[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 130 (Thursday, July 7, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44258-44259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-16047]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 130 / Thursday, July 7, 2016 / 
Notices  

[[Page 44258]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Notice of a Request for Extension of a Currently Approved 
Information Collection

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice 
announces the Foreign Agricultural Service's intention to request an 
extension for a currently approved information collection in support of 
the regulation providing for the issuance of certificates of quota 
eligibility (CQEs) required to enter sugar and sugar-containing 
products under the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) into the United States.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by no later than 
September 6, 2016 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit comments as requested in this 
document. In your comment, include the Regulation Identifier Number 
(RIN) and volume, date, and page number of this issue of the Federal 
Register. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
     Mail, hand delivery, or courier: William Janis, 
International Economist, Import Policies and Export Reporting Division, 
Office of Trade Programs, Foreign Agricultural Service, 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-1021, STOP 1021; or by 
email at [email protected]; or by telephone at (202) 720-2194; 
or fax to (202) 720-0876.
    Comments will be available for inspection online at http://www.regulations.gov and at the mail address listed above between 8:00 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.
    Persons with disabilities who require an alternative means for 
communication of information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) 
should contact USDA's Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Janis, International 
Economist, Import Policies and Export Reporting Division, AgStop 1021, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-1021 or telephone (202) 720-2194, fax to (202) 
720-0876, or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Certificates for Quota Eligibility.
    OMB Number: 0551-0014.
    Expiration Date of Approval: March 31, 2017.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: Additional U.S. note 5 to Chapter 17 of the Harmonized 
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), established by Presidential 
Proclamation 6763 of December 1994, authorizes the Secretary of 
Agriculture to establish for each fiscal year the quantity of sugars 
and syrups that may be entered at the lower tariff rates of TRQs. This 
authority was proclaimed by the President to implement the results of 
the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations as reflected in 
the provisions of Schedule XX (United States), annexed to the Agreement 
Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO). Under various free 
trade agreements (FTAs), the United States has agreed to require CQEs 
for the entry into U.S. customs territory of sugar and sugar-containing 
products. The authority for requiring these certificates is the 
Implementation Acts for the U.S.-Colombia and U.S.-Panama Trade 
Promotion Agreements set forth under 19 U.S.C. 3805.
    The terms under which Certificates for Quota Eligibility (CQEs) 
will be issued to foreign countries that have been allocated a share of 
the WTO or have an allocation under a FTA TRQ are set forth in 15 CFR 
part 2011, Allocation of Tariff-Rate Quota on Imported Sugars, Syrups, 
and Molasses, Subpart A--Certificates of Quota. This regulation 
provides for the issuance of CQEs by the Secretary of Agriculture and 
in general prohibits sugar subject to the above-mentioned TRQs from 
being imported into the United States or withdrawn from a warehouse for 
consumption at the in-quota duty rates unless such sugar is accompanied 
by a valid CQE.
    CQEs are distributed to foreign countries by the Director of the 
Import Policies and Export Reporting Division, Foreign Agriculture 
Service, or his or her designee. The distribution of CQEs is in such 
amounts and at such times as the Director determines are appropriate to 
enable the foreign country to fill its quota allocation for such quota 
period in a reasonable manner, taking into account harvesting periods, 
U.S. import requirements, and other relevant factors. The information 
required to be collected on the CQE is used to monitor and control the 
imports of products subject to the WTO and FTA sugar TRQs. A valid CQE, 
duly executed and issued by the Certifying Authority of the foreign 
country, is required for eligibility to enter the products into U.S. 
customs territory under the TRQs.
    Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for the collection 
directly varies with the number of CQEs issued.
    Respondents: Foreign governments.
    Estimated number of WTO respondents: 40.
    Estimated number of FTA respondents: 2.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 30 per fiscal year.
    Estimated total annual reporting burden: 210 hours.
    Requests for comments: Send comments regarding (a) Whether the 
information collection 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 of the collection of information including validity of the 
methodology and assumption used; (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 those who are 
to respond, including through the use of automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology. Copies of this information collection may be 
obtained from Connie Ehrhart, the Agency Information Collection 
Coordinator, at (202) 690-1578.

[[Page 44259]]

    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval. All comments also will become a matter of 
public record.
    FAS is committed to complying with the Government Paperwork 
Elimination Act which requires Government agencies, to the maximum 
extent feasible, to provide the public the option of electronically 
submitting information collection. CQEs permit exporters to ship raw 
cane sugar to the United States at the U.S. sugar price, which is 
ordinarily higher than the world sugar price. Therefore, in contrast to 
most information collection documents, CQEs have a monetary value 
equivalent to the substantial benefits to exporters. CQEs have always 
been carefully handled as secure documents and distributed only to 
foreign government-approved Certifying Authorities.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on June 21, 2016.
Philip C. Karsting,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-16047 Filed 7-6-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P