[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 72 (Thursday, April 15, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19669-19670]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8629]
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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA), as Amended: Request for
Public Comments Regarding Beneficiary Countries
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In compliance with section 203(f) of the ATPA, as amended, 19
U.S.C. 3202(f)(2), the Office of the United States Trade Representative
(USTR) is requesting the views of interested parties on whether the
designated beneficiary countries are meeting the eligibility criteria
under the ATPA. (See 19 U.S.C. 3203(b)(6)(B).) This information will be
used in the preparation of a report to the Congress on the operation of
the program.
DATES: Public comments are due no later than 5 p.m., May 12, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Submissions via on-line: http://www.regulations.gov. For
alternatives to on-line submissions, please contact Gloria Blue,
Executive Secretary, Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), at (202) 395-
3475.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For procedural questions concerning
written comments, please contact Gloria Blue at the above number. All
other questions regarding the ATPA should be directed to Bennett
Harman, Deputy Assistant USTR for Latin America, at (202) 395-9446.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Background Information
The ATPA, as amended by the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug
Eradication Act of 2002 (ATPDEA) in the Trade Act of 2002, 19 U.S.C.
3201 et seq., provides trade benefits for eligible Andean countries. In
Proclamation 7616 of October 31, 2002, the President designated
Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru as ATPDEA beneficiary countries.
In Proclamation 8323 of November 25, 2008, the President determined
that Bolivia no longer satisfies the eligibility criteria related to
counternarcotics and suspended Bolivia's status as a beneficiary
country for purposes of the ATPA and ATPDEA. In a June 30, 2009 report
to Congress the President did not determine that Bolivia satisfies the
requirements set forth in section 203(c) of the ATPA (19 U.S.C.
3202(c)) for being designated as a beneficiary country. Therefore, as
provided for in section 208(a)(3) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 3206(a)(3)), no
duty free treatment or other preferential treatment extended under the
ATPA remained in effect with respect to Bolivia after June 30, 2009.
Section 203(f) of the ATPA (19 U.S.C. 3202(f)) requires the USTR,
not later than June 30, 2010, to submit to Congress a report on the
operation of the ATPA. Before submitting such report, USTR is required
to request comments on whether beneficiary countries are meeting the
criteria set forth in 19 U.S.C. 3203(b)(6)(B) (which incorporates by
reference the criteria set forth in sections 3202(c) and (d)). USTR
refers interested parties to the Federal Register notice published on
August 15, 2002 (67 FR 53379), for a full list of the eligibility
criteria.
2. Requirements for Submissions
Persons submitting comments must do so in English and must identify
(on the first page of the submission) the ``USTR Report on Operation of
the Andean Trade Preference Act.'' In order to be assured of
consideration, comments should be submitted by May 12, 2010.
In order to ensure the timely receipt and consideration of
comments, USTR strongly encourages commenters to make on-line
submissions, using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site. Comments
should be submitted under the following docket: USTR-2010-0012. To find
the docket, enter the docket number in the ``Enter Keyword or ID''
window at the http://www.regulations.gov home page and click
``Search.'' The site will provide a search-results page listing all
documents associated with this docket. Find a reference to this notice
by selecting ``Notices'' under ``Document Type'' on the search-results
page, and click on the link entitled ``Submit a Comment.'' (For further
information on using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site, please
consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on the
``Help'' tab.)
The http://www.regulations.gov Web site provides the option of
making submissions by filling in a comments field, or by attaching a
document. USTR prefers submissions to be provided in an attached
document. If a document is attached, it is sufficient to type ``See
attached'' in the ``Type comment & Upload File'' field. USTR prefers
submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If the
submission is in an application other than those two, please indicate
the name of the application in the ``Comments'' field.
For any comments submitted electronically containing business
confidential information, the file name of the business confidential
version should begin with the characters ``BC''. Any page containing
business confidential information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS
CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top of that page. Filers of submissions
containing business confidential information must also submit a public
version of their comments. The file name of the public version should
begin with the character ``P''. The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed
by the name of the person or entity submitting the comments or reply
comments. Filers submitting comments containing no business
confidential information should name their file using the character
``P'', followed by the name
[[Page 19670]]
of the person or entity submitting the comments.
Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a
cover letter in the comments themselves. Similarly, to the extent
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in
the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files.
USTR strongly urges submitters to file comments through http://www.regulations.gov, if at all possible. Any alternative arrangements
must be made with Ms. Blue in advance of transmitting a comment. Ms.
Blue should be contacted at (202) 395-3475. General information
concerning USTR is available at http://www.ustr.gov.
Carmen Suro-Bredie,
Chairman, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2010-8629 Filed 4-14-10; 8:45 am]
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