[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

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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