[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 71 (Thursday, April 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21995-21996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-8850]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-530]


Trade Facilitation in the East African Community: Recent 
Developments and Potential Benefits, Institution of Investigation and 
Request for Written Statements

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and request for written 
statements.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on March 28, 2012, from the 
United States Trade Representative (USTR) under section 332(g) of the 
Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)), the U.S. International Trade 
Commission

[[Page 21996]]

(Commission) instituted investigation No. 332-530, Trade Facilitation 
in the East African Community: Recent Developments and Potential 
Benefits.

DATES: 
    May 10, 2012: Deadline for filing written submissions.
    July 2, 2012: 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 https://edis.usitc.gov/edis3-internal/app.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Falan Yinug (202-205-2160 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: As requested by the USTR, the Commission will conduct 
an investigation and prepare a report that summarizes recent 
developments relating to trade facilitation in the East African 
Community (EAC). The report will also describe the potential benefits 
of trade facilitation in the EAC countries, based on empirical studies 
and the experiences of other developing countries. As requested, the 
information in the report will be based principally on a review of the 
literature, and, to the extent the literature permits, include the 
following:
     A description of the present conditions and recent 
developments relating to the movement of goods to and from the 
countries of the EAC, including policies enforced at the border and 
procedures for their enforcement, as well as transport infrastructure. 
To the extent feasible, the report will address elements referenced in 
U.S. trade facilitation agreements, such as those between the United 
States and the Philippines, the United States and Uruguay, and trade 
facilitation chapters in U.S. free trade agreements. The description 
will focus on conditions in individual EAC countries as well as the EAC 
region as a whole.
     A summary of findings from the empirical literature on the 
benefits of overall trade facilitation improvements, such as effects on 
import and export volumes, export diversification, and economic 
development, including highlights of any notable findings specific to 
the EAC countries.
     Relevant sectoral case studies (particularly for 
industries where EAC countries have significant AGOA exports) from 
developing countries within and outside sub-Saharan Africa that 
illustrate the benefits of trade facilitation.

The USTR asked that the Commission provide its report no later than 
July 2, 2012.
    Written Submissions: Because of the short time frame requested by 
the USTR, the Commission will not hold a public hearing in connection 
with this investigation. However, interested parties are invited to 
file written submissions concerning this investigation. All written 
submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be 
received no later than 5:15 p.m., May 10, 2012. All written submissions 
must conform to the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's 
Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 201.8 and the 
Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures require that interested 
parties file documents electronically on or before the filing deadline 
and submit eight (8) true paper copies by 12 noon eastern time on the 
next business day. In the event that confidential treatment of a 
document is requested, interested parties must file, at the same time 
as the eight paper copies, at least four (4) additional true paper 
copies in which the confidential information must be deleted (see the 
following paragraph for further information regarding confidential 
business information). Persons with questions regarding electronic 
filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2595).
    Any submissions that contain confidential business information 
(CBI) must also conform to 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 said that he anticipates that the 
Commission's report will be made available to the public in its 
entirety, and asked that the Commission not include any confidential 
business information in the report it sends him. Accordingly, any 
confidential business information received by the Commission in this 
investigation and used in preparing this report will not be included in 
the report that the Commission sends to the USTR and will not be 
published in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm 
supplying the information.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: April 9, 2012.
James R. Holbein,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2012-8850 Filed 4-11-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P