[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 31 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7455-7456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2604]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. DR-CAFTA-103-016]


Probable Economic Effect of Modifications to DR-CAFTA Rules of 
Origin and Tariffs for Certain Apparel Goods of Costa Rica and the 
Dominican Republic

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on January 24, 2007, from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR), the Commission instituted 
investigation No. DR-CAFTA-103-016, Probable Economic Effect of 
Modifications to DR-CAFTA Rules of Origin and Tariffs for Certain 
Apparel Goods of Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, for the purpose 
of providing advice on the probable economic effect of the modification 
of the rules of origin and tariff treatment as reflected in the annex 
to the request.

DATES: 
March 2, 2007: Deadline for filing written submissions.
May 24, 2007: Transmittal of Commission report to USTR.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions, 
including requests to appear at the hearing, statements, and briefs, 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC

[[Page 7456]]

20436. The public record for this investigation may be viewed on the 
Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leaders Laura Rodriguez, 
Office of Industries (202-205-3499; [email protected] or George 
Serletis, Office of Industries (202-205-3315; 
[email protected]). For information on legal aspects, contact 
William Gearhart of the Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091; 
[email protected]). The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819; 
[email protected]). General information concerning the 
Commission may also be obtained by accessing its Internet server 
(http://www.usitc.gov). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
on (202) 205-1810. Persons with mobility impairments who will need 
special assistance in gaining access to the Commission should contact 
the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USTR's letter states that the United 
States has recently signed letters of understanding with the Dominican 
Republic and Costa Rica concerning amendments to the Dominican 
Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement after the 
Agreement enters into force for those countries that would modify 
certain rules of origin in the Agreement as well as the tariff 
treatment of certain non-originating goods imported from parties to the 
agreement. Section 1634(b) of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 
authorizes the President, subject to the layover requirements of 
section 104 of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States 
Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4014), to proclaim 
such modifications to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United 
States as are necessary to implement amendments to the Agreement. One 
of the requirements set out in section 104 of the Act is that the 
President obtain advice regarding the proposed action from the 
Commission.
    The Annex to the USTR's letter identified five modifications for 
which advice is requested. The list can be viewed at http://www.usitc.gov/edis.htm. As requested, the Commission will transmit its 
advice to the USTR by May 24, 2007, and will issue a public verison of 
its report shortly thereafter, with any confidential business 
information deleted.
    Written Submissions: No public hearing is planned. However, 
interested parties are invited to submit written statements concerning 
the matters to be addressed by the Commission in its report on this 
investigation. Submissions should be addressed to the Secretary to the 
Commission. To be assured of consideration by the Commission, written 
statements related to the investigation should be submitted to the 
Commission at the earliest practical date but no later than 5:15 p.m. 
on March 2, 2007. All written submissions must conform with section 
201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 
201.8). Section 201.8 of the rules requires that a signed original (or 
copy designated as an original) and fourteen (14) copies of each 
document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of the 
document is requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be 
filed, in which the confidential business information must be deleted 
(see the following paragraph for further information regarding 
confidential business information). The Commission's rules do not 
authorize the filing of submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or 
electronic means, except to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of 
the rules (see Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/rules/documents/handbook_on_electronic_filing.pdf). Persons with questions regarding 
electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000 or 
[email protected]).
    Any submissions that contain confidential business information must 
also conform with the requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the 
rules requires that the cover of the document and the individual pages 
be clearly marked as to whether they are the ``confidential'' or 
``nonconfidential'' version, and that the confidential business 
information be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written 
submissions, except for confidential business information, will be made 
available in the Office of the Secretary to the Commission for 
inspection by interested parties.
    The Commission may include some or all of the confidential business 
information submitted in the course of this investigation in the report 
it sends to the USTR. The USTR has directed that the Commission, after 
transmitting its report, publish a public version of its report, with 
any confidential business information deleted. Accordingly, any 
confidential business information received by the Commission in this 
investigation and used in preparing the report will not be published in 
the public version of the report in a manner that would reveal the 
operations of the firm supplying the information.

    Issued: February 9, 2007.

    By order of the Commission.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E7-2604 Filed 2-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P