83 FR 23631 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Direct Investment Surveys: BE-15, Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Economic Analysis Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 99 (May 22, 2018)
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 99 (May 22, 2018)
| Page Range | 23631-23633 | |
| FR Document | 2018-10942 |
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 99 (Tuesday, May 22, 2018)] [Notices] [Pages 23631-23633] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2018-10942] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of Economic Analysis Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Direct Investment Surveys: BE-15, Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 23, 2018. ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230, or via email at [email protected]. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Patricia Abaroa, Chief, Direct Investment Division (BE- 49), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 4600 Silver Hill Rd, Washington, DC 20233; or via email at [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: [[Page 23632]] I. Abstract The Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States (BE-15) obtains sample data on the financial structure and operations of foreign-owned U.S. business enterprises. The data are needed to provide reliable, useful, and timely measures of foreign direct investment in the United States to assess its impact on the U.S. economy. The sample data are used to derive universe estimates in nonbenchmark years from similar data reported in the BE-12 benchmark survey, which is conducted every five years. The data collected include balance sheets; income statements; property, plant, and equipment; employment and employee compensation; merchandise trade; sales of goods and services; taxes; and research and development activity for the U.S. operations. In addition to these national data, several data items are collected by state, including employment and property, plant, and equipment. The survey, as proposed, incorporates two changes that were made to the 2017 BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States and seven new proposed changes. The following two questions that were added to the 2017 benchmark survey will be added to the BE-15 survey: (1) A question on the BE-15A form asking whether a recent Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) update on the treatment of leases affected the statistics collected on the survey; the question will also collect information to measure the impact on the respondent's reported data; and (2) a question on the BE-15C form to collect the state in which each affiliate is located, improving estimation of employment and property, plant, and equipment by location for smaller entities reporting on this abbreviated form. Other proposed changes are: (1) The balance sheet and income statement sections will be modified to separately collect the investment in and income from (a) ``unconsolidated U.S. affiliates'' and (b) ``foreign entities,'' which are currently collected together on the BE-15A form. This will assist in ensuring complete coverage of unconsolidated U.S. affiliates and in better aligning the BE-15 survey data with other direct investment surveys. (2) A question will be added to collect the city of each foreign parent and ultimate beneficial owner (UBO) on all forms. This will be used to validate the countries of foreign investors and provide additional information on the location of investors. (3) Supplements A and B, which collect identification information on business enterprises owned by the U.S. affiliate, will be modified on all BE-15 forms to offer more options in the multiple-choice question asking the reason that the U.S. business enterprises changed since the last report, such as options for ``acquired'' or ``established'' if an enterprise is being reported on a supplement for the first time. A follow-up question will be added requesting the date of the transaction for new enterprises. This information will aid in referring entities to BEA's other surveys of foreign direct investment in the United States. (4) The commercial property column will be removed from the state schedule of the BE-15A and BE-15B forms. Respondents have been confused by this concept, which can vary by state or industry, and have indicated that the information may not be readily available from their records. (5) The administrative office and other auxiliary employees item will be removed from the BE-15B form to ease respondent burden. Data from the BE-15A form can be used to estimate this item for BE-15B form respondents. (6) The BE-15 Claim for Exemption form will be modified to combine items 2(a) and 2(b), which cover exemptions for U.S. business enterprises that are no longer foreign owned. The same information can be obtained from one question. (7) The BE-15A form will be modified to combine the questions on direct ownership held by ``all other U.S. persons'' and ``all other foreign persons.'' This breakout is not used and the new combined item will be consistent with the BE-15B form. The exemption level for reporting on the proposed survey is unchanged from the 2016 BE-15 survey. II. Method of Collection BEA contacts potential respondents by mail in March of each year; responses covering a reporting company's fiscal year ending during the previous calendar year are due by May 31 (or by June 30 for respondents that file using BEA's eFile system). Reports are required from each U.S. business enterprise in which a foreign person has at least 10 percent of the voting stock in an incorporated business enterprise, or an equivalent interest in an unincorporated business enterprise, and that meets the additional conditions detailed in the BE-15 forms and instructions. Entities required to report will be contacted individually by BEA. Entities not contacted by BEA have no reporting responsibilities. BEA offers electronic filing through its eFile system for use in reporting on the BE-15 annual survey forms. In addition, BEA posts all its survey forms and reporting instructions on its website (www.bea.gov/fdi). These may be downloaded, completed, printed, and submitted via fax or mail. Potential respondents of the BE-15 are selected from those U.S. business enterprises that were required to report on the 2017 BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States, along with those U.S. business enterprises that subsequently entered the direct investment universe. The BE-15 is a sample survey; universe estimates are developed from the reported sample data. III. Data OMB Control Number: 0608-0034. Form Number: BE-15. Type of Review: Regular submission. Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations. Estimated Number of Respondents: 5,700 annually, of which approximately 2,300 file A forms, 1,600 file B forms, 1,300 file C forms, and 500 file Claim for Exemption forms. Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 112,350 hours. Total annual burden is calculated by multiplying the estimated number of submissions of each form by the average hourly burden per form, which is 44.75 hours for the A form, 3.75 hours for the B form, 2.25 hours for the C form, and 1 hour for the Claim for Exemption form. Estimated Time per Respondent: 19.7 hours per respondent (112,350 hours/5,700 respondents) is the average, but may vary considerably among respondents because of differences in company size and complexity. Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0. Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory. Legal Authority: International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act (Pub. L. 94-472, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended). IV. Request for Comments Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information 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 (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (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 respondents, including through the [[Page 23633]] use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record. Sheleen Dumas, Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. 2018-10942 Filed 5-21-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-06-P
![Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 22, 2018 / Notices 23631
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments BEA offers electronic filing through the Agency’s estimate of the burden
to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental its eFile system for use in reporting on (including hours and cost) of the
Paperwork Clearance Officer, the BE–11 annual survey forms. In proposed collection of information; (c)
Department of Commerce, Room 6616, addition, BEA posts all its survey forms ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
14th and Constitution Avenue NW, and reporting instructions on its website clarity of the information to be
Washington, DC 20230, or via email at (www.bea.gov/dia). These may be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
PRAcomments@doc.gov. downloaded, completed, printed, and burden of the collection of information
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: submitted via fax or mail. on respondents, including through the
Requests for additional information or Potential respondents of the BE–11 use of automated collection techniques
copies of the information collection are selected from those U.S. parents that or other forms of information
instrument and instructions should be reported owning foreign business technology.
directed to Patricia Abaroa, Chief, Direct enterprises in the 2014 BE–10, Comments submitted in response to
Investment Division (BE–49), Bureau of Benchmark Survey of U.S. Direct this notice will be summarized and/or
Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Investment Abroad, along with entities included in the request for OMB
Commerce, 4600 Silver Hill Rd, that subsequently entered the direct approval of this information collection;
Washington, DC 20233; via phone at investment universe. The BE–11 is a they also will become a matter of public
(301) 278–9591; or via email at sample survey; universe estimates are record.
Patricia.Abaroa@bea.gov. developed from the reported sample
data. Sheleen Dumas,
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of
I. Abstract III. Data Chief Information Officer.
The Annual Survey of U.S. Direct OMB Control Number: 0608–0053. [FR Doc. 2018–10941 Filed 5–21–18; 8:45 am]
Investment Abroad (BE–11) obtains Form Number: BE–11. BILLING CODE 3510–06–P
sample data on the financial structure Type of Review: Regular submission.
and operations of U.S. parents and their Affected Public: Business or other for-
foreign affiliates. The data are needed to profit organizations. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
provide reliable, useful, and timely Estimated Number of Respondents:
measures of U.S. direct investment 3,150 respondents (U.S. parents). A Bureau of Economic Analysis
abroad to assess its impact on the U.S. complete response includes a BE–11 A
form for the U.S. parent’s domestic Proposed Information Collection;
and foreign economies. The sample data Comment Request; Direct Investment
are used to derive universe estimates in operation and one or more BE–11 B, C,
or D forms for its foreign affiliates that Surveys: BE–15, Annual Survey of
nonbenchmark years from similar data Foreign Direct Investment in the United
reported in the BE–10, Benchmark meet the BE–11 survey requirements.
BEA estimates that U.S. parents will States
Survey of U.S. Direct Investment
Abroad, which is conducted every five submit 3,150 A forms, 25,000 B forms, AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis,
years. The data collected include 1,500 C forms, 200 D forms, and 500 Department of Commerce.
balance sheets; income statements; Claim for Exemption forms.
Estimated Total Annual Burden ACTION: Notice.
property, plant, and equipment;
employment and employee Hours: 325,750 hours. Total annual
burden is calculated by multiplying the SUMMARY: The Department of
compensation; merchandise trade; sales Commerce, as part of its continuing
of goods and services; taxes; and estimated number of submissions of
each form by the average hourly burden effort to reduce paperwork and
research and development activity. respondent burden, invites the general
The Bureau of Economic Analysis per form, which is 7 hours for the A
form, 12 hours for the B form, 2 hours public and other Federal agencies to
(BEA) proposes to add one question to comment on proposed and/or
the BE–11 survey asking whether a for the C form, 1 hour for the D form,
and 1 hour for the Claim for Exemption continuing information collections, as
recent Financial Accounting Standards
form. required by the Paperwork Reduction
Board (FASB) update on the treatment
Estimated Time per Respondent: Act of 1995.
of leases affects the statistics collected
on the survey. 103.4 hours per respondent (325,750 DATES: Written comments must be
hours/3,150 U.S. parents) is the average, submitted on or before July 23, 2018.
II. Method of Collection but may vary considerably among ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments
BEA contacts potential respondents respondents because of differences in to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental
by mail in March of each year; company structure, complexity, and the Paperwork Clearance Officer,
responses covering a reporting number of foreign affiliates each U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
company’s fiscal year ending during the parent must report. 14th and Constitution Avenue NW,
previous calendar year are due by May Estimated Total Annual Cost to Washington, DC 20230, or via email at
31. Reports are required from each U.S. Public: $0. PRAcomments@doc.gov.
person that has a direct and/or indirect Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
ownership interest of at least 10 percent FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Legal Authority: International Investment Requests for additional information or
of the voting stock in an incorporated and Trade in Services Survey Act (P.L. 94–
foreign business enterprise, or an copies of the information collection
472, 22 U.S.C. 3101–3108, as amended).
equivalent interest in an unincorporated instrument and instructions should be
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
foreign business enterprise, and that IV. Request for Comments directed to Patricia Abaroa, Chief, Direct
meets the additional conditions detailed Comments are invited on: (a) Whether Investment Division (BE–49), Bureau of
in the BE–11 forms and instructions. the proposed collection of information Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of
Entities required to report will be is necessary for the proper performance Commerce, 4600 Silver Hill Rd,
contacted individually by BEA. Entities of the functions of the Agency, Washington, DC 20233; or via email at
not contacted by BEA have no reporting including whether the information will Patricia.Abaroa@bea.gov.
responsibilities. have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:47 May 21, 2018 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/83_FR_23730/page/1.svg)
![Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 99 / Tuesday, May 22, 2018 / Notices 23633
use of automated collection techniques For further information, contact Scope of the Order
or other forms of information Camille Evans at Camille.Evans@ The merchandise subject to the order
technology. trade.gov or (202) 482–2350. is SSB. The term SSB with respect to the
Comments submitted in response to Dated: May 17, 2018. order means articles of stainless steel in
this notice will be summarized and/or straight lengths that have been either
Andrew McGilvray,
included in the request for OMB hot-rolled, forged, turned, cold-drawn,
approval of this information collection; Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018–10904 Filed 5–21–18; 8:45 am] cold-rolled or otherwise cold-finished,
they also will become a matter of public or ground, having a uniform solid cross
record. BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
section along their whole length in the
Sheleen Dumas, shape of circles, segments of circles,
Departmental Lead PRA Officer, Office of DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ovals, rectangles (including squares),
Chief Information Officer. triangles, hexagons, octagons or other
[FR Doc. 2018–10942 Filed 5–21–18; 8:45 am] International Trade Administration convex polygons. SSB includes cold-
BILLING CODE 3510–06–P finished SSBs that are turned or ground
[A–351–825] in straight lengths, whether produced
from hot-rolled bar or from straightened
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Stainless Steel Bar From Brazil: Final and cut rod or wire, and reinforcing bars
Results of Antidumping Duty that have indentations, ribs, grooves, or
Foreign-Trade Zones Board Administrative Review; 2016–2017 other deformations produced during the
[B–31–2018] rolling process.
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, Except as specified above, the term
Foreign-Trade Zone 87—Lake Charles, International Trade Administration, does not include stainless steel semi-
Louisiana; Application for Subzone; Department of Commerce. finished products, cut length flat-rolled
Driftwood LNG, LLC; Sulphur, products (i.e., cut length rolled products
SUMMARY: On March 1, 2018, the
Louisiana which if less than 4.75 mm in thickness
Department of Commerce (Commerce)
have a width measuring at least 10 times
An application has been submitted to published the preliminary results of the
the thickness, or if 4.75 mm or more in
the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board by administrative review of the
thickness having a width which exceeds
the Lake Charles Harbor & Terminal antidumping duty order on stainless
150 mm and measures at least twice the
District, grantee of FTZ 87, requesting steel bar (SSB) from Brazil. The period thickness), wire (i.e., cold-formed
subzone status for the facility of of review (POR) is February 1, 2016, products in coils, of any uniform solid
Driftwood LNG, LLC, located in through January 31, 2017. For the final cross section along their whole length,
Sulphur, Louisiana. The application results of this review, we continue to which do not conform to the definition
was submitted pursuant to the find that Villares Metals S.A. (Villares) of flat-rolled products), and angles,
provisions of the Foreign-Trade Zones has not made sales of subject shapes and sections.
Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a-81u), merchandise at less than normal value The SSB subject to the order is
and the regulations of the FTZ Board (15 during the POR. currently classifiable under subheadings
CFR part 400). It was formally docketed DATES: Applicable May 22, 2018. 7222.10.00, 7222.11.00, 7222.19.00,
on May 17, 2018. 7222.20.00, 7222.30.00 of the
The proposed subzone (782 acres) is FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the
located at 8000 Global Drive in Sulphur Dmitry Vladimirov, Office I,
United States (HTSUS). Although the
(Calcasieu Parish), Louisiana. No Enforcement and Compliance,
HTSUS subheadings are provided for
authorization for production activity has International Trade Administration,
convenience and customs purposes, the
been requested at this time. U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401
written description of the scope of the
In accordance with the FTZ Board’s Constitution Avenue NW, Washington,
order is dispositive.
regulations, Camille Evans of the FTZ DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482–0665.
Staff is designated examiner to review SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Final Results of the Administrative
the application and make Review
recommendations to the FTZ Board. Background We determine that a weighted-average
Public comment is invited from On March 1, 2018, Commerce dumping margin of 0.00 percent exists
interested parties. Submissions shall be published the Preliminary Results of the for Villares for the period of February 1,
addressed to the FTZ Board’s Executive administrative review of the 2016, through January 31, 2017.
Secretary at the address below. The antidumping duty order on SSB from
closing period for their receipt is July 2, Assessment
Brazil.1 The administrative review
2018. Rebuttal comments in response to covers one producer/exporter of the In accordance with section
material submitted during the foregoing subject merchandise, Villares. We gave 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, 19 CFR
period may be submitted during the interested parties an opportunity to 351.212(b)(1) and the Final
subsequent 15-day period to July 16, comment on the Preliminary Results. Modification,2 Commerce will instruct
2018. We received no comments. Hence, these U.S. Customs and Border Protection
A copy of the application will be (CBP) to liquidate all appropriate entries
final results are unchanged from the
available for public inspection at the for Villares without regard to
Preliminary Results. Commerce
Office of the Executive Secretary, antidumping duties.
amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
conducted this review in accordance
Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room For entries of subject merchandise
with section 751(a)(1)(B) and (2) of the
21013, U.S. Department of Commerce, during the POR produced by Villares for
Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).
1401 Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20230–0002, and in the 1 See
2 See Antidumping Proceedings: Calculation of
Stainless Steel Bar from Brazil: Preliminary the Weighted-Average Dumping Margin and
‘‘Reading Room’’ section of the FTZ Results of Antidumping Duty Administrative Assessment Rate in Certain Antidumping Duty
Board’s website, which is accessible via Review; 2016–2017, 83 FR 8839 (March 1, 2018) Proceedings; Final Modification, 77 FR 8101, 8102
www.trade.gov/ftz. (Preliminary Results). (February 14, 2012) (Final Modification).
VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:47 May 21, 2018 Jkt 241001 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1](https://thefederalregister.org/doc/83_FR_23730/page/3.svg)
Document Created: 2018-11-02 11:09:47
Document Modified: 2018-11-02 11:09:47
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Dates | Written comments must be submitted on or before July 23, 2018. | |
| Contact | Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Patricia Abaroa, Chief, Direct Investment Division (BE- 49), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 4600 Silver Hill Rd, Washington, DC 20233; or via email at [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 83 FR 23631 |
2024 Federal Register | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
USC | CFR | eCFR