E8-11842. Andean Trade Preference Act: Impact on the U.S. Economy and on Andean Drug Crop Eradication

AGENCY:

United States International Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Notice of public hearing and opportunity to submit comments in connection with the 2007 report on the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA).

SUMMARY:

Section 206 of the ATPA (19 U.S.C. 3204) requires the Commission to report biennially to the Congress by September 30 of each reporting year on the economic impact of the Act on U.S. industries and U.S. consumers, as well as on the effectiveness of the Act in promoting drug-related crop eradication and crop substitution efforts by beneficiary countries. This series of biennial reports was instituted as investigation No. 332-352, Andean Trade Preference Act: Impact on the U.S. Economy and on Andean Drug Crop Eradication. The Commission has scheduled a public hearing for its 2008 ATPA report, covering calendar year 2007, for July 22, 2008.

DATES:

July 9, 2008: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the public hearing.

July 15, 2008: Deadline for filing pre-hearing briefs and statements.

July 22, 2008: Public hearing.

July 29, 2008: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and statements and all other written submissions.

September 30, 2008: Transmittal of Commission report to Committee on Ways and Means.

ADDRESSES:

All Commission offices, including the Commission's hearing rooms, 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 Commission's electronic docket (EDIS) at http://www.usitc.gov/​secretary/​edis.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

James Stamps (202-205-3227, or [e-mail]) or Nannette Christ (202-205-3263, or [e-mail]), Country and Regional Analysis Division, Office of Economics, U.S. International Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20436. General information concerning the Commission may be obtained by accessing its Internet server (http://www.usitc.gov).

Background: Section 206 of the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) (19 U.S.C. 3204) requires that the Commission submit biennial reports to the Congress regarding the economic impact of the Act on U.S. industries and consumers and, in conjunction with other agencies, the effectiveness of the Act in promoting drug-related crop eradication and crop substitution efforts of the beneficiary countries. Section 206(b) of the Act requires that each report include:

(1) The actual effect of ATPA on the U.S. economy generally as well as on specific domestic industries which produce articles that are like, or directly competitive with, articles being imported under the Act from beneficiary countries;

(2) the probable future effect that ATPA will have on the U.S. economy generally and on such domestic industries; and

(3) the estimated effect that ATPA has had on drug-related crop eradication and crop substitution efforts of beneficiary countries.

Notice of institution of the investigation and the schedule for such reports under section 206 of ATPA was published in the Federal Register of March 10, 1994 (59 FR 11308). The thirteenth report, covering calendar year 2007, is to be submitted by September 30, 2008.

Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this investigation will be held at the U.S. International Trade Commission Building, 500 E Street, SW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m. on July 22, 2008. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed with the Secretary, no later than 5:15 p.m., July 9, 2008, in accordance with the requirements in the “Submissions” section below. All pre-hearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., July 15, 2008, and all post-hearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15 p.m., July 29, 2008. In the event that, as of the close of business on July 9, 2008, no witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing will be canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an observer or nonparticipant may call the Secretary to the Commission (202-205-2000) after July 9, 2008, for information concerning whether the hearing will be held.

Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in the hearing, interested parties are invited to submit written statements concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, and should be received not later than 5:15 p.m., July 29, 2008. All written submissions must conform with the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8). Section 201.8 requires that a signed original (or a copy so designated) and fourteen (14) copies of each document be filed. In the event that confidential treatment of a document is requested, at least four (4) additional copies must be filed, in which the confidential information must be deleted (see the following paragraph for further information regarding confidential business information). The Commission's rules authorize filing submissions with the Secretary by facsimile or electronic means only to the extent permitted by section 201.8 of the rules (see Handbook for Electronic Filing Procedures, http://www.usitc.gov/​secretary/​fed_​reg_​notices/​rules/​documents/​handbook_​on_​electronic_​filing.pdf). Persons with questions regarding electronic filing should contact the Secretary (202-205-2000).

Any submissions that contain confidential business information must also conform with 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 “non-confidential” version, and that the confidential business information be clearly identified by means of brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be made available for inspection by interested parties.

Committee staff has indicated that the Committee intends to make the Commission's report available to the public in its entirety, and has asked that the Commission not include any confidential business information or national security classified information in the report that the Commission sends to the Committee. Any confidential business information received by the Commission in this investigation and used in preparing this report will not be published in a manner that would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.

Issued: May 21, 2008.

By order of the Commission.

Marilyn R. Abbott,

Secretary to the Commission.