[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 42 (Thursday, March 5, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9589-9590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4744]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR


Office of Insular Affairs; Allocation of Duty Exemptions for 
Calendar Year 2009 for Watch Producers Located in the United States 
Virgin Islands

AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce; Office of Insular Affairs, Department of the 
Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This action allocates calendar year 2009 duty exemptions for 
watch assembly producers (``program producers'') located in the United 
States Virgin Islands (``USVI'') pursuant to Public Law 97-446, as 
amended by Public Law 103-465, Public Law 106-36 and Public Law 108-429 
(``the Act'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gregory Campbell, Statutory Import 
Programs; phone number: (202) 482-2239; fax number: (202) 501-7952; and 
e-mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Act, the Departments of the 
Interior and Commerce (``the Departments'') share responsibility for 
the allocation of duty exemptions among program producers in the United 
States insular possessions and the Northern Mariana Islands. In 
accordance with Section 303.3(a) of the regulations (15 CFR 303.3(a)), 
the total quantity of duty-free insular watches and watch movements for 
calendar year 2009 is 1,866,000 units for the USVI. This amount was 
established in Changes in Watch, Watch Movement and Jewelry Program for 
the U.S. Insular Possessions, 65 FR 8048 (February 17, 2000). There are 
currently no program producers in Guam, American Samoa or the Northern 
Mariana Islands.
    The criteria for the calculation of the calendar year 2009 duty-
exemption allocations among program producers

[[Page 9590]]

within a particular territory are set forth in Section 303.14 of the 
regulations (15 CFR 303.14). The Departments have verified and, where 
appropriate, adjusted the data submitted in application form ITA-334P 
by USVI program producers and have inspected these producers' 
operations in accordance with Section 303.5 of the regulations (15 CFR 
303.5).
    In calendar year 2008, USVI program producers shipped 183,104 
watches and watch movements into the customs territory of the United 
States under the Act. The dollar amount of corporate income taxes paid 
by USVI program producers during calendar year 2008, and the creditable 
wages and benefits paid by these producers during calendar year 2008 to 
residents of the territory, was a combined total of $2,112,758.
    The calendar year 2009 USVI annual duty exemption allocations, 
based on the data verified by the Departments, are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               Annual
                     Program producer                        allocation
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Belair Quartz, Inc........................................       500,000
Tropex, Inc...............................................        50,000
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    The balance of the units allocated to the USVI is available for new 
entrants into the program or existing program producers who request a 
supplement to their allocation.

    Dated: February 27, 2009.
Ronald Lorentzen,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Import Administration, Department of 
Commerce.
    Dated: February 27, 2009.
Nikolao Pula,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Insular Affairs, Department of 
the Interior.
 [FR Doc. E9-4744 Filed 3-4-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P; 4310-93-P