[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 8, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69318-69319]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28826]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Initiation of a Review: 
Designation of the Republic of South Sudan as a Least Developed 
Beneficiary Developing Country

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

[[Page 69319]]


ACTION: Notice and solicitation of comments from the public.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the initiation of a review to consider 
designation of the Republic of South Sudan (``South Sudan'') as a 
beneficiary developing country under the GSP program, including whether 
South Sudan should also be designated as a Least Developed Beneficiary 
Country, and solicits comments from the public relating to whether 
South Sudan meets the criteria for both designations. The deadline for 
submitting comments is 5 p.m. EST, November 29, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tameka Cooper, GSP Program, Office of 
the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-6971; the fax 
number is (202) 395-9674, and the email address is [email protected].
    Public versions of all documents relating to this review will be 
made available for public viewing at www.regulations.gov, docket number 
USTR 2011-0016, on completion of processing and no later than 
approximately two weeks after the due date.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy 
Staff Committee (TPSC) has initiated a review as to whether South Sudan 
meets the eligibility criteria of the GSP statute, as set out below. 
After considering the eligibility criteria, the President is authorized 
to designate South Sudan as a least developed beneficiary country for 
purposes of the GSP program. Interested parties are invited to submit 
comments regarding the eligibility of South Sudan for designation as a 
beneficiary developing country and as a least developed beneficiary 
country. To be considered in this review, documents should be submitted 
in accordance with the instructions below.

I. Eligibility Criteria

    The trade benefits of the GSP program are available to any country 
that the President designates as a GSP ``beneficiary developing 
country.'' Additional trade benefits under the GSP are available to any 
country that the President also designates as a GSP ``least developed 
beneficiary developing country.'' In designating countries as GSP 
beneficiary developing countries, the President must consider the 
criteria in sections 502(b)(2) and 502(c) of the Trade Act of 1974, as 
amended (19 U.S.C. 2462(b)(2), 2462(c)) (``the Act''), including 
definitions found in section 507 of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2467). When 
determining whether to designate a country as a least developed 
beneficiary developing country, the President must consider the factors 
in sections 501 and 502(c) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2461, 2462(c)). The 
relevant GSP provisions are available on the USTR Web site at: http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/trade-development/preference-programs/generalized-system-preference-gsp/gsp-program-inf.

II. Requirements for Submissions

    All submissions must conform to the GSP regulations set forth at 15 
CFR Part 2007, except as modified below. Comments must be submitted, in 
English, to the Chairman of the GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC as soon as 
possible, but not later than 5 p.m. EST, November 29, 2011. Submissions 
in response to this notice, including business confidential 
submissions, must be submitted electronically using 
www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR 2011-0016. Hand-delivered 
submissions will not be accepted.
    To make a submission using www.regulations.gov, enter docket number 
USTR-2011-0016 in the ``Enter Keyword or ID'' field on the 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 ``Notice'' under ``Document Type'' in the top-
middle section of the search-results page, and click on the link 
entitled ``Submit a Comment.'' The www.regulations.gov Web site offers 
the option of providing comments by filling in a ``Type Comment'' field 
or by attaching a document using the ``Upload file(s)'' field. 
Submissions must be in English, with the total submission not to exceed 
30 single-spaced standard letter-size pages in 12-point type, including 
attachments. Any data attachments to the submission should be included 
in the same file as the submission itself, and not as separate files. 
Submissions must include, at the beginning of the submission, or on the 
first page (if an attachment), the following text (in bold and 
underlined): ``South Sudan GSP Eligibility Review''.
    Each submitter will receive a submission tracking number on 
completion of the submissions procedure at www.regulations.gov. The 
tracking number will be the submitter's confirmation that the 
submission was received into www.regulations.gov. The confirmation 
should be kept for the submitter's records. USTR is not responsible for 
any delays in a submission due to technical difficulties, nor is it 
able to provide any technical assistance for the Web site. Documents 
not submitted in accordance with these instructions may not be 
considered in this review. If unable to provide submissions as 
requested, please contact USTR's GSP Program office to arrange for an 
alternative method of transmission.

Business Confidential Submissions

    A submitter requesting that information contained in a comment be 
treated as business confidential information must certify that such 
information is business confidential and provide an explanation as to 
why the information should be protected in accordance with 15 CFR 
2007.7. Confidential business information must be clearly designated as 
such. The submission must be marked ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' at the 
top and bottom of the cover page and each succeeding page, and the 
submission should indicate, via brackets, the specific information that 
is confidential. In addition, ``Business Confidential'' must be 
included in the ``Type Comment'' field. Anyone submitting a comment 
containing business confidential information must also submit as a 
separate submission a non-confidential version of the confidential 
submission, indicating where confidential information has been 
redacted. The non-confidential version will be placed in the docket and 
open to public inspection. Business confidential submissions that are 
submitted without the required markings, or are not accompanied by a 
properly marked non-confidential version, as set forth above, may not 
be accepted or may be considered public documents.

III. Public Viewing of Review Submissions

    Submissions in response to this notice, except for information 
granted ``business confidential'' status under 15 CFR 2003.6, will be 
available for public viewing pursuant to 15 CFR 2007.6 at 
www.regulations.gov on completion of processing and no later than 
approximately two weeks after the relevant due date. Such submissions 
may be viewed by entering the docket number USTR-2011-0016 in the 
search field at: www.regulations.gov and clicking ``Search.''

William D. Jackson,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Generalized System 
of Preferences, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2011-28826 Filed 11-7-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W2-P