[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 28, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 57894]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-21733]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Industry and Security

15 CFR Chapter VII

[Docket No. 040913263-4263-01]


Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural 
Commodities to Cuba

AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is requesting public 
comments on the effectiveness of licensing procedures set forth in the 
Export Administration Regulations for the export of agricultural 
commodities to Cuba. BIS will include a description of these comments 
in its biennial report to the Congress, required by the Trade Sanctions 
Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000.

DATES: Comments must be received by October 28, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments (three copies) should be sent to Sheila 
Quarterman, Regulatory Policy Division, Bureau of Industry and 
Security, Department of Commerce, P.O. Box 273, Washington, DC 20044, 
or to e-mail [email protected]. Comments may also be e-mailed to 
Brian Nilsson, Office of Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance, at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Nilsson, Foreign Policy Controls 
Division, Bureau of Industry and Security, Telephone: (202) 482-4252. 
Additional information on BIS procedures and our previous biennial 
report under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act, as 
amended, is available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/licensing/TSRA_TOC.html. Copies of these materials may also be requested by contacting 
the Office of Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) 
authorizes exports of agricultural commodities to Cuba pursuant to 
section 906(a) of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act 
of 2000 (TSRA) (22 U.S.C. 7205(a)), under the procedures set forth in 
Sec.  740.18 of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR 
740.18). These are the only licensing procedures currently in effect 
pursuant to the requirements of section 906(a) of TSRA.
    Under the provisions of section 906(c) of TSRA (22 U.S.C. 7205(c)), 
BIS must submit a biennial report to the Congress on the operation of 
the licensing system implemented pursuant to section 906(a) for the 
preceding two-year period. This report is to include the number and 
types of licenses applied for, the number and types of licenses 
approved, the average amount of time elapsed from the date of filing of 
a license application until the date of its approval, the extent to 
which the licensing procedures were effectively implemented, and a 
description of comments received from interested parties during a 30-
day public comment period about the effectiveness of the licensing 
procedures. BIS is currently preparing a biennial report on the 
operation of the licensing system for the two-year period from October 
1, 2002 to September 30, 2004.
    By this notice, BIS requests public comments on the effectiveness 
of the licensing procedures for the export of agricultural commodities 
to Cuba set forth under Sec.  740.18 of the EAR. Parties submitting 
comments are asked to be as specific as possible. All comments received 
by the close of the comment period will be considered by BIS in 
developing the report to Congress.
    All information relating to the notice will be a matter of public 
record and will be available for public inspection and copying. In the 
interest of accuracy and completeness, BIS requires written comments. 
Oral comments must be followed by written memoranda, which will also be 
a matter of public record and will be available for public review and 
copying.
    Copies of the public record concerning these regulations may be 
requested from: Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 6883, 1401 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230; (202) 482-2165. The 
Office of Administration displays these public comments on BIS's 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Web site at http://www.bis.doc.gov/foia. This office does not maintain a separate public inspection 
facility. If you have technical difficulties accessing this Web site, 
please call BIS's Office of Administration at (202) 482-2165 for 
assistance.

    Dated: September 17, 2004.
Peter Lichtenbaum,
Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-21733 Filed 9-27-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P