[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 104 (Friday, May 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32421-32422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11600]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation Nos. TA-131-046 and TPA-105-007]
U.S.-Kenya Trade Agreement: Advice on the Probable Economic
Effect of Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Currently Dutiable Imports
Institution of Investigation and Scheduling of Hearing
AGENCY: United States International Trade Commission.
ACTION: Notice of investigation and scheduling of a public hearing.
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SUMMARY: Following receipt on March 17, 2020, of a request from the
United States Trade Representative (USTR), the Commission instituted
Investigation Nos. TA-131-046 and TPA-105-007, U.S.-Kenya Trade
Agreement: Advice on the Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty-
free Treatment for Currently Dutiable Imports.
DATES:
June 10, 2020: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public
hearing.
June 12, 2020: Deadline for filing prehearing briefs and
statements.
July 7, 2020: Public hearing.
July 14, 2020: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and
submissions.
July 14, 2020: Deadline for filing all other written statements.
September 16, 2020: Transmittal of Commission report to the USTR.
Because COVID-19 mitigation measures are in effect, the Commission
will hold the public hearing using Go To Meeting. 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
July 7, 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 Commissions electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caroline Peters, Project Leader, (202-
708-1433 or caroline.peters@usitc.gov), or Erika Bethmann, Deputy
Project Leader (202-205-3001 or erika.bethmann@usitc.gov), for
information specific to this investigation. 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
william.gearhart@usitc.gov). The media should contact Margaret
O'Laughlin, Office of External Relations (202-205-1819 or
margaret.olaughlin@usitc.gov). 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 of March 17, 2020, the USTR requested
that the Commission provide certain advice under section 131 of the
Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2151) and an assessment under section
105(a)(2)(B)(i)(III) of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities
and Accountability Act of 2015 (19 U.S.C. 4204(a)(2)(B)(i)(III) with
respect to the effects of providing duty-free treatment for imports of
products from Kenya.
More specifically, the USTR, under authority delegated by the
President and pursuant to section 131 of the Trade Act of 1974,
requested that the Commission
[[Page 32422]]
provide a report containing its advice as to the probable economic
effect of providing duty-free treatment for imports of currently
dutiable products from Kenya on (i) industries in the United States
producing like or directly competitive products, and (ii) consumers.
The USTR asked that the Commission's analysis consider each article in
chapters 1 through 97 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States (HTS) for which U.S. tariffs will remain, taking into account
implementation of U.S. commitments in the World Trade Organization. The
USTR asked that the advice be based on the HTS in effect during 2020
and trade data for 2019.
In addition, the USTR requested that the Commission prepare an
assessment, as described in section 105(a)(2)(B)(i)(III) of the
Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of
2015, of the probable economic effects of eliminating tariffs on
imports from Kenya of those agricultural products described in the list
attached to the USTR's request letter on (i) industries in the United
States producing the products concerned, and (ii) the U.S. economy as a
whole. The USTR's request letter and list of agricultural products are
posted on the Commission's website at http://www.usitc.gov.
The Commission will provide its report to the USTR by September 16,
2020, or as soon as possible. The USTR indicated that those sections of
the Commission's report that relate to the advice and assessment of
probable economic effects will be classified. The USTR also indicated
that he considers the Commission's report to be an interagency
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 July 7, 2020,
using Go To Meeting. Information about the hearing, 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. 131-046, U.S.-Kenya Trade Agreement: Advice
on the Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty-free Treatment for
Currently Dutiable Imports, 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 10, 2020, in
accordance with the requirements in the ``Written Submissions'' section
below. All prehearing briefs and statements should be filed not later
than 5:15 p.m., June 12, 2020, and all post-hearing briefs and
statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., July 14, 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., July 14, 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 to 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 ``nonconfidential'' version, and that
the confidential business information is clearly identified by means of
brackets. All 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 (a) for cybersecurity purposes or (b) in monitoring user
activity on U.S. government classified networks. The Commission will
not otherwise disclose any confidential business information in a way
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 26, 2020.
Lisa Barton,
Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2020-11600 Filed 5-28-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P