[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 6, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 32507]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-5138]


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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 authorized 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 5 p.m., August 
7, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or e-mail 
[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Obie G. Whitchard, Chief, 
International Investment Division, (BE-50), Bureau of Economic 
Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; phone 
(202) 606-9890 (or e-mail [email protected]).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States 
(Form BE-15) obtains 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 activity. In addition, data 
covering employment and property, plant, and equipment are collected by 
state. The data are also used to update similar data for the universe 
of U.S. affiliates collected once every five years on the BE-12 
benchmark survey.
    BEA proposes the following changes to the survey, beginning with 
the survey for 2006: (1) Add a question to the BE- 15 EZ, short form, 
and long form to identify the accounting principles used to compile and 
report the survey data. (2) Modify the question on the BE-15 long form 
that collects information on the major industrial activity of the U.S. 
affiliate to include all of the affiliate's major activities; 
currently, information on only one major activity is collected. (3) 
Include a check box on the BE-15 Supplement C to determine if a U.S. 
affiliate is claiming an exemption based on a merger or on a 
consolidation; currently, a single check box covers both mergers and 
consolidations. (4) Clarify certain instructions, add illustrative 
diagrams, and modify formatting in an effort to make the survey forms 
more clear and easier to complete. Taken together, these changes will 
not affect the overall respondent burden for the survey.

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. 
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 reported 
in the 2002 benchmark survey of foreign direct investment in the United 
States, along with nonbank businesses that subsequently entered the 
direct investment universe. The BE-15 is a 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: 4,950.
    Estimated Time per Response: 21.8 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 107,900 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: $4,316,000 (based on an estimated 
reporting burden of 107,900 hours and an estimated hourly cost of $40).

IV. Requests for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and costs) 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: June 1, 2006.
Madeleine Clayton,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 06-5138 Filed 6-5-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-M