[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 193 (Friday, October 6, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46739-46740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21569]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

15 CFR Part 30

[Docket Number: 170606545-7857-01]
RIN 0607-AA56


Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR): Request for Public Comments 
Regarding Standard and Routed Export Transactions

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce Department.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Bureau) is seeking 
public comments to perform a review of the requirements governing 
routed export transactions. In particular, the Census Bureau is 
interested in comments regarding the definition of a routed export 
transaction as well as the responsibilities of parties in routed export 
transactions. Routed export transactions are transactions in which the 
Foreign Principal Party in Interest (FPPI) controls the movement of the 
goods out of the country. There are a variety of reasons why the FPPI 
assumes this responsibility such as the use of a preferred carrier and 
the desire to not disclose the ultimate consignee to the U.S. Principal 
Party in Interest (USPPI), although the ultimate consignee is properly 
identified to the U.S. Government. Because the FPPI controls the 
movement of the goods in a routed transaction and cannot file 
Electronic Export Information (EEI), the Census Bureau requires the 
FPPI to authorize a U.S. authorized agent or the USPPI to file the EEI 
on its behalf. This ensures that the Census Bureau collects the 
statistical information.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before December 5, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Please direct all written comments on this advance notice of 
proposed rulemaking to the Chief, International Trade Management 
Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 5K158, Washington, DC 20233-6010. 
You may also submit comments, identified by RIN number 0607-AA56, to 
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal:

[[Page 46740]]

http://www.regulations.gov. All comments received are part of the 
public record. No comments will be posted to http://www.regulations.gov 
for public viewing until after the comment period has closed. Comments 
will generally be posted without change. All Personally Identifiable 
Information (for example, name and address) voluntarily submitted by 
the commentor may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential 
Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. 
The Census Bureau will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the 
required fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). You may submit 
attachments to electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, 
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dale C. Kelly, Chief, International 
Trade Management Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 5K158, Washington, 
DC 20233-6010, by phone (301) 763-6937, by fax (301) 763-8835, or by 
email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Census Bureau is responsible for collecting, compiling, and 
publishing export trade statistics for the United States under the 
provisions of Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Chapter 9, Section 
301. The Automated Export System (AES), now part of the Automated 
Commercial Environment (ACE), is the primary instrument used for 
collecting export trade data. Through the AES, the Census Bureau 
collects Electronic Export Information (EEI), the electronic equivalent 
of the export data formerly collected on the Shipper's Export 
Declaration (SED), reported pursuant to the Foreign Trade Regulations 
(FTR), Title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 30. The EEI 
consists of data elements as set forth in 15 CFR 30.6 for an export 
shipment, and includes information such as the U.S. Principal Party in 
Interest's (USPPI's) name, address, and identification number, and 
detailed information concerning the exported product. The party 
responsible for the accuracy and timeliness of EEI data elements varies 
depending upon the type of export transaction; standard or routed. 
Through this notice, the Census Bureau is seeking public comments to 
perform a review of the requirements governing routed export 
transactions, a subset of export transactions, as detailed in the FTR, 
15 CFR, part 30.

Request for Comments

    The Census Bureau is soliciting comments on the clarity, usability, 
and any other matters related to the regulatory requirements for routed 
transactions. This will include the definition of a routed export 
transaction found in 15 CFR 30.1 as well as the general 
responsibilities of parties in routed export transactions as detailed 
in 15 CFR 30.3. Suggested questions are below; however, any pertinent 
feedback not captured by these questions is also welcome:
    1. If you do not think that the definition of a routed export 
transaction in 15 CFR 30.1 is clearly stated, then what definition of 
routed export transaction would you suggest?
    2. Should the Census Bureau modify the list of data elements at 15 
CFR 30.3(e)(2) that the U.S. authorized agent is required to provide 
when filing the electronic export information? If so, what changes 
would you suggest?
    3. Should the Census Bureau modify the list of data elements at 15 
CFR 30.3(e)(1) that the U.S. Principal Party in Interest is required to 
provide to the U.S. Authorized agent? If so, what changes would you 
suggest?
    4. The carrier's responsibilities under the FTR are the same in 
both standard and routed transactions. Does the FTR clearly communicate 
these responsibilities? If not, what clarification would you suggest?
    5. The data elements that the USPPI and U.S authorized agent are 
required to provide are currently located in Section 30.3(e) of the 
FTR. However, additional data elements are needed to complete the AES 
filing. Below is a list of data elements that are required to be 
reported but for which a responsible party is not listed. Please 
provide comments on which party, the USPPI or the U.S. authorized 
agent, should report these data elements.


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Hazardous material indicator  routed export         KPC number
                               transaction
                               indicator.
FTZ identifier..............  vehicle title number  related party
                                                     indicator
shipment reference number...  vehicle title state   export information
                               code.                 code
VIN/product ID..............  filing option         ....................
                               indicator
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    6. Are the responsibilities of parties in a routed export 
transaction clearly stated? If not, what improvements would you 
suggest?
    7. How could we improve the process to authorize filing in a routed 
export transaction?
    8. How could the FTR be revised to align with the Bureau of 
Industry and Security's Export Administration Regulations on routed 
export transactions?
    9. What changes would you suggest in Section 30.3 of the FTR that 
might improve the parties' understanding of the requirements of a 
routed export transaction?
    10. What changes would you suggest in Section 30.3 of the FTR that 
might improve the parties' understanding of their roles in a routed or 
standard export transaction?

    Dated: September 29, 2017.
 Ron S. Jarmin,
Associate Director for Economic Programs, Performing the Non-Exclusive 
Functions and Duties of the Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 2017-21569 Filed 10-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P