[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 53 (Tuesday, March 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13123-13124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-5042]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-486]


Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty-Free, Quota-Free 
Treatment for Imports From Least-Developed Countries

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on February 16, 2007, from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR), the

[[Page 13124]]

U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted 
investigation No. 332-486, Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty-
Free, Quota-Free Treatment for Imports from Least-Developed Countries, 
under section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), for 
the purpose of providing advice on the probable economic effect of 
providing duty-free, quota-free treatment (DFQF) for imports from 
least-developed countries (LDCs) on (i) Industries in the United States 
producing like or directly competitive products and (ii) on U.S. 
consumers.

DATES: 
    March 12, 2007: Institution of investigation.
    April 3, 2007: Deadline for filing written submissions.
    August 16, 2007: Transmittal of Commission report to USTR.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 
500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions should be 
addressed to the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 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 Leader Karl Tsuji, Office of 
Industries (202-205-3434; [email protected]) or Deputy Project 
Leader Linda White, Office of Industries (202-205-3427; 
[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 reached agreement at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong 
in December 2005 to provide DFQF market access to products from the 
LDCs (as defined by the United Nations), as outlined in the decision on 
proposal 36 in Annex F of the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration. The 
letter states that the United States has announced that it will 
implement this initiative together with the results of the overall 
negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda.
    In providing its advice, the USTR asked that the Commission 
consider each article in Chapters 1 through 97 of the Harmonized Tariff 
Schedule of the United States (HTS) for which U.S. tariffs or quotas 
will remain after the United States fully implements its Uruguay Round 
tariff commitments, taking into account preferential tariff treatment 
currently being provided to LDCs under the Generalized System of 
Preferences, the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and Caribbean 
Basin Initiative programs. The USTR asked that the advice be based on 
the 2002 HTS nomenclature, and trade and tariff rate data for the year 
2006. The USTR requested that the advice be provided at the 8-digit HTS 
level, or the lowest level of aggregation feasible.
    As requested, the Commission will transmit its advice to the USTR 
by August 16, 2007. The USTR indicated that the sections of the 
Commission's report that analyze the probable economic effects and 
other information that would reveal any aspect of the Commission's 
economic effect advice, should be classified as confidential national 
security information.
    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 April 3, 2007. All written submissions must conform with Sec.  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 Sec.  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 Commission does not intend to issue a public version of its report 
at this time. Should the Commission issue a public version at a later 
time, it will not publish confidential business information in a manner 
that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: March 14, 2007.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E7-5042 Filed 3-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P