[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 3, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20137-20138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07652]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. TA-103-027]


Probable Economic Effect of Certain Modifications to the North 
American Free Trade Agreement Rules of Origin

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Institution of investigation and notice of opportunity to 
provide written comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 20138]]

SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request dated March 11, 2013 from the 
U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), under authority delegated by the 
President and pursuant to section 103 of the North American Free Trade 
Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 3313), the Commission 
instituted investigation No. TA-103-027, Probable Economic Effect of 
Certain Modifications to the North American Free Trade Agreement Rules 
of Origin.

DATES: 
    June 4, 2013: Deadline for filing written submissions.
    November 12, 2013: Transmittal of report to 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 http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader Kimberlie Freund (202-
708-5402 or [email protected]) or Deputy Project Leader Philip 
Stone (202-205-3424 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: In his request letter (dated March 11, 2013), the USTR 
stated that U.S. negotiators have recently reached agreement in 
principle with representatives of the governments of Canada and Mexico 
on proposed modifications to Annex 401 of the NAFTA. Chapter 4 and 
Annexes 401 and 403 of the NAFTA set forth the rules of origin for 
applying the tariff provisions of the NAFTA to trade in goods. Section 
202(q) of the NAFTA Implementation Act (the Act) authorizes the 
President, subject to the consultation and layover requirements of 
section 103 of the Act, to proclaim such modifications to rules of 
origin as may from time to time be agreed to by the NAFTA countries. 
One of the requirements set out in section 103 of the Act is that the 
President obtain advice from the United States International Trade 
Commission.
    In the request letter, the USTR asked that the Commission provide 
advice on the probable economic effect of the proposed modifications on 
U.S. trade under the NAFTA, on total U.S. trade, and on domestic 
industries. The investigation covers a wide variety of articles, 
including edible preparations; mineral fuels; chemical products; 
plastics; rubber articles; cork; glass and glassware; copper, nickel, 
and other base metals; machinery and parts; rail locomotives; trailers; 
optical and medical instruments; furniture; toys and games; lighters; 
and smoking pipes. The USTR attached to the request letter a list of 
the proposed modifications to the NAFTA Rules of Origin. On March 19, 
2013, USTR provided the Commission with an additional document making 
certain clarifications to the list of modifications in the attachment 
to the March 11, 2013, letter in the form of a correlation table for 
certain tariff lines for Canada and Mexico. The request letter, the 
complete list of proposed modifications, and the clarifying correlation 
table are available on the Commission's Web site at http://www.usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/What_We_Are_Working_On.htm. 
As requested, the Commission will provide its advice to USTR by 
November 12, 2013.
    Written Submissions: No public hearing is planned. However, 
interested parties are invited to file written submissions and other 
information concerning the matters to be addressed in this 
investigation. All written submissions should be addressed to the 
Secretary. To be assured of consideration by the Commission, written 
submissions relating to the Commission's advice should be submitted at 
the earliest possible date, and should be received not later than 5:15 
p.m. June 4, 2013. 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 12:00 p.m. 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 (202-205-2000).
    Any submissions that contain confidential business information 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 
is clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions, 
except for confidential business information, will be made available 
for inspection by interested parties.
    The Commission may include some or all of the confidential business 
information submitted in the course of this investigation in the report 
it sends to the USTR and the President. As requested, the Commission 
will issue a public version of its report, with any confidential 
business information deleted, shortly after it transmits its report.

    Issued: March 28, 2013.

    By order of the Commission.
Lisa R. Barton,
Acting Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2013-07652 Filed 4-2-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P