[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 102 (Wednesday, May 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31805-31807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11359]


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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION

[Investigation No. 332-578]


Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2020 
Review

AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of institution of investigation and scheduling of public 
hearing.

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SUMMARY: Following receipt of a request on May 4, 2020, from the United 
States Trade Representative (USTR), the U.S. International Trade 
Commission (Commission) instituted Investigation No. 332-578, 
Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2020 Review, 
for the purpose of providing advice and information relating to the 
possible addition of articles and removal of articles.

DATES: 
    June 3, 2020: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public 
hearing.
    June 3, 2020: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    June 19, 2020: Public hearing.
    June 29, 2020: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and 
statements.
    June 29, 2020: Deadline for filing all other written submissions.
    August 31, 2020: Transmittal of Commission report to the USTR.
    Because COVID-19 mitigation measures are in effect, the Commission 
will hold the public hearing virtually. For further information on the 
hearing, see the section below on ``public hearing'' and also the 
Commission's ongoing investigations website (https://usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/what_we_are_working_on.htm), before June 22, 2020 
for details about the hearing format.

ADDRESSES: All Commission offices 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 Sharon Ford, Project Leader, Office 
of Industries (202-205-3084 or [email protected]), or Greg LaRocca, 
Deputy Project Leader, Office of Industries (202-205-3405 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 website (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.
    Background: In his letter, the USTR requested the advice and 
information described below.

[[Page 31806]]

    (1) Advice as to the probable economic effect on total U.S. 
imports, on U.S. industries producing like or directly competitive 
articles, and on U.S. consumers of the elimination of U.S. import 
duties on the articles in Table A for all beneficiary developing 
countries under the GSP program. In accordance with sections 
503(a)(1)(A), 503(e), and 131(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended 
(``the 1974 Act'') and pursuant to the authority of the President 
delegated to the USTR by sections 4(c) and 8(c) and (d) of Executive 
Order 11846 of March 31, 1975, as amended, and pursuant to section 
332(g) of the Tariff Act of 1930, the USTR notified the Commission that 
the articles identified in Table A of the Annex to the USTR request 
letter are being considered for designation as eligible articles for 
purposes of the GSP program. The USTR requested that the Commission 
provide its advice as to the probable economic effect on total U.S. 
imports, U.S. industries producing like or directly competitive 
articles, and on U.S. consumers of the elimination of U.S. import 
duties on the articles identified in Table A of the Annex to the USTR 
request letter for all beneficiary developing countries under the GSP 
program (see Table A below).

 Table A--2020 GSP Annual Review--Petitions Submitted To Add Products to
 the List of Eligible Articles for the Generalized System of Preferences
                                  (GSP)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
             HTS provision                      Brief description
------------------------------------------------------------------------
0603.11.00.............................  Sweetheart, Spray and other
                                          Roses, fresh cut.
0603.11.0010...........................  Sweetheart roses, fresh,
                                          suitable for bouquets or for
                                          ornamental purposes.
0603.11.0030...........................  Spray roses, fresh, suitable
                                          for bouquets or for ornamental
                                          purposes.
0603.11.0060...........................  Roses, fresh, suitable for
                                          bouquets for ornamental
                                          purposes, nesoi.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) Advice as to the probable economic effect of the removal from 
eligibility for duty-free treatment under the GSP program for these 
articles from all countries on total U.S. imports, on U.S. industries 
producing like or directly competitive articles, and on U.S. consumers. 
The USTR notified the Commission that six articles from all beneficiary 
developing countries are being considered for removal from eligibility 
for duty-free treatment under the GSP program. Under authority 
delegated by the President, pursuant to section 332(g) of the Tariff 
Act of 1930, with respect to the articles listed in Table B of the 
Annex to the USTR request letter, the USTR requested that the 
Commission provide its advice as to the probable economic effect of the 
removal from eligibility for duty-free treatment under the GSP program 
for these articles from all beneficiary developing countries on total 
U.S. imports, on U.S. industries producing like or directly competitive 
articles, and on U.S. consumers (see Table B below).

Table B--2020 GSP Annual Review--Petitions Submitted To Remove Duty-Free
    Status for a Product on the List of Eligible Articles for the GSP
                                 Program
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             HTS provision                      Brief description
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1006.10.00.............................  Rice in the husk (paddy or
                                          rough).
1006.20.20.............................  Basmati rice, husked.
1006.20.40.............................  Husked (brown) rice, other than
                                          Basmati.
1006.30.10.............................  Rice semi-milled or wholly
                                          milled, whether or not
                                          polished or glazed, parboiled.
1006.30.90.............................  Rice semi-milled or wholly
                                          milled, whether or not
                                          polished or glazed, other than
                                          parboiled.
1006.40.00.............................  Broken rice.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Time for reporting, HTS detail, portions of report to be 
classified. As requested by the USTR, the Commission will provide the 
requested advice and information by August 31, 2020. The USTR asked 
that the Commission issue, as soon as possible thereafter, a public 
version of the report containing only the unclassified information, 
with any confidential business information deleted. As requested, the 
Commission will provide its probable economic effect advice and 
statistics (profile of the U.S. industry and market and U.S. import and 
export data) and any other relevant information or advice separately 
and individually for each U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule provision for 
all products subject to the request. The USTR indicated that those 
sections of the Commission's report and working papers that contain the 
Commission's advice and assessment of probable economic effects on 
domestic industries, on U.S. imports, and on U.S. consumers, will be 
classified as ``confidential.'' The USTR also stated that his office 
considers the Commission's report to be an inter-agency memorandum that 
will contain pre-decisional advice and be subject to the deliberative 
process privilege.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this 
investigation will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. on June 19, 2020, 
virtually. Information about the virtual hearing and how to participate 
will be posted on the Commission's website at (https://usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/what_we_are_working_on.htm). Once on that web 
page, scroll down to the entry for investigation No. 332-578, 
Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2020 Review, 
and click on the link to ``hearing instructions''. Requests to appear 
at the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary no later than 
5:15 p.m., June 3, 2020. All pre-hearing briefs and statements should 
be filed no later than 5:15 p.m., June 3, 2020; and all post-hearing 
briefs and statements should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m., June 29, 
2020. All requests to appear, and pre- and post-hearing briefs and 
statements should be filed in accordance with the requirements of the 
``written submissions'' section below.
    Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in 
the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written submissions 
concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be 
addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later than 5:15 
p.m., June 29, 2020. All written submissions must conform to the 
provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure (19 CFR 201.8), as temporarily amended by 85 FR 15798 (March 
19, 2020). Under that rule waiver, the Office of the Secretary will 
accept only electronic filings at this time. Filings must be made 
through the Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS, 
https://edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paper-based filings or paper 
copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until further notice. 
Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the 
Office of the Secretary, Docket Services Division (202-205-1802), or 
consult the Commission's Handbook on Filing Procedures.
    Confidential Business Information: Any submissions that contain 
confidential business information must also conform with the 
requirements of section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and 
Procedure (19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the 
cover of the document and the individual pages be clearly marked as to 
whether they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-confidential'' version, 
and that the confidential business information is clearly identified by 
means of brackets. All

[[Page 31807]]

written submissions, except for confidential business information, will 
be made available for inspection by interested parties.
    The Commission may include some or all of the confidential business 
information submitted in the course of this investigation in the report 
it sends to the USTR. Additionally, all information, including 
confidential business information, submitted in this investigation may 
be disclosed to and used: (i) By the Commission, its employees and 
Offices, and contract personnel (a) for developing or maintaining the 
records of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in internal 
investigations, audits, reviews, and evaluations relating to the 
programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including under 5 
U.S.C. Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government employees and contract 
personnel for cybersecurity purposes. The Commission will not otherwise 
disclose any confidential business information in a manner that would 
reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.
    Summaries of Written Submissions: Persons wishing to have a summary 
of their position included in the report should include a summary with 
their written submission and should mark the summary as having been 
provided for that purpose. The summary should be clearly marked as 
``summary for inclusion in the report'' at the top of the page. The 
summary may not exceed 500 words, should be in MS Word format or a 
format that can be easily converted to MS Word, and should not include 
any confidential business information. The summary will be published as 
provided if it meets these requirements and is germane to the subject 
matter of the investigation. The Commission will list the name of the 
organization furnishing the summary and will include a link to the 
Commission's Electronic Document Information System (EDIS) where the 
full written submission can be found.

    By order of the Commission.

    Issued: May 21, 2020.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2020-11359 Filed 5-26-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P