2012-23532. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Direct Investment Surveys: BE-15, Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States

AGENCY:

Bureau of Economic Analysis.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before November 26, 2012.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230, or via email at [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to David H. Galler, Chief, Direct Investment Division (BE-50), Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230; phone: [phone]; fax: [phone]; or via email at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

The Annual Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States (Form BE-15) obtains sample data on the financial structure and operations of U.S. affiliates of foreign investors. The data are needed to provide reliable, useful, and timely measures of foreign direct investment in the United States, assess its impact on the U.S. economy, and based upon this assessment, make informed policy decisions regarding foreign direct investment in the United States. The data are used to derive annual estimates of the operations of U.S. affiliates of foreign investors, including their balance sheets; income statements; property, plant, and equipment; employment and employee compensation; merchandise trade; sales of goods and services; taxes; and research and development activity. In addition, data covering employment are collected by state. The data are also used to update similar data for the universe of U.S. affiliates collected once every five years on the BE-12 benchmark survey.

The survey, as proposed, incorporates changes that were made to the 2012 BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States. The exemption level for reporting on the proposed survey is unchanged from the previous (2011) survey.

II. Method of Collection

The BE-15 annual survey is sent to potential respondents in March of each year. A completed report covering a reporting company's fiscal year ending during the previous calendar year is due by May 31 (or by June 30 for respondents that file using BEA's eFile system). Reports must be filed by every U.S. business enterprise that is owned 10 percent or more by a foreign investor and that has total assets, sales or gross operating revenues, or net income (or loss) of over $40 million.

As an alternative to filing paper forms, BEA offers its electronic filing option, the eFile system, for use in reporting on Form BE-15. For more information about eFile, go to www.bea.gov/​efile.

Potential respondents are those U.S. business enterprises that reported in the 2012 benchmark survey of foreign direct investment in the United States, along with businesses that subsequently entered the direct investment universe. The BE-15 is a sample survey, as described; universe estimates are developed from the reported sample data.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0608-0034.

Form Number: BE-15.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 4,000 annually.

Estimated Time per Response: 19 hours, 30 minutes is the average, but may vary considerably among respondents because of differences in company size and complexity.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 77,825.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.

Legal Authority: International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act (Pub. L. 94-472, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended by Pub. L. 98-573 and Pub. L. 101-533).

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Dated: September 19, 2012.

Glenna Mickelson,

Management Analyst, Office of Chief Information Officer.