2013-06186. Agency Information Collection Activities: Application for Foreign Trade Zone and/or Status Designation, and Application for Foreign Trade Zone Activity Permit

AGENCY:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security

ACTION:

30-Day Notice and request for comments; Extension of an existing collection of information: 1651-0029.

SUMMARY:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of the Department of Homeland Security will be submitting the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act: Application for Foreign Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation, and Application for Foreign Trade Zone Activity Permit (CBP Forms 214, 214A, 214B, 214C and 216). This is a proposed extension of an information collection that was previously approved. CBP is proposing that this information collection be extended with no change to the burden hours. This document is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. This information collection was previously published in the Federal Register (78 FR 4155) on January 18, 2013, allowing for a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10.

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before April 17, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on this information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be addressed to the OMB Desk Officer for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, and sent via electronic mail to [e-mail] or faxed to [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information should be directed to Tracey Denning, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Regulations and Rulings, Office of International Trade, 90 K Street NE., 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20229-1177, at 202-325-0265.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

CBP invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13). The comments should address: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimates of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden including the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology; and (e) the annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers from the collection of information (total capital/startup costs and operations and maintenance costs). The comments that are submitted will be summarized and included in the CBP request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. In this document CBP is soliciting comments concerning the following information collection:

Title: Application for Foreign Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation, and Application for Foreign Trade Zone Activity Permit.

OMB Number: 1651-0029.

Form Number: CBP Forms 214, 214A, 214B, 214C and 216.

Abstract: Foreign trade zones (FTZs) are geographical enclaves located within the geographical limits of the United States but for tariff purposes are considered to be outside the United States. Imported merchandise may be brought into FTZs for storage, manipulation, manufacture or other processing and subsequent removal for exportation, consumption in the United States, or destruction. A company bringing goods into a zone has a choice of zone status (privileged/non-privileged foreign, domestic, or zone-restricted) which affects the way such goods are treated by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and for tariff purposes upon entry into the customs territory of the United States.

CBP Forms 214, 214A, 214B, and 214C, Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation, are used by companies that bring merchandise into a foreign trade zone to register the admission of such merchandise into FTZs, and to apply for the appropriate zone status. CBP Form CBP 216, Foreign-Trade Zone Activity Permit, is used by companies to request approval to manipulate, manufacture, exhibit or destroy merchandise in a foreign trade zone.

These FTZ forms are authorized by 19 U.S.C. 81 and provided for by 19 CFR 146.22, 146.32, 146.41, 146.44, 146.52, 146.53, and 146.66. These forms are accessible at: http://www.cbp.gov/​xp/​cgov/​toolbox/​forms/​.

Action: CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with no change to the burden hours or to CBP Forms 214, 214A, 214B, 214C and 216.

Type of Review: Extension (without change).

Affected Public: Businesses.

Form 214, Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,749.

Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 25.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 168,725.

Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 42,182.

Form 216, Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Activity Permit.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,500.

Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 10.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 25,000.

Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,167.

Dated: March 13, 2013.

Tracey Denning,

Agency Clearance Officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection.