[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 57 (Monday, March 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15237-15238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05935]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-560]


Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2016 
Review

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Change in scope of investigation following withdrawal of 
several requests for competitive need waivers.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a letter on behalf of the Acting United 
States Trade Representative (USTR) dated February 17, 2017, advising 
that several petitioners have withdrawn requests for waivers of the 
competitive need limitation under the Generalized System of Preferences 
(GSP) program and that USTR accordingly was withdrawing its request for 
advice regarding such petitions, the U.S. International Trade 
Commission (Commission) has amended the scope of its investigation and 
will not provide advice regarding the withdrawn petitions.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing 
rooms, are located in the United States International Trade Commission 
Building, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC. All written submissions 
should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade 
Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20436. The public record 
for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's electronic 
docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information specific to this 
investigation may be obtained from Renee Berry, Project Leader, Office 
of Industries (202-205-3498 or [email protected]), Sabina Neumann, 
Deputy Project Leader, Office of Industries (202-205-3000 or 
[email protected]), or Marin Weaver, Technical Advisor, Office of 
Industries (202-205-3461 or [email protected]). For information on 
the legal aspects of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of 
the Commission's Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or 
[email protected]). The media should contact Margaret 
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or 
[email protected]). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain 
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal 
at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also 
be obtained by accessing its Web site (http://www.usitc.gov). Persons 
with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining 
access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at 
202-205-2000.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The February 17, 2017, letter 
from USTR advised the Commission that several petitioners have 
withdrawn requests for waivers of the competitive need limitation (CNL) 
under the GSP program, and that in view of the withdrawals, USTR was 
withdrawing its request for Commission advice as to whether any 
industry in the United States is likely to be adversely affected by the 
waiver of the CNLs, whether like or directly competitive products were 
being produced in the

[[Page 15238]]

United States on January 1, 1995, and what the probable economic effect 
would be on total U.S. imports, as well as on consumers, of the subject 
CNL waivers. The letter asked that the Commission continue with its 
analysis of all other petitions cited in the January 5, 2017 letter 
from the USTR. As a result, the Commission is terminating the portion 
of its investigation that concerns the waivers that are the subject of 
the withdrawn petitions and will not provide advice regarding them. The 
withdrawn petitions concern the following articles, HTS subheadings, 
countries, and petitioners:

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     HTS subheading       Brief description          Country                          Petitioner
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0410.00.00.............  Edible products of  Indonesia..............  Government of Indonesia.
                          animal origin,
                          nesi.
0714.90.00.............  Fresh or chilled    Ecuador................  Government of Ecuador.
                          dasheens, whether
                          or not sliced or
                          in the form of
                          pellets.
4011.20.10.............  New pneumatic       Indonesia..............  Government of Indonesia.
                          radial tires, of
                          rubber, of a kind
                          used on buses or
                          trucks.
6802.99.00.............  Monumental or       Brazil.................  Government of Brazil and several stone
                          building stone &                             exporters.
                          arts thereof,
                          nesoi, further
                          worked than
                          simply cut/sawn,
                          nesoi.
8525.80.30.............  Television          Thailand...............  Government of Thailand.
                          cameras, nesi.
9001.50.00.............  Spectacle lenses    Thailand...............  Government of Thailand and Thai Optical
                          of materials                                 Group.
                          other than glass,
                          unmounted.
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    In response to the USTR's letter of January 5, 2017, the Commission 
published its notice of institution of this investigation and the 
scheduling of a public hearing in connection therewith in the Federal 
Register on January 23, 2017 (82 FR 7857). The public hearing in this 
investigation (concerning the remaining articles) was held on February 
21, 2017.
    As previously announced, the Commission expects to transmit its 
report in this investigation to the USTR by May 5, 2017.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: March 21, 2017.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2017-05935 Filed 3-24-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7020-02-P