[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 24, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 20630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10087]



[[Page 20630]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposal To Collect Information on the Annual Survey of Foreign 
Direct Investment in the United States

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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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, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Madeleine Clayton, 
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer, (202) 482-3129, Department of Commerce, Room 6086, 
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instruments and instructions 
should be directed to: R. David Belli, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Bureau of Economic Analysis, BE-50(OC), Washington, DC 20230 
(Telephone: 202-606-9800).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States 
(Form BE-15) obtains cut-off sample data on the financial structure and 
operations of nonbank U.S. affiliates of foreign investors. The data 
are needed to provide reliable, useful, and timely measures of foreign 
direct investment in the United States, assess its impact on the U.S. 
economy, and based upon this assessment, make informed policy decisions 
regarding foreign direct investment in the United States. The data are 
used to derive annual estimates of the operations of U.S. affiliates of 
foreign investors, including their balance sheets; income statements; 
property, plant, and equipment; external financing; employment and 
employee compensation; merchandise trade; sales of goods and services; 
taxes; and research and development (R&D) activity. The data are also 
used to update similar data for the universe of U.S. affiliates 
collected once every five years in the BE-12 benchmark survey.
    No changes to the forms and instructions are proposed.

II. Method of Collection

    The BE-15 annual survey is sent to potential respondents at the end 
of March each year. A completed report covering a reporting company's 
fiscal year ending during the previous calendar year is due by May 31, 
60 days after mailing. Reports must be filed by every nonbank U.S. 
business enterprise that is owned 10 percent or more by a foreign 
investor and that has total assets, sales, or net income (or loss) of 
over $30 million. Potential respondents are those nonbank U.S. business 
enterprises that report in the 1997 benchmark survey of foreign direct 
investment in the United States, along with nonbank affiliates that 
subsequently enter the direct investment universe. The BE-15 is a 
cutoff-sample survey, as described; universe estimates are developed 
from the reported sample data.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0608-0034.
    Form Number: BE-15.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,975.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 26 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 128,000 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $3,840,000 (based on an estimated 
reporting burden of 128,000 hours and an estimated hourly cost of $30).

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 has 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 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.

    Dated: April 19, 2001.
Madeleine Clayton,
Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief 
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-10087 Filed 4-23-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P