2012-23600. U.S. Customs and Border Protection

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

60-day notice and request for comments; extension of an existing collection of information.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, CBP invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on an information collection requirement concerning Foreign Assembler's Declaration (with Endorsement by Importer). This request for comment is being made pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13).

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before November 26, 2012, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Attn: Tracey Denning, Regulations and Rulings, Office of International Trade, 799 9th Street NW., 5th Floor, Washington, DC. 20229-1177.

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, 799 9th Street NW., 5th 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 recordkeepers 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: Foreign Assembler's Declaration (with Endorsement by Importer).

OMB Number: 1651-0031.

Form Number: None.

Abstract: In accordance with 19 CFR 10.24, a Foreign Assembler's Declaration must be made in connection with the entry of assembled articles under subheading 9802.00.80, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). This declaration includes information such as the quantity, value and description of the imported merchandise. The declaration is made by the person who performed the assembly operations abroad and it includes an endorsement by the importer. The Foreign Assembler's Declaration is used by CBP to determine whether the operations performed are within the purview of subheading 9802.00.80, HTSUS and therefore eligible for preferential tariff treatment.

19 CFR 10.24(c) and (d) require that the importer/assembler maintain records for 5 years from the date of the related entry and that they make these records readily available to CBP for audit, inspection, copying, and reproduction.

Current Actions: CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with a change to the estimated burden hours based the number of Foreign Assembly Declarations completed in 2011. There is no change to the information collected.

Type of Review: Extension (with change).

Affected Public: Businesses.

Estimated Number of Respondents/Recordkeepers: 2,730.

Estimated Time per Response/Recordkeeping: 55 minutes.

Estimated Number of Responses/Recordkeeping per Respondent: 128.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 320,251.

Dated: September 20, 2012.

Tracey Denning,

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