[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 28, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4974-4975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1774]


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 INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-506]


Advice Concerning Possible Modifications to the U.S. Generalized 
System of Preferences, 2008 Review of Competitive Need Limit Waivers

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and scheduling of hearing.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on January 12, 2009 from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR) under section 332(g) of the 
Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), the U.S. International Trade 
Commission (Commission) instituted investigation No. 332-506, Advice 
Concerning Possible Modifications to the U.S. Generalized System of 
Preferences, 2008 Review of Competitive Need Limit Waivers.

DATES: February 4, 2009: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the 
public hearing.
    February 6, 2009: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    February 27, 2009: Public hearing.
    March 6, 2009: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and 
statements and other written submissions.
    April 13, 2009: Transmittal of report to the Office of the United 
States Trade Representative.

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 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States 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://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information specific to this 
investigation may be obtained from Eric Land, Project Leader, Office of 
Industries (202-205-3349 or [email protected]) or Gail Burns, Deputy 
Project Leader, Office of Industries (202-205-2501 or 
[email protected]). For information on the legal aspects of these 
investigations, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's Office of 
the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or [email protected]). The 
media should contact Margaret O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations 
(202-205-1819 or [email protected]). Hearing-impaired 
individuals may obtain information on this matter by contacting the 
Commission's TDD terminal at 202-205-1810. General information 
concerning the Commission may also be obtained by accessing its 
Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov). 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.
    Background: As requested by the USTR, under the authority delegated 
by the President, pursuant to section 332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, 
and in accordance with sections 503(d)(1)(A) of the Trade Act of 1974 
(1974 Act) (19 U.S.C. 2463(d)(1)(A)), the Commission will provide 
advice on whether any industry in the United States is likely to be 
adversely affected by a waiver of the competitive need limits specified 
in section 503(c)(2)(A) of the 1974 Act for the following countries and 
articles provided for in the noted subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff 
System (HTS): Argentina for HTS subheading 4107.91.80 and 7202.99.20; 
Brazil for HTS subheading 2922.41.00; India for HTS subheading 
7202.41.00; Indonesia for HTS subheading 3907.60.00; and Turkey for HTS 
subheading 7413.00.10. As requested, the Commission will also provide 
advice in accordance with section 503(c)(2)(E) of the 1974 Act with 
respect to whether like or directly competitive products were being 
produced in the United States on January 1, 1995. In addition, as 
requested, the Commission will provide advice as to the probable 
economic effect on total U.S. imports, and on consumers, of the 
petitioned waivers. As requested by the USTR, the Commission will use 
the dollar value limit of $135,000,000 for purposes of section 
503(c)(2)(A)(i)(I) of the 1974 Act.
    As requested by the USTR, the Commission will provide its advice by 
April 13, 2009. The USTR indicated that those sections of the 
Commission's report and related working papers that contain the 
Commission's advice will be classified as ``confidential.''
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this 
investigation will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on 
February 27, 2009. Requests to

[[Page 4975]]

appear at the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary no 
later than 5:15 p.m. February 4, 2009. Any pre-hearing briefs and other 
statements relating to the hearing should be filed with the Secretary 
not later than 5:15 p.m. February 6, 2009, and all post-hearing briefs 
and statements and any other written submissions should be filed with 
the Secretary not later than 5:15 p.m. March 6, 2009. All requests to 
appear and pre- and post-hearing briefs and statements must be filed in 
accordance with the requirements in the ``Written Submissions'' section 
below. In the event that, as of the close of business on February 4, 
2009, no witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing 
will be canceled. Persons interested in learning whether the hearing 
has been cancelled should call the Office of the Secretary after 
February 4, 2009, at 202-205-2000.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in 
the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written submissions 
concerning this investigation. All such submissions should be addressed 
to the Secretary and should be received not later than 5:15 p.m. March 
6, 2009 (see earlier dates for filing requests to appear and for filing 
pre-hearing briefs and statements). All written submissions must 
conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules 
of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 201.8 requires that a 
signed original (or a copy so designated) and fourteen (14) copies of 
each document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of a 
document is requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be 
filed in which the confidential information must be deleted (see the 
following paragraph for further information regarding confidential 
business information). The Commission's rules authorize filing 
submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means only 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). 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 ``non-confidential'' 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 the investigation in the report it sends to the USTR.
    As requested by the USTR, the Commission will publish a public 
version of the report, which will exclude portions of the report that 
the USTR has classified as well as any business confidential 
information.


    By order of the Commission.
    Issued: January 23, 2009.
Marilyn R. Abbott,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E9-1774 Filed 1-27-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P