Service's intention to request an 
extension for a currently approved information collection in support of 
the regulation providing for the issuance of certificates of quota 
eligibility (CQEs) required to enter sugar and sugar-containing 
products under the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) into the United States.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by no later than 
September 6, 2016 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments as requested in this 
document. In your comment, include the Regulation Identifier Number 
(RIN) and volume, date, and page number of this issue of the Federal 
Register. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail, hand delivery, or courier: William Janis, 
International Economist, Import Policies and Export Reporting Division, 
Office of Trade Programs, Foreign Agricultural Service, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-1021, STOP 1021; or by 
email at [email protected]; or by telephone at (202) 720-2194; 
or fax to (202) 720-0876.
    Comments will be available for inspection online at http://www.regulations.gov and at the mail address listed above between 8:00 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    Persons with disabilities who require an alternative means for 
communication of information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 
should contact USDA's Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Janis, International 
Economist, Import Policies and Export Reporting Division, AgStop 1021, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-1021 or telephone (202) 720-2194, fax to (202) 
720-0876, or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Certificates for Quota Eligibility.
    OMB Number: 0551-0014.
    Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2017.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: Additional U.S. note 5 to Chapter 17 of the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), established by Presidential 
Proclamation 6763 of December 1994, authorizes the Secretary of 
Agriculture to establish for each fiscal year the quantity of sugars 
and syrups that may be entered at the lower tariff rates of TRQs. This 
authority was proclaimed by the President to implement the results of 
the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations as reflected in 
the provisions of Schedule XX (United States), annexed to the Agreement 
Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO). Under various free 
trade agreements (FTAs), the United States has agreed to require CQEs 
for the entry into U.S. customs territory of sugar and sugar-containing 
products. The authority for requiring these certificates is the 
Implementation Acts for the U.S.-Colombia and U.S.-Panama Trade 
Promotion Agreements set forth under 19 U.S.C. 3805.
    The terms under which Certificates for Quota Eligibility (CQEs) 
will be issued to foreign countries that have been allocated a share of 
the WTO or have an allocation under a FTA TRQ are set forth in 15 CFR 
part 2011, Allocation of Tariff-Rate Quota on Imported Sugars, Syrups, 
and Molasses, Subpart A--Certificates of Quota. This regulation 
provides for the issuance of CQEs by the Secretary of Agriculture and 
in general prohibits sugar subject to the above-mentioned TRQs from 
being imported into the United States or withdrawn from a warehouse for 
consumption at the in-quota duty rates unless such sugar is accompanied 
by a valid CQE.
    CQEs are distributed to foreign countries by the Director of the 
Import Policies and Export Reporting Division, Foreign Agriculture 
Service, or his or her designee. The distribution of CQEs is in such 
amounts and at such times as the Director determines are appropriate to 
enable the foreign country to fill its quota allocation for such quota 
period in a reasonable manner, taking into account harvesting periods, 
U.S. import requirements, and other relevant factors. The information 
required to be collected on the CQE is used to monitor and control the 
imports of products subject to the WTO and FTA sugar TRQs. A valid CQE, 
duly executed and issued by the Certifying Authority of the foreign 
country, is required for eligibility to enter the products into U.S. 
customs territory under the TRQs.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for the collection 
directly varies with the number of CQEs issued.
    Respondents: Foreign governments.
    Estimated number of WTO respondents: 40.
    Estimated number of FTA respondents: 2.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 30 per fiscal year.
    Estimated total annual reporting burden: 210 hours.
    Requests for comments: Send comments regarding (a) Whether the 
information collection is necessary for the proper performance of the 
functions of the agency, including whether the information will have 
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the collection of information including validity of the 
methodology and assumption used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology. Copies of this information collection may be 
obtained from Connie Ehrhart, the Agency Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (202) 690-1578.

[[Page 44259]]

    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments also will become a matter of 
public record.
    FAS is committed to complying with the Government Paperwork 
Elimination Act which requires Government agencies, to the maximum 
extent feasible, to provide the public the option of electronically 
submitting information collection. CQEs permit exporters to ship raw 
cane sugar to the United States at the U.S. sugar price, which is 
ordinarily higher than the world sugar price. Therefore, in contrast to 
most information collection documents, CQEs have a monetary value 
equivalent to the substantial benefits to exporters. CQEs have always 
been carefully handled as secure documents and distributed only to 
foreign government-approved Certifying Authorities.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on June 21, 2016.
Philip C. Karsting,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-16047 Filed 7-6-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P



                                                44258

                                                Notices                                                                                                        Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                               Vol. 81, No. 130

                                                                                                                                                               Thursday, July 7, 2016



                                                This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                     and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,                 prohibits sugar subject to the above-
                                                contains documents other than rules or                   except holidays.                                      mentioned TRQs from being imported
                                                proposed rules that are applicable to the                   Persons with disabilities who require              into the United States or withdrawn
                                                public. Notices of hearings and investigations,          an alternative means for communication                from a warehouse for consumption at
                                                committee meetings, agency decisions and                 of information (Braille, large print,                 the in-quota duty rates unless such
                                                rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
                                                                                                         audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s                sugar is accompanied by a valid CQE.
                                                petitions and applications and agency
                                                statements of organization and functions are             Target Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice                   CQEs are distributed to foreign
                                                examples of documents appearing in this                  and TDD).                                             countries by the Director of the Import
                                                section.                                                 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      Policies and Export Reporting Division,
                                                                                                         William Janis, International Economist,               Foreign Agriculture Service, or his or
                                                                                                         Import Policies and Export Reporting                  her designee. The distribution of CQEs
                                                DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE                                Division, AgStop 1021, U.S. Department                is in such amounts and at such times as
                                                                                                         of Agriculture, 1400 Independence                     the Director determines are appropriate
                                                Foreign Agricultural Service                             Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250–                     to enable the foreign country to fill its
                                                                                                         1021 or telephone (202) 720–2194, fax                 quota allocation for such quota period
                                                Notice of a Request for Extension of a                                                                         in a reasonable manner, taking into
                                                                                                         to (202) 720–0876, or email
                                                Currently Approved Information                                                                                 account harvesting periods, U.S. import
                                                                                                         William.Janis@fas.usda.gov.
                                                Collection                                                                                                     requirements, and other relevant factors.
                                                                                                         SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service,                                                                          The information required to be collected
                                                                                                            Title: Certificates for Quota Eligibility.
                                                USDA.                                                       OMB Number: 0551–0014.                             on the CQE is used to monitor and
                                                                                                            Expiration Date of Approval: March                 control the imports of products subject
                                                ACTION: Notice and request for comment.
                                                                                                         31, 2017.                                             to the WTO and FTA sugar TRQs. A
                                                SUMMARY:   In accordance with the                           Type of Request: Extension of a                    valid CQE, duly executed and issued by
                                                Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice                     currently approved information                        the Certifying Authority of the foreign
                                                announces the Foreign Agricultural                       collection.                                           country, is required for eligibility to
                                                Service’s intention to request an                           Abstract: Additional U.S. note 5 to                enter the products into U.S. customs
                                                extension for a currently approved                       Chapter 17 of the Harmonized Tariff                   territory under the TRQs.
                                                information collection in support of the                                                                          Estimate of burden: The public
                                                                                                         Schedule of the United States (HTS),
                                                regulation providing for the issuance of                                                                       reporting burden for the collection
                                                                                                         established by Presidential
                                                certificates of quota eligibility (CQEs)                                                                       directly varies with the number of CQEs
                                                                                                         Proclamation 6763 of December 1994,
                                                required to enter sugar and sugar-                                                                             issued.
                                                                                                         authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture                  Respondents: Foreign governments.
                                                containing products under the tariff-rate                to establish for each fiscal year the                    Estimated number of WTO
                                                quotas (TRQs) into the United States.                    quantity of sugars and syrups that may                respondents: 40.
                                                DATES: Comments on this notice must be                   be entered at the lower tariff rates of                  Estimated number of FTA
                                                received by no later than September 6,                   TRQs. This authority was proclaimed by                respondents: 2.
                                                2016 to be assured of consideration.                     the President to implement the results                   Estimated number of responses per
                                                ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit                       of the Uruguay Round of multilateral                  respondent: 30 per fiscal year.
                                                comments as requested in this                            trade negotiations as reflected in the                   Estimated total annual reporting
                                                document. In your comment, include                       provisions of Schedule XX (United                     burden: 210 hours.
                                                the Regulation Identifier Number (RIN)                   States), annexed to the Agreement                        Requests for comments: Send
                                                and volume, date, and page number of                     Establishing the World Trade                          comments regarding (a) Whether the
                                                this issue of the Federal Register. You                  Organization (WTO). Under various free                information collection is necessary for
                                                may submit comments by any of the                        trade agreements (FTAs), the United                   the proper performance of the functions
                                                following methods:                                       States has agreed to require CQEs for the             of the agency, including whether the
                                                  • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to                    entry into U.S. customs territory of                  information will have practical utility;
                                                http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the                   sugar and sugar-containing products.                  (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
                                                online instructions for submitting                       The authority for requiring these                     of the burden of the collection of
                                                comments.                                                certificates is the Implementation Acts               information including validity of the
                                                  • Mail, hand delivery, or courier:                     for the U.S.-Colombia and U.S.-Panama                 methodology and assumption used; (c)
                                                William Janis, International Economist,                  Trade Promotion Agreements set forth                  ways to enhance the quality, utility and
                                                Import Policies and Export Reporting                     under 19 U.S.C. 3805.                                 clarity of the information to be
                                                Division, Office of Trade Programs,                         The terms under which Certificates                 collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
                                                Foreign Agricultural Service, 1400                       for Quota Eligibility (CQEs) will be                  burden of the collection of information
                                                Independence Avenue SW.,                                 issued to foreign countries that have                 on those who are to respond, including
                                                Washington, DC 20250–1021, STOP                          been allocated a share of the WTO or                  through the use of automated,
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                                                1021; or by email at William.Janis@                      have an allocation under a FTA TRQ are                electronic, mechanical, or other
                                                fas.usda.gov; or by telephone at (202)                   set forth in 15 CFR part 2011, Allocation             technological collection techniques or
                                                720–2194; or fax to (202) 720–0876.                      of Tariff-Rate Quota on Imported Sugars,              other forms of information technology.
                                                  Comments will be available for                         Syrups, and Molasses, Subpart A—                      Copies of this information collection
                                                inspection online at http://                             Certificates of Quota. This regulation                may be obtained from Connie Ehrhart,
                                                www.regulations.gov and at the mail                      provides for the issuance of CQEs by the              the Agency Information Collection
                                                address listed above between 8:00 a.m.                   Secretary of Agriculture and in general               Coordinator, at (202) 690–1578.


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                                                                                Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 130 / Thursday, July 7, 2016 / Notices                                             44259

                                                  All responses to this notice will be                   and Export Reporting Division, Office of              corn by the Soviet Union in 1972. To
                                                summarized and included in the request                   Trade Programs, Foreign Agricultural                  make sure that all parties involved in
                                                for OMB approval. All comments also                      Service, 1400 Independence Avenue                     the production and export of U.S. grain
                                                will become a matter of public record.                   SW., Washington, DC 20250–1021,                       have access to up-to-date export
                                                  FAS is committed to complying with                     STOP 1021; or by email at Pete.Burr@                  information, the U.S. Congress
                                                the Government Paperwork Elimination                     fas.usda.gov; or by telephone at (202)                mandated an export sales reporting
                                                Act which requires Government                            720–3274; or fax to (202) 720–0876.                   requirement in 1973. Prior to the
                                                agencies, to the maximum extent                             Comments will be available for                     establishment of the Export Sales
                                                feasible, to provide the public the                      inspection online at http://                          Reporting System, it was difficult for the
                                                option of electronically submitting                      www.regulations.gov and at the mail                   public to obtain information on export
                                                information collection. CQEs permit                      address listed above between 8:00 a.m.                sales activity until the actual shipments
                                                exporters to ship raw cane sugar to the                  and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,                 had taken place. This frequently
                                                United States at the U.S. sugar price,                   except holidays.                                      resulted in considerable delay in the
                                                which is ordinarily higher than the                         Persons with disabilities who require              availability of information.
                                                world sugar price. Therefore, in contrast                an alternative means for communication                   Under the Export Sales Reporting
                                                to most information collection                           of information (Braille, large print,                 System, U.S. exporters are required to
                                                documents, CQEs have a monetary                          audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s                report all large sales of certain
                                                value equivalent to the substantial                      Target Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice                designated commodities by 3:00 p.m.
                                                benefits to exporters. CQEs have always                  and TDD).                                             (Eastern Time) on the next business day
                                                been carefully handled as secure                            Confidentiality: All submitted                     after the sale is made. The designated
                                                documents and distributed only to                        comments and attachments are part of                  commodities for these daily reports are
                                                foreign government-approved Certifying                   the public record and subject to                      wheat (by class), barley, corn, grain
                                                Authorities.                                             disclosure. Do not enclose any material               sorghum, oats, soybeans, soybean cake
                                                  Signed at Washington, DC, on June 21,                  in your comments that you consider to                 and meal, and soybean oil. Large sales
                                                2016.                                                    be confidential or that is inappropriate              for all reportable commodities except
                                                Philip C. Karsting,                                      for public disclosure.                                soybean oil are defined as 100,000
                                                Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.             FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      metric tons or more of one commodity
                                                [FR Doc. 2016–16047 Filed 7–6–16; 8:45 am]               Peter W. Burr, Branch Chief, Export                   in 1 day to a single destination or
                                                BILLING CODE 3410–10–P                                   Sales Reporting, STOP 1025, Foreign                   200,000 tons or more of one commodity
                                                                                                         Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of              during the weekly reporting period.
                                                                                                         Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue                 Large sales for soybean oil are 20,000
                                                DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE                                SW., Washington, DC 20250–1025; or by                 tons and 40,000 tons, respectively.
                                                                                                         telephone (202) 720–9209; or by email:                   Weekly reports are also required,
                                                Foreign Agricultural Service                             esr@fas.usda.gov.                                     regardless of the size of the sales
                                                                                                         SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            transaction, for all of these
                                                Notice of a Request for Extension of a                                                                         commodities, as well as wheat products,
                                                Currently Approved Information                             Title: Export Sales (Reporting
                                                                                                         Program) of U.S. Agricultural                         rye, flaxseed, linseed oil, sunflowerseed
                                                Collection                                                                                                     oil, cotton (by staple length), cottonseed,
                                                                                                         Commodities.
                                                AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service,                      OMB Number: 0551–0007.                              cottonseed cake and meal, cottonseed
                                                USDA.                                                      Expiration Date of Approval: June 20,               oil, rice (by class), cattle hides and skins
                                                ACTION: Notice and request for                           2017.                                                 (cattle, calf, and kip), beef and pork. The
                                                comments.                                                  Type of Request: Extension of a                     reporting week for the export sales
                                                                                                         currently approved information                        reporting system is Friday–Thursday.
                                                SUMMARY:   In accordance with the                        collection.                                           The Secretary of Agriculture has the
                                                Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice                       Abstract: Section 602 of the                        authority to add other commodities to
                                                announces the Department’s intention                     Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, as                    this list.
                                                to request an extension for a currently                  amended, (7 U.S.C. 5712) requires the                    U.S. exporters provide information on
                                                approved information collection in                       reporting of information pertaining to                the quantity of their sales transactions,
                                                support of the Export Sales Reporting                    contracts for export sale of certain                  the type and class of commodity, the
                                                program.                                                 specified agricultural commodities and                marketing year of shipment, and the
                                                DATES: Comments should be submitted                      other commodities that may be                         destination. They also report any
                                                no later than September 6, 2016 to be                    designated by the Secretary. In                       changes in previously reported
                                                assured of consideration.                                accordance with Sec. 602, individual                  information, such as cancellations and
                                                ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit                       weekly reports submitted shall remain                 changes in destinations.
                                                comments as requested in this                            confidential and shall be compiled and                   The estimated total annual burden of
                                                document. In your comment, include                       published in compilation form each                    47,907 hours in the OMB inventory for
                                                the Regulation Identifier Number (RIN)                   week following the week of reporting.                 the currently approved information
                                                and volume, date, and page number of                     Any person who knowingly fails to                     collection remains unchanged.
                                                this issue of the Federal Register. You                  report shall be fined not more than                      Estimate of Burden: The average
                                                may submit comments by any of the                        $25,000 or imprisoned for not more than               burden, including the time for
                                                                                                         1 year, or both. Regulations at 7 CFR                 reviewing instructions, gathering data
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                                                following methods:
                                                  • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to                    part 20 implement the reporting                       needed, completing forms, and record
                                                http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the                   requirements, and prescribe a system for              keeping is estimated to be 30 minutes.
                                                online instructions for submitting                       reporting information pertaining to                      Respondents: All exporters of wheat
                                                comments.                                                contracts for export sales.                           and wheat flour, feed grains, oilseeds,
                                                  • Mail, hand delivery, or courier:                       USDA’s Export Sales Reporting                       cotton, rice, cattle hides and skins, beef,
                                                Peter W. Burr, Branch Chief, Export                      System was created after the large                    pork, and any products thereof, and
                                                Sales Reporting Branch, Import Policies                  unexpected purchase of U.S. wheat and                 other commodities that the Secretary


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Document Created: 2018-02-08 07:54:31
Document Modified: 2018-02-08 07:54:31
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice and request for comment.
DatesComments on this notice must be received by no later than September 6, 2016 to be assured of consideration.
ContactWilliam Janis, International Economist, Import Policies and Export Reporting Division, AgStop 1021, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-1021 or telephone (202) 720-2194, fax to (202) 720-0876, or email [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 44258 

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