[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 178 (Thursday, September 13, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56610-56611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22501]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: International Trade Administration.
    Title: Interim Procedures for Considering Requests under the 
Commercial Availability Provision of the United States-Colombia Trade 
Promotion Agreement.
    OMB Control Number: None.
    Form Number(s): N/A.
    Type of Request: Regular submission (new information collection).
    Burden Hours: 89.
    Number of Respondents: 16 (10 for Requests; 3 for Responses; 3 for 
Rebuttals).
    Average Hours per Response: 8 hours per Request; 2 hours per 
Response; and 1 hour per Rebuttal.

[[Page 56611]]

    Needs and Uses: Title II, Section 203(o) of the United States-
Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act (the ``Act'') 
[Pub. L. 112-42] implements the commercial availability provision 
provided for in Article 3.3 of the United States-Colombia Trade 
Promotion Agreement (the ``Agreement''). The Agreement entered into 
force on May 15, 2012. Subject to the rules of origin in Annex 4.1 of 
the Agreement, and pursuant to the textile provisions of the Agreement, 
a fabric, yarn, or fiber produced in Colombia or the United States and 
traded between the two countries is entitled to duty-free tariff 
treatment. Annex 3-B of the Agreement also lists specific fabrics, 
yarns, and fibers that the two countries agreed are not available in 
commercial quantities in a timely manner from producers in Colombia or 
the United States. The fabrics listed are commercially unavailable 
fabrics, yarns, and fibers, which are also entitled to duty-free 
treatment despite not being produced in Colombia or the United States.
    The list of commercially unavailable fabrics, yarns, and fibers may 
be changed pursuant to the commercial availability provision in Chapter 
3, Article 3.3, Paragraphs 5-7 of the Agreement. Under this provision, 
interested entities from Colombia or the United States have the right 
to request that a specific fabric, yarn, or fiber be added to, or 
removed from, the list of commercially unavailable fabrics, yarns, and 
fibers in Annex 3-B of the Agreement.
    Chapter 3, Article 3.3, paragraph 7 of the Agreement requires that 
the President ``promptly'' publish procedures for parties to exercise 
the right to make these requests. Section 203(o)(4) of the Act 
authorizes the President to establish procedures to modify the list of 
fabrics, yarns, or fibers not available in commercial quantities in a 
timely manner in either the United States or Colombia as set out in 
Annex 3-B of the Agreement. The President delegated the responsibility 
for publishing the procedures and administering commercial availability 
requests to the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements 
(``CITA''), which issues procedures and acts on requests through the 
U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Textiles and Apparel (``OTEXA'') 
(See Proclamation No. 8818, 77 FR 29519, May 18, 2012).
    The intent of the Commercial Availability Procedures is to foster 
the use of U.S. and regional products by implementing procedures that 
allow products to be placed on or removed from a product list, on a 
timely basis, and in a manner that is consistent with normal business 
practice. The procedures are intended to facilitate the transmission of 
requests; allow the market to indicate the availability of the supply 
of products that are the subject of requests; make available promptly, 
to interested entities and the public, information regarding the 
requests for products and offers received for those products; ensure 
wide participation by interested entities and parties; allow for 
careful review and consideration of information provided to 
substantiate requests and responses; and provide timely public 
dissemination of information used by CITA in making commercial 
availability determinations.
    CITA must collect certain information about fabric, yarn, or fiber 
technical specifications and the production capabilities of Colombian 
and U.S. textile producers to determine whether certain fabrics, yarns, 
or fibers are available in commercial quantities in a timely manner in 
the United States or Colombia, subject to Section 203(o) of the Act.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    OMB Desk Officer: Wendy Liberante, (202) 395-3647.
    Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained 
by calling or writing Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance 
Officer, (202) 482-0336, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 
[email protected].
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to Wendy Liberante, OMB Desk Officer, Fax number (202) 395-5167 or via 
the Internet at [email protected].

    Dated: September 7, 2012.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-22501 Filed 9-12-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P