[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 229 (Tuesday, December 1, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62812-62814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-28764]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Inv. No. 332-509]


Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: U.S. and EU Export 
Activities, and Barriers and Opportunities Experienced by U.S. Firms

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and scheduling of hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on October 6, 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 Commission instituted 
investigation No. 332-509, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: U.S. and 
EU Export Activities, and Barriers and Opportunities Experienced by 
U.S. Firms, for the purpose of preparing the

[[Page 62813]]

second in a series of three reports requested by the USTR relating to 
small and medium-sized enterprises.

DATES: 
    January 26, 2010: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the 
public hearing.
    January 28, 2010: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    February 9, 2010: Public hearing (Washington, DC).
    February 23, 2010: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    March 26, 2010: Deadline for filing written submissions.
    July 6, 2010: Transmittal of Commission report to the USTR.

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: Project Leaders Laura Bloodgood (202-
708-4726 or [email protected]) or Justino De La Cruz (202-205-
3252 or [email protected]) for information specific to this 
investigation. For information on the legal aspects of this 
investigation, 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: In his letter the USTR requested that the Commission 
provide three reports during the next 12 months relating to small and 
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In this notice the Commission is 
instituting the second of three investigations under section 332(g) for 
the purpose of preparing the second report, which is to be transmitted 
to the USTR by July 6, 2010. The Commission published notice of 
institution of the first investigation, investigation No. 332-508, in 
the Federal Register of October 28, 2009 (74 FR 55581). As requested, 
in the second report (investigation No. 332-509) the Commission will:
    (1) Assist in analyzing the performance of U.S. SME firms in 
exporting compared to SMEs exporting in other leading economies. As one 
way of comparing the performance of U.S. SMEs to those in other 
countries, the Commission will compare the exporting activity of SMEs 
in the United States and the European Union (EU), and analyze the 
distinctions between U.S. and EU firms in terms of sectoral 
composition, firm characteristics, and exporting behavior.
    (2) Identify barriers to exporting noted by U.S. SMEs and 
strategies used by SMEs to overcome special constraints and reduce 
trade costs.
    (3) Identify the benefits to SMEs from increased export 
opportunities, including free trade agreements and other trading 
arrangements.
    To best aid the Commission in gathering information for the report, 
the Commission is seeking information in response to the following 
questions:
     What are the most significant constraints that U.S. SMEs 
face in their efforts to export?
     If SMEs have been successful in overcoming those 
constraints, what strategies have they adopted?
     What particular benefits do SMEs believe they have 
received from increased export opportunities including those from free 
trade agreements and other trading arrangements; which trade agreements 
or other arrangements have been most beneficial?
    The USTR requested that the Commission deliver the second report by 
July 6, 2010. The Commission shortly expects to institute a third 
investigation, investigation No. 332-510, Small and Medium-Sized 
Enterprises: Characteristics and Performance, for the purpose of 
preparing the third report. In that report the Commission will, among 
other things, examine U.S. SMEs engaged in providing services, 
including the characteristics of firms that produce tradable services, 
growth in services exports, and the differences between SME and large 
services exporters. It will also examine U.S. goods and services 
exports by SMEs and identify trade barriers that may disproportionately 
affect SME export performance, as well as possible linkages between 
exporting and SME performance. In addition, the report will identify 
how data gaps might be overcome to enhance our understanding of SMEs in 
service sector exports. The USTR requested that the Commission transmit 
this third report by October 6, 2010.
    Public Hearing: The Commission will hold a joint public hearing in 
connection with this investigation and investigation No. 332-510 at the 
U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW., 
Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 9, 2010 
(and continuing on February 10, 2010, if needed). Requests to appear at 
the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary no later than 
5:15 p.m., January 26, 2010, in accordance with the requirements in the 
``Submissions'' section below. Persons wishing to appear should 
indicate in their request to appear whether they plan to provide 
testimony with respect to investigation No. 332-509, investigation No. 
332-510, or both investigations. All pre-hearing briefs and statements 
should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., January 28, 2010; and all 
post-hearing briefs and statements responding to matters raised at the 
hearing should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., February 23, 2010. In 
the event that, as of the close of business on January 26, 2010, no 
witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be 
canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an observer 
or non-participant may call the Office of the Secretary (202-205-2000) 
after January 26, 2010, for information concerning whether the hearing 
will be held. The Commission is also considering holding additional 
hearings in Portland, Oregon and St. Louis, Missouri. Notice of the 
time, date, and place of those hearings would be published at a later 
date.
    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 written submissions should be 
addressed to the Secretary, and all such submissions (other than pre- 
and post-hearing briefs and statements) should be received not later 
than 5:15 p.m., March 26, 2010. 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

[[Page 62814]]

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 Office of 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 
for inspection by interested parties.
    In his request letter, the USTR stated that his office intends to 
make the Commission's reports available to the public in their 
entirety, and asked that the Commission not include any confidential 
business information or national security classified information in the 
reports that the Commission transmits to his office. Any confidential 
business information received by the Commission in this investigation 
and used in preparing this report will not be published in a manner 
that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: November 25, 2009.
William R. Bishop,
Acting Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. E9-28764 Filed 11-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P