[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 25, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58979-58980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23532]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Direct 
Investment Surveys: BE-15, Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment 
in the United States

AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before November 26, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, or via email at 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to David H. Galler, Chief, Direct Investment Division (BE-
50), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
Washington, DC 20230; phone: (202) 606-9835; fax: (202) 606-5318; or 
via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States 
(Form BE-15) obtains sample data on the financial structure and 
operations of U.S. affiliates of foreign investors. The data are needed 
to provide reliable, useful, and timely measures of foreign direct 
investment in the United States, assess its impact on the U.S. economy, 
and based upon this assessment, make informed policy decisions 
regarding foreign direct investment in the United States. The data are 
used to derive annual estimates of the operations of U.S. affiliates of 
foreign investors, including their balance sheets; income statements; 
property, plant, and equipment; employment and employee compensation; 
merchandise trade; sales of goods and services; taxes; and research and 
development activity. In

[[Page 58980]]

addition, data covering employment are collected by state. The data are 
also used to update similar data for the universe of U.S. affiliates 
collected once every five years on the BE-12 benchmark survey.
    The survey, as proposed, incorporates changes that were made to the 
2012 BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United 
States. The exemption level for reporting on the proposed survey is 
unchanged from the previous (2011) survey.

II. Method of Collection

    The BE-15 annual survey is sent to potential respondents in March 
of each year. A completed report covering a reporting company's fiscal 
year ending during the previous calendar year is due by May 31 (or by 
June 30 for respondents that file using BEA's eFile system). Reports 
must be filed by every U.S. business enterprise that is owned 10 
percent or more by a foreign investor and that has total assets, sales 
or gross operating revenues, or net income (or loss) of over $40 
million.
    As an alternative to filing paper forms, BEA offers its electronic 
filing option, the eFile system, for use in reporting on Form BE-15. 
For more information about eFile, go to www.bea.gov/efile.
    Potential respondents are those U.S. business enterprises that 
reported in the 2012 benchmark survey of foreign direct investment in 
the United States, along with businesses that subsequently entered the 
direct investment universe. The BE-15 is a sample survey, as described; 
universe estimates are developed from the reported sample data.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0608-0034.
    Form Number: BE-15.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,000 annually.
    Estimated Time per Response: 19 hours, 30 minutes is the average, 
but may vary considerably among respondents because of differences in 
company size and complexity.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 77,825.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

    Legal Authority: International Investment and Trade in Services 
Survey Act (Pub. L. 94-472, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended by Pub. 
L. 98-573 and Pub. L. 101-533).

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the Agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: September 19, 2012.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-23532 Filed 9-24-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P