[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 14, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31332-31333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-14572]



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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Generalized System of Preferences (GSP); Notice of an 
``Emergency'' Review to Consider Requests for ``De Minimis'' Waivers of 
the Competitive Need Limits for Buffalo Leather From Thailand and for 
Aluminum Conductor From Venezuela; Request for Comments

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Initiation of an ``emergency'' review and solicitation of 
public comments with respect to requests for ``de minimis'' waivers of 
the competitive need limits for buffalo leather from Thailand and for 
aluminum conductor from Venezuela.

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SUMMARY: This notice initiates an expedited review and solicits public 
comments with respect to requests for ``de minimis'' waivers for the 
competitive need limits for buffalo leather from Thailand and for 
aluminum conductor from Venezuela.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:GSP Subcommittee, Office of the United 
States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW., Room 518, 
Washington, DC 20506. The telephone number is (202) 395-6971.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 504(d)(2) of the Trade Act of 1974, 
as amended (``Trade Act'') (19 U.S.C. 2464(d)(2)) authorizes the 
President to disregard the 50-percent competitive need limit, which is 
provided for in section 504(c)(1)(B) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 
2464(c)(1)(b)), with respect to any 

[[Page 31333]]
eligible GSP article from any beneficiary country if the value of total 
imports of the article during the most recent calendar year did not 
exceed $5 million, adjusted annually to reflect the nominal growth in 
U.S. GNP since 1979. The so-called adjusted ``de minimis'' limit for 
1994 is $13,346,358.
    In 1994, imports of buffalo leather from Thailand and imports of 
aluminum conductor cable from Venezuela each exceeded the competitive 
need limits because they accounted for more than 50 percent of total 
U.S. imports. However, total imports of each article were below the 
``de minimis'' limit for 1994. Therefore, they are each eligible to be 
granted a ``de minimis'' waiver of the competitive need limits.
    On April 17, 1995, the Lackawanna Leather Company filed a request 
for urgent consideration with the GSP Subcommittee, pursuant to 15 CFR 
2007.3(b), requesting a ``de minimis'' waiver of the competitive need 
limits for buffalo leather from Thailand that is classified in 
subheading 4104.39.20 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States (HTS). On May 3, 1995, the General Cable Corporation filed a 
request for urgent consideration with the GSP Subcommittee, pursuant to 
15 CFR 2007.3(b), requesting a ``de minimis'' wavier of the competitive 
need limits for aluminum conductor from Venezuela that is classified in 
HTS subheading 7614.90.20.
    The GSP Subcommittee has decided to accept these requests for 
urgent consideration. Accordingly, this notice initiates an expedited 
review to consider these requests. The GSP Subcommittee invites 
submission in support of, or in opposition to, the requests that are 
the subject of this notice. All such submissions should conform to 15 
CFR part 2007 et seq. Interested parties must submit an original and 
fourteen (14) copies of a written statement, in English, with respect 
to the articles under consideration. This will be the only opportunity 
to submit written comments.
    All submissions should be sent to the Chairman of the GSP 
Subcommittee, 600 17th Street, NW., Room 518, Washington, DC 20506. 
Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 
1995. Information submitted will be subject to public inspection by 
appointment only with the staff of the USTR Public Reading Room, except 
for information granted ``business confidential'' status pursuant to 15 
CFR 2003.6 and other qualifying information submitted in confidence 
pursuant to 15 CFR 2007.7. If the petition contains business 
confidential information, an original and fourteen (14) copies of a 
nonconfidential version of the submission along with an original and 
fourteen (14) copies of the confidential version must be submitted. In 
addition, each copy of the submission containing confidential 
information should be clearly marked ``confidential'' at the top and 
bottom of each page of the submission. Each copy of the version that 
does not contain business confidential information (the public version) 
should also be clearly marked at the top and bottom of each page 
(either ``public version'' or ``nonconfidential'').
Frederick L. Montgomery,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 95-14572 Filed 6-13-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-01-M