[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 49 (Monday, March 13, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13308-13309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-6082]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-388]


Simplification of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Revised schedule for publication of report for the subject 
investigation; request for submissions.

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EFFECTIVE DATE: March 7, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eugene A. Rosengarden, Director, 
Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements (O/TA&TA) (202-205-2592); 
Janis L. Summers, Attorney-Advisor (202-205-2605); or Gil Whitson, 
Special Assistant to the Director (202-205-2602). The O/TA&TA fax 
number is 202-205-2616. These officials may be reached via Internet e-
mail at [email protected]; [email protected]; or 
[email protected], respectively. Hearing impaired individuals are 
advised that information on this matter can be obtained by contacting 
our TDD terminal on 202-205-1810. Media representatives should contact 
Margaret O'Laughlin, Public Affairs Officer (202-205-1819). This 
notice, and other notices published pursuant to section 332(g) of the 
Tariff Act of 1930, can be obtained from the ITC Internet web server: 
http://www.usitc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission instituted this 
investigation, Simplification of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the 
United States, on November 5, 1997, following receipt of a letter of 
request seeking the Commission's report by July 13, 2000. Subsequently, 
on February 25, 1998, the Commission issued a revised schedule for the 
subject investigation; on March 25, 1999, the Commission issued a 
schedule for public comment in conjunction with the investigation, with 
a closing date of June 30, 1999, for such submissions. That revised 
work schedule calls for the publication of the Commission's report in 
the subject investigation by February 28, 2000, following an evaluation 
of the comments received.
    The Commission has determined that additional time should be 
devoted to preparing its report. Accordingly, the

[[Page 13309]]

Commission is again revising the schedule in this investigation with 
respect to the publication of its final report, and announces that the 
report will be issued by June 30, 2000. In addition, after examining 
the volume and nature of the comments received, and following 
discussions with the Congressional committees concerned, the Commission 
has decided that a public hearing in the subject investigation will not 
be conducted, in order to allow the maximum time for work on its final 
report. The final report in the investigation will set forth the 
proposed legal provisions of a simplified tariff schedule; statistical 
annotations and notes would be separately considered for subsequent 
addition by the Committee for Statistical Annotation of Tariff 
Schedules (the so-called ``484(f) Committee'') pursuant to section 
484(f) of the Tariff Act of 1930.
    In order to assist in that statistical review, the 484(f) Committee 
requests the submission of written comments regarding the desirability 
of and possible procedures for ``sunsetting'' 10-digit statistical 
annotations to the HTS, in particular with respect to an appropriate 
period of time (such as 5 years) after which each annotation might be 
reviewed and/or deleted from the schedule. Interested persons or 
entities are invited to file comments concerning a possible ``sunset'' 
guideline; such comments should be general in nature, rather than being 
focused on particular statistical categories. Written statements should 
be filed as quickly as possible, and follow-up statements are 
permitted; but all statements must be received at the Commission by the 
close of business on April 3, 2000, in order to be considered and made 
part of the record. Commercial or financial information which a 
submitter desires the Commission to treat as confidential must be 
submitted on separate sheets of paper, each marked ``Confidential 
Business Information'' at the top. All submissions requesting 
confidential treatment must conform with the requirements of section 
201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 
201.6). All written submissions, except for confidential business 
information, will be available for inspection by interested persons. 
All submissions should be addressed to the Office of the Secretary, 
United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20436. The Commission's rules do not authorize filing of 
submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means.
    Questions regarding the investigation can be directed to the staff 
members listed above, and documents concerning the subject 
investigation have been placed on the Commission's web site for 
inspection and/or downloading. Printed copies of documents and 
submissions have been placed in the Secretary's docket section for 
inspection and copying.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: March 7, 2000.
Donna R. Koehnke,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 00-6082 Filed 3-10-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P