[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 224 (Monday, November 21, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 83325-83327]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27917]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
[Docket Number USTR-2016-0023]
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Initiation of a Review
of Argentina for Possible Designation as a Beneficiary Developing
Country
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
SUMMARY: This notice announces the initiation of a review to consider
designation of Argentina as a beneficiary developing country under the
GSP program, and the schedule for public comments and a public hearing
relating to whether Argentina meets the criteria for designation.
DATES: December 23, 2016 at midnight EST: Deadline for submission of
comments, pre-hearing briefs, and requests to appear at the January 10,
2017, public hearing.
January 10, 2017: The GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff
Committee (TPSC) will convene a public hearing on the GSP eligibility
review of Argentina in Rooms 1 and 2, 1724 F Street NW., Washington DC
20508, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
January 24, 2017 at midnight EST: Deadline for submission of post-
hearing briefs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Naomi Freeman, GSP Program, Office of
the United States Trade Representative, 1724 F Street NW., Room 514,
Washington DC 20508. The telephone number is (202) 395-2974, the fax
number is (202) 395-9674, and the email address is [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The GSP program is authorized by Title V of the Trade Act of 1974
(19 U.S.C. 2461, et seq.), as amended (Trade Act), and is implemented
in accordance with Executive Order 11888 of November 24, 1975, as
modified by subsequent Executive Orders and Presidential Proclamations.
It provides for duty free treatment of designated
[[Page 83326]]
articles imported from any country that the President designates as a
GSP ``beneficiary developing country.'' In designating countries as GSP
beneficiary developing countries, the President must consider the
criteria in sections 502(b)(2) and 502(c) of the Trade Act, as amended
(19 U.S.C. 2462(b)(2) and (c)), including definitions found in section
507 of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C. 2467). The relevant GSP provisions are
available on the USTR Web site at: https://ustr.gov/issue-areas/trade-development/preference-programs/generalized-system-preference-gsp/gsp-program-inf.
On May 28, 2012, Argentina was suspended from the GSP program as a
result of a presidential determination that the country was not meeting
the statutory GSP eligibility requirements. The United States cited
Argentina's failure to enforce arbitral awards in its decision to
suspend Argentina from the GSP program. On October 28, 2016, the
Government of Argentina requested designation as a beneficiary of the
GSP program.
II. Notice of Public Hearing
The GSP Subcommittee of the TPSC will hold a hearing on January 10,
2017, beginning at 9:00 a.m., to receive information regarding the
eligibility of Argentina for GSP trade benefits. The hearing will be
held at in Rooms 1 and 2, 1724 F Street NW., Washington DC 20508 and
will be open to the public and to the press. A transcript of the
hearing will be made available on http://www.regulations.gov within
approximately two weeks after the date of the hearing.
All interested parties wishing to make an oral presentation at the
hearing must submit, following the ``Requirements for Submissions'' set
out below, the name, address, telephone number, and email address, if
available, of the witness(es) representing their organization by
midnight, December 23, 2016. Requests to present oral testimony must be
accompanied by a written brief or summary statement, in English, and
also must be received by midnight, December 23, 2016. Oral testimony
before the GSP Subcommittee will be limited to five-minute
presentations that summarize or supplement information contained in
briefs or statements submitted for the record. Post-hearing briefs or
statements will be accepted if they conform with the requirements set
out below and are submitted, in English, by midnight, January 24, 2017.
Parties not wishing to appear at the public hearing may submit pre-
hearing and post-hearing briefs or comments by these deadlines.
The GSP Subcommittee strongly encourages submission of all post-
hearing briefs or statements by the January 24, 2017 deadline in order
to receive timely consideration in the GSP Subcommittee's review of GSP
eligibility of Argentina. However, if there are new developments or
information that parties wish to share with the GSP Subcommittee after
this date, the regulations.gov docket will remain open until a final
decision is made. Comments, letters, or other submissions related to
Argentina's eligibility review must be posted to the docket in order to
be considered by the GSP Subcommittee.
III. Requirements for Submissions
All submissions in response to this notice must conform to the GSP
regulations set forth at 15 CFR part 2007, except as modified below.
These regulations are available on the USTR Web site at https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/USTR-Regulations-Pertaining-Eligibility-GSP-Program-15-CFR-Part-2007_0.pdf.
All submissions must be in English and must be submitted
electronically via http://www.regulations.gov, using docket number
USTR-2016-0023. Hand-delivered submissions will not be accepted.
To make a submission via www.regulations.gov, enter Docket Number
USTR-2016-0023 on the home page and click ``Search.'' The site will
provide a search-results page listing all documents associated with
this docket. Find the reference to this notice and click on the button
labeled ``Comment Now.'' For further information on using the
www.regulations.gov Web site, please consult the resources provided on
the Web site by clicking on ``How to Use Regulations.gov'' on the
bottom of the home page.
The www.regulations.gov Web site allows users to provide comments
by filling in a ``Type Comment'' field, or by attaching a document
using an ``Upload File'' field. The GSP Subcommittee prefers that
submissions be provided as an attached document. If a document is
attached, please type ``GSP Review of Argentina'' in the ``Type
Comment'' field. USTR prefers submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or
Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. If the submission is in another file
format, please indicate the name of the software application in the
``Type Comment'' field. File names should reflect the name of the
person or entity submitting the comments. Please do not attach separate
cover letters to electronic submissions; rather, include any
information that might appear in a cover letter in the comments
themselves. Similarly, to the extent possible, please include any
exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in the same file as the comment
itself, rather than submitting them as separate files. Submissions
should not exceed 30 single-spaced, standard letter-size pages in 12-
point type, including attachments.
For any comments submitted electronically that contains business
confidential information, the file name of the business confidential
version should begin with the characters ``BC''. Any page containing
business confidential information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page and the submission should
clearly indicate, via brackets, highlighting, or other means, the
specific information that is business confidential. A filer requesting
business confidential treatment must certify that the information is
business confidential and would not customarily be released to the
public by the submitter. Additionally, the submitter should type
``Business Confidential GSP Review of Argentina'' in the ``Type
Comment'' field.
Filers of submissions containing business confidential information
also must submit a public version of their comments. The file name of
the public version should begin with the character ``P''. The ``BC''
and ``P'' should be followed by the name of the person or entity
submitting the comments. Filers submitting comments containing no
business confidential information should name their file using the name
of the person or entity submitting the comments. The non-business
confidential version will be placed in the docket at
www.regulations.gov and be available for public inspection.
Each submitter will receive a submission tracking number upon
completion of the submissions procedure at http://www.regulations.gov.
The tracking number will be the submitter's confirmation that the
submission was received into http://www.regulations.gov. The GSP
Subcommittee is not able to provide technical assistance for the Web
site. Documents not submitted in accordance with these instructions may
not be considered in this review. As noted, the GSP Subcommittee
strongly urges submissions be made through www.regulations.gov. Any
alternative arrangements must be made in advance of the relevant
deadline by contacting Naomi Freeman at (202) 395-2974.
Submissions will be placed in the docket and open to public
inspection, except information granted business confidential status
under 15 CFR
[[Page 83327]]
2003.6. Comments may be viewed on the www.regulations.gov Web site by
entering Docket Number USTR-2016-0023 in the ``Search'' field on the
home page.
Erland Herfindahl,
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Generalized System
of Preferences, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2016-27917 Filed 11-18-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F7-P