[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 21, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 29433-29434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11318]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of Foreign Assets Control

31 CFR Part 592


Rough Diamonds Control Regulations

AGENCY: Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of 
the Treasury (``OFAC'') is amending the Rough Diamonds Control 
Regulations (the ``Regulations'') to add two requirements designed to 
enhance the collection of statistics related to importations and 
exportations of rough diamonds.

DATES: Effective Date: May 21, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Assistant Director for Policy, tel.: 
202/622-4855, Office of Foreign Assets Control, or Chief Counsel 
(Foreign Assets Control), tel.: 202/622-2410, Office of the General 
Counsel, Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20220 (not toll 
free numbers).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic and Facsimile Availability

    This document and additional information concerning the Office of 
Foreign Assets Control are available from OFAC's Web site (http://www.treas.gov/ofac) or via facsimile through a 24-hour fax-on demand 
service, tel.: 202/622-0077.

Background

    On August 4, 2003, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (``OFAC'') 
promulgated the Rough Diamonds Control Regulations, 31 CFR part 592 
(the ``Regulations''), to implement Executive Order 13312 (``E.O. 
13312'') of July 29, 2003. E.O. 13312 was issued to implement the Clean 
Diamond Trade Act (Pub. L. 108-19) and the multilateral Kimberley 
Process Certification Scheme for rough diamonds (KPCS). The Regulations 
were amended on September 23, 2004, to revise certain reporting 
requirements (69 FR 56936). Today, OFAC is further amending the 
Regulations to enhance the compilation of statistical data relating to 
the importation and exportation of rough diamonds.
    Specifically, OFAC is amending the Regulations by adding an 
additional note to the definition of the term Controlled through the 
Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, contained in section 592.301. 
Section 592.301 sets forth requirements that apply, as appropriate, to 
the importation into, or exportation from, the United States of any 
shipment of rough diamonds. The new note to this section explains that 
the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will not release custody 
of an importation of rough diamonds, unless the import conforms with 
the CBP's formal entry for consumption requirements, as defined in the 
CBP regulations (see 19 CFR 141.0a(f)). In addition, OFAC is amending 
the Regulations to add a new section 592.502, which requires all 
importers and exporters of rough diamonds to file an annual report with 
the Department of State detailing their import, export and stockpile 
information.

Public Participation

    Because the amendments to the Regulations involve a foreign affairs 
function, Executive Order 12866 and the provisions of the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) requiring notice of 
proposed rulemaking, opportunity for public participation, and delay in 
effective date are inapplicable. Because no notice of proposed 
rulemaking is required for this rule, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
U.S.C. 601-612) does not apply.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The collections of information related to 31 CFR Part 592 are 
contained in 31 CFR Part 501 (the ``Reporting, Procedures and Penalties 
Regulations''). Pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3507), those collections of information have been approved by 
the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1505-0198. An 
agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to 
respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of 
information displays a valid control number.

List of Subjects in 31 CFR Part 592

    Administrative practice and procedure, Foreign trade, Exports, 
Imports, Kimberly Process, Penalties, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Rough diamond.

0
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Office of Foreign Assets 
Control amends 31 CFR part 592 as follows:

PART 592--ROUGH DIAMONDS CONTROL REGULATIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 592 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 3 U.S.C. 301; 31 U.S.C. 321(b); Pub. L. 108-19, 117 
Stat. 631 (19 U.S.C. 3901-3913); E.O. 13312, 68 FR 45151, 3 CFR, 
2003 Comp., p. 246.

Subpart C--General Definitions

0
2. Amend Sec.  592.301(b) by adding a new Note 4 to read as follows:


Sec.  592.301  Controlled through the Kimberley Process Certification 
Scheme.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *

    Note 4 to Sec.  592.301: As of May 21, 2008, any diamond, 
regardless of value, that is described in subheadings 7102.10, 
7102.21 or 7102.31, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
and is imported into the United States shall not be released from 
the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) except by a 
formal entry for consumption, as defined in Sec.  141.0a(f) of the 
CBP regulations. See 19 CFR 141.0a(f).


[[Page 29434]]



Subpart E--Records and Reports

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3. Add a new Sec.  592.502 to read as follows:


Sec.  592.502  Annual Reports by Rough Diamond Importers and Exporters.

    (a) Requirement for reports. Reports shall be filed annually, by 
April 1 of each year, covering the preceding calendar year (January 1-
December 31), except the first annual report, covering the period 
January 1-December 31, 2007, shall be filed by September 1, 2008.
    (b) Who must report; reporting period. All persons who import rough 
diamonds into the United States or export rough diamonds from the 
United States during the reporting period (January 1-December 31).
    (c) What must be reported. The report need not be in any specified 
format but must include the following information:
    (1) The contact information of the U.S. importer or exporter, 
including name, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail 
address;
    (2) Identification of total import and/or export activity for each 
of the three Harmonized Tariff Schedule classifications of rough 
diamonds during the reporting year, including:
    (A) Total amount of carats of each classification of rough diamonds 
imported and/or exported; and
    (B) Total of all shipments of each classification of rough diamonds 
imported and/or exported.
    (3) Information on stockpiles of rough diamonds, if any, for each 
of the three Harmonized Tariff Schedule classifications, as of the end 
of the reporting year, reported in both total carats and approximate 
total value. For the purposes of this section, stockpiles are defined 
as the amount of rough diamonds held unsold at the end of the reporting 
period.
    (d) Where to send report. Reports must be filed with the Office of 
the Special Advisor for Conflict Diamonds, U.S. Department of State via 
e-mail at [email protected]. For further information, please 
call that office at 202/647-1713.
    (e) Failure to file report. Any importer or exporter who fails to 
file a required report shall be subject to the penalties set forth in 
Subpart F of this part.

    Dated: May 14, 2008.
Adam J. Szubin,
Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
[FR Doc. E8-11318 Filed 5-20-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4811-45-P