[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 25, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23895-23896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6223]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board


Facilitating the Use of Foreign-Trade Zones by Small and Medium-
Sized Manufacturers

    Two years ago, as part of the Department of Commerce's 
manufacturing initiative, the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board published

[[Page 23896]]

proposals designed to enhance access and reduce the FTZ program's 
costs, particularly for small and medium-sized manufacturers, thereby 
helping to improve such companies' international competitiveness. The 
proposals resulted in implementation of a new procedure for temporary/
interim manufacturing (T/IM) authority, new application guidelines/
forms, and increased outreach. Now, after eighteen months of experience 
in administering the new procedures and guidelines, the FTZ Board is 
assessing two possible proposals for improvements.
    One possible improvement could involve modifying the T/IM procedure 
to define eligibility for application consideration on the basis of 
broader product and input categories than is currently the practice. 
However, T/IM applicants would still be required to explain the 
specific activity which they seek to conduct under T/IM procedures, 
including the degree of similarity of requested products/inputs to 
already approved products/inputs in the T/IM database. Modification of 
the T/IM procedure would leave most current elements of T/IM practice 
in place, including limitation to non-complex, non-controversial 
proposals, the requirement for a 30-day public comment period on any T/
IM proposal, the practice of consultation with appropriate industry 
experts within government, and the FTZ Board Executive Secretary's 
discretion to refer any T/IM case to the full FTZ Board. A particular 
benefit of modifying the T/IM procedure, as outlined above, could be to 
give manufacturers already operating in FTZs/subzones greater ability 
to react quickly to new challenges or opportunities.
    A second possible improvement could involve providing further 
guidance to potential applicants or FTZ users on the parameters of the 
scope of a given application/grant of authority. The focus would be on 
means of ensuring flexibility for users while maintaining a meaningful 
application review process for the FTZ Board and potential interested 
parties.
    Public comment on these possible improvements is invited from 
interested parties. We ask that parties fax a copy of their comments, 
addressed to the Board's Executive Secretary, to (202) 482-0002. We 
also ask that parties submit the original of their comments to the 
Board's Executive Secretary at one of the following addresses:
    1. Submissions Via Express/Package Delivery Services: Foreign-
Trade-Zones Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, Franklin Court 
Building--Suite 4100W, 1099 14th St., NW., Washington, DC 20005; or
    2. Submissions Via the U.S. Postal Service: Foreign-Trade-Zones 
Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, FCB--Suite 4100W, 1401 Constitution 
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20230.
    The closing period for the receipt of public comments is May 25, 
2006. Any questions about this request for comments may be directed to 
the FTZ Board staff at (202) 482-2862.

    Dated: April 20, 2006.
Dennis Puccinelli,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-6223 Filed 4-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P