2011-9568. Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Exportation of Agricultural Commodities, Medicine, and Medical Devices to Sudan and Iran; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.

ACTION:

Request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury is soliciting comments on the effectiveness of OFAC's licensing procedures for the exportation of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Sudan and Iran. Pursuant to section 906(c) of the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (Title IX of Pub. L. 106-387, 22 U.S.C. 7201 et seq.) (the “Act”), OFAC is required to submit a biennial report to the Congress on the operation of licensing procedures for such exports.

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before May 23, 2011 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.

Fax: Attn: Request for Comments (TSRA) [phone].

Mail: Attn: Request for Comments (TSRA), Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information about these licensing procedures should be directed to the Licensing Division, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20220, telephone: [phone] (not a toll free number). Additional information about these licensing procedures is also available under the heading “Other OFAC Sanctions Programs” via “Resources” at http://www.treasury.gov/​about/​organizational-structure/​offices/​Pages/​Office-of-Foreign-Assets-Control.aspx.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The current procedures used by OFAC for authorizing the export of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Sudan and Iran are set forth in 31 CFR 538.523-526 and 31 CFR 560.530-533. Under the provisions of section 906(c) of the Act, OFAC must submit a biennial report to the Congress on the operation, during the preceding two-year period, of the licensing procedures required by section 906 of the Act for the export of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Sudan and Iran. This report is to include:

(1) The number and types of licenses applied for;

(2) The number and types of licenses approved;

(3) The average amount of time elapsed from the date of filing of a license application until the date of its approval;

(4) The extent to which the licensing procedures were effectively implemented; and

(5) A description of comments received from interested parties about the extent to which the licensing procedures were effective, after holding a public 30-day comment period.

This notice solicits comments from interested parties regarding the effectiveness of OFAC's licensing procedures for the export of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to Sudan and Iran for the time period of October 1, 2008-September 30, 2010. Interested parties submitting comments are asked to be as specific as possible. In the interest of accuracy and completeness, OFAC requires written comments. All comments received on or before May 23, 2011 will be considered by OFAC in developing the report to the Congress. Consideration of comments received after the end of the comment period cannot be assured.

All comments made will be a matter of public record. OFAC will not accept comments accompanied by a request that part or all of the comments be treated confidentially because of their business proprietary nature or for any other reason; OFAC will return such comments when submitted by regular mail to the person submitting the comments and will not consider them.

Copies of the public record concerning these regulations may be obtained from OFAC's Web site (http://www.treasury.gov/​ofac). If that service is unavailable, written requests may be sent to: Office of Foreign Assets Control, U.S. Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20220, Attn: Andrea Gacki, Assistant Director for Licensing.

Note:

On September 9, 2009, OFAC issued a general license authorizing most exports of agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical devices to the Specified Areas of Sudan as defined by 31 CFR 538.320. See 31 CFR 538.523(a)(2). Accordingly, specific licenses are no longer required for these exports.

Approved: April 8, 2011.

Adam J. Szubin,

Director, Office of Foreign Assets Control.