[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 199 (Friday, October 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71114-71116]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-24690]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION


Requests for Petitions for Duty Suspensions and Reductions

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice requesting members of the public to submit petitions for 
duty suspensions and reductions and Commission disclosure forms.

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SUMMARY: As required by section 3(b)(1) of the American Manufacturing 
Competitiveness Act of 2016, the Commission is publishing notice 
requesting members of the public who can demonstrate that they are 
likely beneficiaries of duty suspensions or reductions to submit 
petitions for duty suspensions and reductions. Consistent with the 
statute, the Commission will accept petitions submitted during the 60-
day period beginning on October 14, 2016, and ending at 5:15 p.m. EST 
December 12, 2016. All petitions must be submitted via the Commission's 
designated secure web portal. At a later date the Commission will 
publish notice of the opportunity for the public to submit comments on 
the petitions filed.

DATES: October 14, 2016: Opening date for filing petitions for duty 
suspensions and reductions. December 12, 2016, 5:15 p.m., EST: Closing 
date and time for filing petitions for duty suspensions and reductions.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices are located in the United States 
International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, 
DC. The public file for this proceeding may be viewed on the 
Commission's MTB Petition System (MTBPS) at https://www.usitc.gov/mtbps.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general inquiries, contact 
Jennifer Rohrbach at [email protected]. For filing inquiries, contact 
the Office of Secretary, Docket Services division, U.S. International 
Trade Commission, telephone (202) 205-3238.
    The media should contact Peg O'Laughlin, Public Affairs Officer 
(202-205-1819 or [email protected]). General information 
concerning the Commission may be obtained by accessing its internet 
server (https://www.usitc.gov).
    Background: The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 
(the Act) establishes a new process for the submission and 
consideration of requests for temporary duty suspensions and 
reductions. The Act requires the Commission to initiate the process by 
publishing a notice requesting members of the public who can 
demonstrate that

[[Page 71115]]

they are likely beneficiaries of duty suspensions or reductions to 
submit petitions and Commission disclosure forms to the Commission. The 
Act establishes the information to be contained in a petition and sets 
out the review process the Commission is to follow. The Act, (Pub. L. 
114-159, May 20, 2016), 19 U.S.C. 1332 note, requires the Commission to 
publish its notice requesting petitions no later than October 15, 2016, 
and to allow the public to file petitions during the 60-day period 
following publication of the notice. After the period for filing 
petitions closes, the Commission is required to publish the petitions 
on its Web site and provide notice to the public of the opportunity to 
submit comments on the petitions published.
    The Act requires the Commission to submit preliminary and final 
reports to the House Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate 
Committee on Finance (Committees) on the petitions received. The 
reports are to include the Commission's analysis and recommendations 
regarding the petitions, including whether there is domestic production 
of the article, whether the estimated loss in revenues due to the duty 
suspension or reduction does not exceed $500,000, and whether the duty 
suspension or reduction will be available to any person importing the 
article. The Commission is required to classify the petitions into 
categories based on whether (1) the petition meets the requirements for 
inclusion in a miscellaneous tariff bill; (2) the Commission recommends 
inclusion in such a bill with specified technical changes, changes in 
product scope, or adjustment in the amount of duty reduction; (3) the 
Commission recommends against inclusion in a bill because the petition 
does not meet the petitioning requirements or the petitioner is not a 
likely beneficiary; (4) the Commission otherwise recommends not 
including the petition. The Committees and the Congress will make the 
final decision regarding the imported articles to be included in a 
bill.
    The Act also requires the U.S. Department of Commerce, with input 
from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other Federal agencies, to 
submit a report to the Commission and to the Committees. This report is 
to include information related to domestic production and technical 
changes that are necessary for purposes of administration when articles 
are presented for importation.
    Procedures for Filing a Petition: The Commission has promulgated 
rules of practice and procedure regarding the process for filing 
petitions and has also made available a handbook and other materials to 
assist members of the public in filing petitions. The rules, in the 
form of an interim rule, are published at 19 CFR part 220 (81 FR 67144, 
Sept. 30, 2016). The rules, handbook, and other materials are also 
posted on the Commission's Web site at https://www.usitc.gov/mtbps. 
Highlights of the filing procedures are presented below only as an 
overview; persons who are considering filing a petition should consult 
the Commission's rules, handbook, and other materials.
    Who may file. As provided for in the statute, the rules, and other 
Commission materials, petitions for duty suspensions or reductions may 
be filed only by members of the public who can demonstrate that they 
are a likely beneficiary of the duty suspension or reduction. The 
statute defines ``likely beneficiary'' to mean ``an individual or 
entity likely to utilize, or benefit directly from the utilization of, 
an article that is the subject of a petition for a duty suspension or 
reduction.''
    Method for filing. Petitions for duty suspensions and reductions 
may be filed only electronically via the Commission's designated secure 
web portal and in the format designated by the Commission in that 
portal. The portal contains a series of prompts and links that will 
assist persons in providing the required information (this information 
concerns both the petitions and related disclosure forms, so there will 
be only one submission). The Commission will not accept petitions 
submitted in paper or in any other form or format. Petitions, including 
any attachments thereto, must otherwise comply with the Commission's 
rules and Handbook on MTB Filing Procedures. Persons seeking duty 
suspensions or reductions on more than one imported product must submit 
separate petitions for each product. Persons filing petitions should be 
aware that they must be prepared to complete their entire petition when 
they enter the portal and that the portal will not allow them to edit, 
amend, or complete the petition at a later time. Accordingly, they 
should have all required information in hand when they enter the portal 
to begin the formal filing process. A list of all the information 
required to complete a petition may be found in the Commission's Before 
You File guide.
    Time for filing. To be considered, petitions must be filed between 
October 14, 2016, and the close of business (5:15 p.m. EST) on December 
12, 2016. The Commission will not accept petitions filed after that 
time and date.
    Amendment and withdrawal of petitions. The Commission's secure web 
portal will not allow a person who has formally submitted a petition to 
amend the petition. Instead, that person must withdraw the original 
petition and file a new petition that incorporates the changes. The new 
petition must be filed within the 60-day period designated for filing 
petitions. Petitions may be withdrawn at any time prior to the time the 
Commission transmits its final report to the Committees.
    Confidential business information. The portal will permit persons 
submitting petitions to claim that certain information should be 
treated either as confidential business information or as information 
protected from disclosure under the Privacy Act (e.g., a home address). 
However, because of the portal's design, the portal instructs that such 
information not be included in attachments to petitions. Persons who 
include confidential business information and information protected 
under the Privacy Act in attachments to their petitions will be 
presumed to have waived any privilege and the information will be 
disclosed to the public when the petitions and attachments are posted 
on the Commission's Web site. See further information below on possible 
disclosure of confidential business information.
    Confidential Business Information. The Commission will not release 
information which the Commission considers to be confidential business 
information within the meaning of Sec.  201.6(a) of its Rules of 
Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.6) unless the party submitting the 
confidential business information had notice, at the time of 
submission, that such information would be released by the Commission, 
or such party subsequently consents to the release of the information.
    Confidential business information submitted to the Commission in 
petitions and comments may be disclosed to and/or used by (1) the 
Commission in calculating the estimated revenue loss required under the 
Act, which may be based in whole or in part on the estimated values of 
imports submitted by petitioners in their petitions; or (2) the 
Commission, its employees, and contract personnel (a) in processing 
petitions and comments and preparing reports under the American 
Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 or (b) in internal 
investigations, audits, reviews, and evaluations relating to the 
programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5

[[Page 71116]]

U.S.C. Appendix 3; or (3) the U.S. Department of Commerce for use in 
preparing its report to the Commission and the Committees, and the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture and CBP for use in providing information for 
that report; or (4) U.S. government employees and contract personnel, 
solely for cybersecurity purposes, subject to the requirement that all 
contract personnel will sign appropriate nondisclosure agreements.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: October 6, 2016.
Lisa R. Barton,
 Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2016-24690 Filed 10-13-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7020-02-P