[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 72 (Tuesday, April 15, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21210-21211]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-08506]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Docket Number: 140305199-4199-01]


Notice of Intent To Terminate Selected National Voluntary 
Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE) Program Services

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 
announces its intent to terminate the Organic Production and Processing 
sub-program offered by NIST's National Voluntary Conformity Assessment 
Systems Evaluation (NVCASE) program, effective January 1, 2016.
    NIST requests written comments on the intended termination of the 
Organic Production and Processing sub-program offered by NVCASE, and 
announces a 30-day comment period for that purpose. Persons desiring to 
comment on the proposed termination must submit their comments in 
writing to the address provided in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice.

DATES: Comments regarding the proposed January 1, 2016, termination of 
the NVCASE Organic Production and Processing sub-program must be 
received no later than May 15, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments to NVCASE Program Manager, National 
Voluntary Conformity Assessment Systems Evaluation Program, National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2100, 
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-2100, or by email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ramona Saar, National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 2100, Gaithersburg, MD 
20899-2100, email to [email protected], or phone 301-975-5521.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Institute of Standards and

[[Page 21211]]

Technology (NIST) administers the National Voluntary Conformity 
Assessment Systems Evaluation (NVCASE) program under regulations found 
in Part 286 of Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
    Under the NVCASE program NIST evaluates U.S.-based conformity 
assessment bodies in order to be able to provide assurances to a 
foreign government that qualifying bodies meet that government's 
requirements and can provide results that are acceptable to that 
government. The program is intended to provide a technically-based U.S. 
approval process for U.S. industry to gain foreign market access.
    On December 6, 2002, NIST received a request from a U.S. 
accreditation body to establish a sub-program, under the NVCASE 
program, for Organic Production and Processing. The stated objectives 
of the request were to provide confidence in the quality of this 
accreditation body's work, and to provide assurance that this 
accreditation body complied with the requirements of some foreign 
governments, thus facilitating the export of U.S. products.
    NIST, having determined that there was no satisfactory recognition 
alternative available and that there was evidence that significant 
public disadvantage would result from the absence of any alternative, 
established the NVCASE sub-program for Organic Production and 
Processing on November 4, 2003, following a public workshop held on May 
9, 2003. See, 68 FR 62434 (November 4, 2003).
    In the decade since the establishment of the sub-program, the 
United States has made numerous trade arrangements to facilitate the 
international trade of organic products. The resulting changes in the 
international requirements have increased international market access 
for U.S. producers. NIST considers that there are now suitable 
alternative paths to foreign market access, and that there would be no 
significant public disadvantage to terminating the Organic Production 
and Processing sub-program.
    Accordingly, the NIST NVCASE program announces its intent to cease 
to grant or renew recognition under the Organic Production and 
Processing sub-program, effective January 1, 2016. Conformity 
assessment bodies currently recognized under the sub-program will 
remain recognized until January 1, 2016, provided they continue to meet 
program requirements. The NVCASE program is inviting the submission of 
written comments on its announcement as set forth in the DATES and 
ADDRESSES sections of this notice.
    Following the comment period, NVCASE will make a final 
determination on terminating the sub-program, which will be published 
in the Federal Register.

    Dated: April 9, 2014.
Kevin A. Kimball,
Chief of Staff.
[FR Doc. 2014-08506 Filed 4-14-14; 8:45 am]
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