[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 174 (Tuesday, September 9, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53505-53506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21321]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Fiscal Year 2015 WTO Tariff-Rate Quota Allocations for Raw Cane 
Sugar, Refined and Specialty Sugar, and Sugar-Containing Products

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is 
providing notice of country-by-country allocations of the Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2015 (Oct. 1, 2014, through Sept. 30, 2015) in-quota quantity of 
the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for imported raw cane sugar, refined 
sugar (syrups and molasses), specialty sugar, and sugar-containing 
products.

DATES: Effective Date: October 1, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Inquiries may be delivered to Ann Heilman-Dahl, Director of 
Agricultural Affairs, Office of Agricultural Affairs, Office of the 
United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 
20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Heilman-Dahl, Office of 
Agricultural Affairs, telephone: 202-395-6127 or facsimile: 202-395-
4579.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Additional U.S. Note 5 to 
chapter 17 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTS), the United States maintains tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for 
imports of raw cane sugar and refined sugar. Pursuant to Additional 
U.S. Note 8 to Chapter 17 of the HTS, the United States maintains a TRQ 
for imports of sugar-containing products.
    Section 404(d)(3) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 
3601(d)(3)) authorizes the President to allocate the in-quota quantity 
of a TRQ for any agricultural product among supplying countries or 
customs areas. The President delegated this authority to the United 
States Trade Representative under Presidential Proclamation 6763 (60 FR 
1007).
    On September 2, 2014, the Secretary of Agriculture (Secretary) 
announced the sugar program provisions for fiscal year (FY) 2015. The 
Secretary announced an in-quota quantity of the TRQ for raw cane sugar 
for FY 2015 of 1,117,195 metric ton * raw value (MTRV), which is the 
minimum amount to which the United States is committed under the World 
Trade Organization (WTO) Uruguay Round Agreements. USTR is allocating 
this quantity (1,117,195 MTRV) to the following countries in the 
amounts specified below:

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            FY 2015 raw
                                                            cane sugar
                         Country                            allocations
                                                              (MTRV)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Argentina...............................................          45,281
Australia...............................................          87,402
Barbados................................................           7,371
Belize..................................................          11,584
Bolivia.................................................           8,424
Brazil..................................................         152,691
Colombia................................................          25,273
Congo...................................................           7,258
Costa Rica..............................................          15,796
Cote d'Ivoire...........................................           7,258
Dominican Republic......................................         185,335
Ecuador.................................................          11,584
El Salvador.............................................          27,379
Fiji....................................................           9,477
Gabon...................................................           7,258
Guatemala...............................................          50,546
Guyana..................................................          12,636
Haiti...................................................           7,258
Honduras................................................          10,530
India...................................................           8,424
Jamaica.................................................          11,584
Madagascar..............................................           7,258
Malawi..................................................          10,530
Mauritius...............................................          12,636
Mexico..................................................           7,258
Mozambique..............................................          13,690
Nicaragua...............................................          22,114
Panama..................................................          30,538
Papua New Guinea........................................           7,258
Paraguay................................................           7,258
Peru....................................................          43,175
Philippines.............................................         142,160
South Africa............................................          24,220
St. Kitts & Nevis.......................................           7,258
Swaziland...............................................          16,849
Taiwan..................................................          12,636
Thailand................................................          14,743
Trinidad & Tobago.......................................           7,371
Uruguay.................................................           7,258
Zimbabwe................................................          12,636
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    These allocations are based on the countries' historical shipments 
to the United States. The allocations of the in-quota quantities of the 
raw cane sugar TRQ to countries that are net importers of sugar are 
conditioned on receipt of the appropriate verifications of origin, and 
certificates for quota eligibility must accompany imports from any 
country for which an allocation has been provided.
    On September 2, 2014, the Secretary also announced the 
establishment of the in-quota quantity of the FY 2015 refined sugar TRQ 
at 127,000 MTRV for which the sucrose content, by weight in the dry 
state, must have a polarimeter reading of 99.5 degrees or more. This 
amount includes the minimum level to which the United States is 
committed under the WTO Uruguay Round Agreements (22,000 MTRV of which 
1,656 MTRV is reserved for specialty sugar) and an additional 105,000 
MTRV for specialty sugars. USTR is allocating

[[Page 53506]]

the refined sugar TRQ as follows: 10,300 MTRV of refined sugar to 
Canada, 2,954 MTRV to Mexico, and 7.090 MTRV to be administered on a 
first-come, first-served basis.
    Imports of all specialty sugar will be administered on a first-
come, first-served basis in five tranches. The Secretary has announced 
that the total in-quota quantity of specialty sugar will be the 1,656 
MTRV included in the WTO minimum plus an additional 105,000 MTRV. The 
first tranche of 1,656 MTRV will open October 10, 2014. All types of 
specialty sugars are eligible for entry under this tranche. The second 
tranche of 38,850 MTRV will open on October 24, 2014. The third, 
fourth, and fifth tranches of 22,050 MTRV each will open on January 9, 
2015, April 10, 2015 and July 10, 2015, respectively. The second, 
third, fourth and fifth tranches will be reserved for organic sugar and 
other specialty sugars not currently produced commercially in the 
United States or reasonably available from domestic sources.
    With respect to the in-quota quantity of 64,709 metric tons (MT) of 
the TRQ for imports of certain sugar-containing products maintained 
under Additional U.S. Note 8 to chapter 17 of the HTS, USTR is 
allocating 59,250 MT to Canada. The remainder of the in-quota quantity, 
5,459 MT, is available for other countries on a first-come, first-
served basis.
    Raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar and sugar-containing 
products for FY 2015 TRQs may enter the United States as of October 1, 
2014.

    * Conversion factor: 1 metric ton = 1.10231125 short tons.

Michael Froman,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2014-21321 Filed 9-8-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F4-P