2013-16897. Agency Information Collection Activities: African Growth and Opportunity Act Certificate of Origin

AGENCY:

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

ACTION:

30-Day notice and request for comments; Extension of an existing information collection: 1651-0082.

SUMMARY:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 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: African Growth and Opportunity Act Certificate of Origin (AGOA). This is a proposed extension of an information collection that was previously approved. CBP is proposing that this information collection be extended with a 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 26650) on May 7, 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 August 14, 2013 to be assured of consideration.

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:

Maria Lloyd, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Regulations and Rulings, Office of International Trade, 90 K Street NE., 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20229-1177, at 202-325-0369.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

CBP invites the general public and affected Federal agencies to submit written comments and suggestions on proposed and/or continuing information collection requests pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13). Your comments should address one of the following four points:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency/component, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agencies/components estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collections of information on those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological techniques or other forms of information.

Title: African Growth and Opportunity Act Certificate of Origin.

OMB Number: 1651-0082.

Form Number: None.

Abstract: The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was adopted by the United States with the enactment of the Trade and Development Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-200). The objectives of AGOA are (1) to provide for extension of duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) to import sensitive articles normally excluded from GSP duty treatment, and (2) to provide for the entry of specific textile and apparel articles free of duty and free of any quantitative limits from the countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

For preferential treatment under AGOA, the exporter is required to prepare a certificate of origin and provide it to the importer. The certificate of origin includes information such as contact information for the importer; exporter and producer; the basis for which preferential treatment is claimed; and a description of the imported merchandise. The importers are required to have the certificate in their possession at the time of the claim, and to provide it to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon request. The collection of this information is provided for in 19 CFR 10.214, 10.215, and 10.216.

Instructions for complying with this regulation are posted on CBP.gov Web site at: http://www.cbp.gov/​linkhandler/​cgov/​trade/​priority_​trade/​textiles/​tbts/​TBT2001/​TBT-01-008.ctt/​TBT-01-008.doc.

Current Actions: This submission is being made to extend the expiration date and to revise the burden hours as a result of updated estimates of the number of AGOA certificates of origin that are prepared and/or submitted to CBP. There are no changes to the information collected or to the AGOA certificate of origin.

Type of Review: Extension with a change to the burden hours.

Affected Public: Businesses.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 210.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 107.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 22,494.

Estimated Time per Response: 20 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 7,648.

Dated: July 10, 2013.

Tracey Denning,

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