[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43213-43214]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20519]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA); Notice Regarding the 2009 
Annual Review

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and request for petitions.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the 2009 Annual Review of the Andean 
Trade Preference Act (ATPA). Under this process, petitions may be filed 
calling for the limitation, withdrawal or suspension of ATPA or ATPDEA 
benefits by presenting evidence that the eligibility criteria of the 
program are not being met. USTR will publish in the Federal Register a 
list of petitions filed in response to this announcement and accepted 
for review.

DATES: The deadline for the submission of petitions for the 2009 Annual 
ATPA Review is September 22, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Petitions should be submitted electronically via the 
Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. For alternatives to on-line 
submissions please contact Gloria Blue, Executive Secretary, Trade 
Policy Staff Committee, at (202) 395-3475.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bennett M. Harman, Deputy Assistant 
U.S. Trade Representative for Latin America, Office of the Americas, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th St., NW., 
Washington, DC 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-9446 and the 
facsimile number is (202) 395-9675.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ATPA (19 U.S.C. 3201-06), as renewed and 
amended by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA) 
in the Trade Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-210) and extended by the Andean 
Trade Preference Act, (Pub L. 110-436), provides for trade benefits for 
eligible Andean countries. The current beneficiaries of the ATPA are 
Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Consistent with Section 3103(d) of the 
ATPDEA, USTR promulgated regulations (15 CFR part 2016) (68 FR 43922) 
regarding the review of eligibility of articles and countries for the 
benefits of the ATPA, as amended. The 2009 Annual ATPA Review is the 
sixth such review to be conducted pursuant to the ATPA review 
regulations. To qualify for the benefits of the ATPA and ATPDEA, each 
country must meet several eligibility criteria, as set forth in 
sections 203(c) and (d), and section 204(b)(6)(B) of the ATPA, as 
amended (19 U.S.C. 3202(c), (d); 19 U.S.C. 3203(b)(6)(B)). Under 
section 203(e) of the ATPA, as amended (19 U.S.C. 3202(e)), the 
President may withdraw or suspend the designation of any country as an 
ATPA or ATPDEA beneficiary country, and may also withdraw, suspend, or 
limit preferential treatment for any product of any such beneficiary 
country, if the President determines that, as a result of changed 
circumstances, the country is not meeting the eligibility criteria.
    The ATPA regulations provide the schedule of dates for conducting 
an annual review, unless otherwise specified by Federal Register 
notice. Notice is hereby given that, in order to be considered in the 
2009 Annual ATPA Review, all petitions to withdraw or suspend the 
designation of a country as an ATPA or ATPDEA beneficiary country, or 
to withdraw, suspend, or limit application of preferential treatment to 
any article of any ATPA beneficiary country under the ATPA, or to any 
article of any ATPDEA beneficiary country under section 204(b)(1), (3), 
or (4) (19 U.S.C. 3202(b)(1), (3), (4)) of the ATPA, must be received 
by the Andean Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee no later 
than 5 p.m. EDT on September 22, 2009. Petitioners should consult 15 
CFR 2016.0 regarding the content of such petitions.
    Requirements for Submissions: To ensure the most timely and 
expeditious receipt and consideration of petitions, USTR has arranged 
to accept on-line submissions via http://www.regulations.gov. To submit 
petitions via http://www.regulations.gov, enter docket number USTR-
2009-0024 on the home page and click ``go''. The site will provide a 
search-results page listing all documents associated with this docket. 
Find a reference to this notice by selecting ``Notice'' under 
``Document Type'' on the left side of the search-results page, and 
click on the link entitled ``Send a Comment or Submission.'' (For 
further information on using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site, 
please consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on 
``How to Use This Site'' on the left side of the home page.)
    The http://www.regulations.gov Web site provides the option of 
making submissions by filling in a ``General Comments'' field, or by 
attaching a document. Petitions should be submitted as attachments. 
When doing this it is sufficient to type ``See attached'' in the 
``General Comments'' field.
    Submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) are 
preferred. If you use an application other than those two, please 
identify the application in your submission.
    Persons wishing to file comments containing business confidential 
information must submit a business confidential version and a public 
version. The file name of the business confidential version should 
begin with the characters ``BC''. Any page containing business 
confidential information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS 
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page. Persons wishing to file 
comments containing business confidential information must also 
provide, in a separate submission, a public version of the comments. 
The file name of the public version should begin with the character 
``P''. The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed by the name of the 
person or entity submitting the comments. If you submit comments that 
contain no business confidential information, the file name should 
begin with the character ``P'', followed by the name of the person or 
entity submitting the comments. Electronic submissions should not 
attach separate cover letters; rather, information that might appear in 
a cover letter should be included in the comments you submit. 
Similarly, to the extent possible, please include any exhibits, 
annexes, or other attachments to a submission in the same file as the 
submission itself and not as separate files.
    We strongly urge submitters to use electronic filing. If an on-line 
submission is impossible, alternative arrangements must be made with 
Ms. Blue prior to delivery for the receipt of such submissions. Ms. 
Blue may be contacted at (202) 395-3475. General

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information concerning the Office of the United States Trade 
Representative may be obtained by accessing its Internet Web site 
(http://www.ustr.gov).

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. E9-20519 Filed 8-25-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W9-P