[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 220 (Thursday, November 16, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53521-53522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24757]


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 INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation Nos. 332-562 and 332-563]


Global Digital Trade 2: The Business-to-Business Market, Key 
Foreign Trade Restrictions, and U.S. Competitiveness; and Global 
Digital Trade 3: The Business-to-Consumer Market, Key Foreign Trade 
Restrictions, and U.S. Competitiveness; Proposed Information 
Collection; Comment Request; Global Digital Trade Questionnaire

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) 
hereby gives notice that it plans to submit a request for approval of a 
questionnaire to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review 
and requests public comment on its draft proposed collection.

[[Page 53522]]


DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before January 15, 2018.

ADDRESSES: The project leaders for these investigations are Dan Kim and 
Alissa Tafti (Inv. No. 332-562) and Ricky Ubee and Christopher Robinson 
(Inv. No. 332-563). Please direct all written comments to the project 
leaders via email at [email protected] or via U.S. mail at 
U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 
20436.
    Additional Information: Copies of the draft questionnaire and other 
supplementary documents may be downloaded from the USITC Web site at 
https://www.usitc.gov/globaldigitaltrade. For any questions about these 
investigations, email [email protected] or call 202-205-3225 
or 202-205-3342. 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).
    Purpose of Information Collection: The information requested by the 
questionnaire is for use by the Commission in connection with 
Investigation No. 332-562, Global Digital Trade 2: The Business-to-
Business Market, Key Foreign Trade Restrictions, and U.S. 
Competitiveness, and Investigation No. 332-563, Global Digital Trade 3: 
The Business-to-Consumer Market, Key Foreign Trade Restrictions, and 
U.S. Competitiveness, instituted under the authority of section 332(g) 
of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1332(g)). These investigations 
were requested by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on January 13, 
2017. These investigations were initiated on May 1, 2017 and notice was 
published on May 8, 2017 (82 FR 21404). USTR's request includes a 
component that requires a survey of U.S. firms to gather detailed 
information on the impact of foreign regulatory and policy measures on 
their ability to develop and/or supply business-to-business and 
business-to-consumer digital products and services abroad. This 
questionnaire is therefore necessary to analyze regulatory and policy 
measures in key foreign markets that impact (1) the ability of U.S. 
firms to develop and/or supply digital products and services abroad, 
and (2) the competitiveness of U.S. firms as well as international 
trade and investment flows associated with digital products and 
services. The Commission will deliver the results of its investigation 
into the business-to-business market to the U.S. Trade Representative 
by October 29, 2018 and its investigation of the business-to-consumer 
market to the U.S. Trade Representative by March 29, 2019.
    Summary of Proposal: The Commission intends to submit the following 
draft information collection plan to OMB and invites public comment.
    (1) Number of forms submitted: 1.
    (2) Title of form: Global Digital Trade Questionnaire.
    (3) Type of request: New.
    (4) Frequency of use: Industry questionnaire, single data 
gathering, scheduled for 2018.
    (5) Description of respondents: U.S. firms in industries involved 
in global digital trade.
    (6) Estimated number of respondents: 13,000.
    (7) Estimated total number of hours to complete the questionnaire 
per respondent: 15 hours.
    (8) Information obtained from the questionnaire that qualifies as 
confidential business information will be so treated by the Commission 
and not disclosed in a manner that would reveal the individual 
operations of a firm. Aggregate responses will be considered NSI as 
requested by USTR.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has directed the Commission to 
produce two reports that analyze the regulatory and policy measures in 
key foreign markets that impact (1) the ability of U.S. firms to 
develop and/or supply digital products and services abroad, and (2) the 
competitiveness of U.S. firms as well as international trade and 
investment flows associated with digital products and services. There 
will be a single questionnaire used for both investigation 332-562, 
which will focus on business-to-business digital products and services, 
and investigation 332-563, which will focus on business-to-consumer 
digital products and services.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents will be mailed a letter with a link and individual code 
for accessing the online form. Respondents may also request a fillable 
form. Once the online form is complete, respondents will be directed to 
submit the form by selecting a submit button. When respondents complete 
a fillable form, they may submit it by uploading it to a secure 
webserver, emailing it to the study team, faxing it, or mailing a hard 
copy to the Commission.

III. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on (1) whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary; (2) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of 
information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on respondents, including through the use 
of automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    The draft questionnaire and other supplementary documents may be 
downloaded from the USITC Web site at https://www.usitc.gov/globaldigitaltrade.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they will also become a matter of public record.

     Issued: November 9, 2017.

    By order of the Commission.
Lisa R. Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2017-24757 Filed 11-15-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P