[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 72 (Thursday, April 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19669-19670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8629]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA), as Amended: Request for 
Public Comments Regarding Beneficiary Countries

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with section 203(f) of the ATPA, as amended, 19 
U.S.C. 3202(f)(2), the Office of the United States Trade Representative 
(USTR) is requesting the views of interested parties on whether the 
designated beneficiary countries are meeting the eligibility criteria 
under the ATPA. (See 19 U.S.C. 3203(b)(6)(B).) This information will be 
used in the preparation of a report to the Congress on the operation of 
the program.

DATES: Public comments are due no later than 5 p.m., May 12, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Submissions via on-line: http://www.regulations.gov. For 
alternatives to on-line submissions, please contact Gloria Blue, 
Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), at (202) 395-
3475.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning 
written comments, please contact Gloria Blue at the above number. All 
other questions regarding the ATPA should be directed to Bennett 
Harman, Deputy Assistant USTR for Latin America, at (202) 395-9446.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background Information

    The ATPA, as amended by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug 
Eradication Act of 2002 (ATPDEA) in the Trade Act of 2002, 19 U.S.C. 
3201 et seq., provides trade benefits for eligible Andean countries. In 
Proclamation 7616 of October 31, 2002, the President designated 
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru as ATPDEA beneficiary countries. 
In Proclamation 8323 of November 25, 2008, the President determined 
that Bolivia no longer satisfies the eligibility criteria related to 
counternarcotics and suspended Bolivia's status as a beneficiary 
country for purposes of the ATPA and ATPDEA. In a June 30, 2009 report 
to Congress the President did not determine that Bolivia satisfies the 
requirements set forth in section 203(c) of the ATPA (19 U.S.C. 
3202(c)) for being designated as a beneficiary country. Therefore, as 
provided for in section 208(a)(3) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 3206(a)(3)), no 
duty free treatment or other preferential treatment extended under the 
ATPA remained in effect with respect to Bolivia after June 30, 2009.
    Section 203(f) of the ATPA (19 U.S.C. 3202(f)) requires the USTR, 
not later than June 30, 2010, to submit to Congress a report on the 
operation of the ATPA. Before submitting such report, USTR is required 
to request comments on whether beneficiary countries are meeting the 
criteria set forth in 19 U.S.C. 3203(b)(6)(B) (which incorporates by 
reference the criteria set forth in sections 3202(c) and (d)). USTR 
refers interested parties to the Federal Register notice published on 
August 15, 2002 (67 FR 53379), for a full list of the eligibility 
criteria.

2. Requirements for Submissions

    Persons submitting comments must do so in English and must identify 
(on the first page of the submission) the ``USTR Report on Operation of 
the Andean Trade Preference Act.'' In order to be assured of 
consideration, comments should be submitted by May 12, 2010.
    In order to ensure the timely receipt and consideration of 
comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to make on-line 
submissions, using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site. Comments 
should be submitted under the following docket: USTR-2010-0012. To find 
the docket, enter the docket number in the ``Enter Keyword or ID'' 
window at the http://www.regulations.gov home page and click 
``Search.'' The site will provide a search-results page listing all 
documents associated with this docket. Find a reference to this notice 
by selecting ``Notices'' under ``Document Type'' on the search-results 
page, and click on the link entitled ``Submit a Comment.'' (For further 
information on using the  http://www.regulations.gov Web site, please 
consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on the 
``Help'' tab.)
    The http://www.regulations.gov Web site provides the option of 
making submissions by filling in a comments field, or by attaching a 
document. USTR prefers submissions to be provided in an attached 
document. If a document is attached, it is sufficient to type ``See 
attached'' in the ``Type comment & Upload File'' field. USTR prefers 
submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the 
submission is in an application other than those two, please indicate 
the name of the application in the ``Comments'' field.
    For any comments submitted electronically containing business 
confidential information, 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. Filers of submissions 
containing business confidential information must also submit a public 
version of their 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 or reply 
comments. Filers submitting comments containing no business 
confidential information should name their file using the character 
``P'', followed by the name

[[Page 19670]]

of the person or entity submitting the comments.
    Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic 
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a 
cover letter in the comments themselves. Similarly, to the extent 
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in 
the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files.
    USTR strongly urges submitters to file comments through http://www.regulations.gov, if at all possible. Any alternative arrangements 
must be made with Ms. Blue in advance of transmitting a comment. Ms. 
Blue should be contacted at (202) 395-3475. General information 
concerning USTR is available at http://www.ustr.gov.

Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2010-8629 Filed 4-14-10; 8:45 am]
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