[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 61 (Thursday, April 1, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17058-17059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-06744]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

19 CFR Part 361

[Docket No. 210326-0072 ]
RIN 0625-AB18


Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis System: Stay and Delay of 
Compliance Date

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule; stay.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) is delaying

[[Page 17059]]

compliance with the final rule, entitled ``Aluminum Import Monitoring 
and Analysis System,'' by staying the regulations from March 29, 2021, 
until June 28, 2021. Commerce will release the public Aluminum Import 
Monitoring and Analysis (AIM) monitor on the AIM system website on 
March 29, 2021.

DATES: As of March 29, 2021, compliance with the final rule published 
December 23, 2020 at 85 FR 83804 and amended January 27, 2021 at 86 FR 
7237 is delayed and 19 CFR part 361 is stayed until June 28, 2021. The 
public AIM monitor will be released on the AIM system website on March 
29, 2021.

ADDRESSES: The AIM system website is https://www.trade.gov/aluminum. 
Commerce will release the public AIM monitor using publicly available 
data through this website on March 29, 2021. More information can be 
found in the Final Rule and at https://www.trade.gov/updates-aluminum-import-licensing. Commerce is offering virtual demonstrations of the 
public AIM monitor, which are available to the general public. Although 
the demonstrations will be completely virtual, Commerce will have a 
limited number of spots available for participation in the 
demonstrations. For specific dates and times of the demonstrations, and 
to participate in the demonstrations, please visit https://www.trade.gov/updates-aluminum-import-licensing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Al-Saadawi at (202) 482-1930 or 
Jessica Link at (202) 482-1411.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 23, 2020, Commerce published 
``Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis System,'' (Final Rule) 
establishing the AIM system in part 361 that would be comprised of an 
aluminum import licensing program and a public AIM monitor, available 
through the AIM system website.\1\ On January 4, 2021, Commerce 
launched the AIM system website (https://www.trade.gov/aluminum). The 
original effective date for part 361 was January 25, 2021, meaning that 
licenses would be required for all covered aluminum imports on or after 
this date.
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    \1\ Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis System, 85 FR at 
83804 (December 23, 2020) (Final Rule).
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    On January 27, 2021, Commerce published a notification delaying the 
effective date of the AIM system until March 29, 2021, and opening a 
30-day comment period to solicit public comment, on the January 27 
notification, that closed on February 26, 2021, on all aspects of the 
Final Rule and the AIM system.\2\
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    \2\ Aluminum Import Monitoring and Analysis System: Delay of 
Effective Date, 86 FR 7237 (January 27, 2021).
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    Upon receipt and consideration of the public comment,\3\ Commerce 
has determined that it is appropriate to delay compliance with most 
aspects of part 361 and the AIM system by an additional ninety days, by 
staying part 361. This delay will allow Commerce time to finalize the 
license application system and to provide both the public and U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with sufficient advance notice of 
the new compliance date. In addition, the delay will allow Commerce to 
consider and respond, as appropriate, to the comments; Commerce intends 
to issue another notification addressing these comments prior to June 
28, 2021.
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    \3\ These comments can be found by searching for the Final Rule 
(Docket No. ITA-2021-0001) on the Federal eRulemaking portal at 
http://www.regulations.gov.
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    Therefore, unless otherwise announced, compliance for the majority 
of part 361 and the AIM system will be effective on June 28, 2021, 
meaning that licenses will be required for all covered aluminum imports 
on or after this date. Additionally, the remaining portions of the 
regulations concerning the removal of the option to state ``unknown'' 
for certain fields on the aluminum license form will be effective on 
December 24, 2021, as stated in the relevant sections of part 361, 
unless otherwise announced. For further background and information, see 
the Final Rule. Further guidance on licenses already issued and the 
issuance of new licenses in the intervening period before June 28, 2021 
will be provided on the AIM system website.
    Although Commerce is delaying compliance with the majority of part 
361 and the AIM system as described above, Commerce is moving forward 
with one aspect of the AIM system on March 29, 2021. Specifically, 
Commerce will release the public AIM monitor on the AIM system website 
on March 29, 2021. When released, the public AIM monitor will provide 
information on U.S. imports of aluminum from all countries by broad 
product categories in both value and volume measures. The public AIM 
monitor will initially only include publicly available import data, as 
the license information will not be available. Once the license 
collection begins, and Commerce has had sufficient time to review the 
license data, the public AIM monitor will report certain aggregate 
information on imports of aluminum product categories using both 
publicly available import data and data obtained from the aluminum 
licenses.
    Releasing the public AIM monitor, while delaying compliance with 
the license application system, is consistent with the historical 
release of the early Steel Import Monitor and Analysis (SIMA) monitor. 
When SIMA was first launched in early 2003, an early version of the 
SIMA monitor was released with only public data.\4\ This provided the 
public some details about what the monitor may look like and created 
public interest in SIMA before the implementation of the license 
application system. Commerce finds it appropriate to adopt a similar 
approach in this instance for the AIM system.
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    \4\ Steel Import Licensing and Surge Monitoring, 67 FR 79845 
(Dec. 31, 2002).
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    This is a significant rulemaking under Executive Order 12866 but it 
is not economically significant.

List of subjects in 19 CFR Part 361

    Administrative practice and procedure, Business and industry, 
Imports, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Aluminum.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble and under the authority of 
13 U.S.C. 301(a) and 302, the Department of Commerce stays 19 CFR part 
361 until June 28, 2021.

    Dated: March 29, 2021.
Christian Marsh,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2021-06744 Filed 3-29-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P