2013-01057. Agency Information Collection Activities: Application for Foreign Trade Zone and/or Status Designation, and Application for Foreign Trade Zone Activity Permit

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: 1651-0029.

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 the Application for Foreign Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation, and Application for Foreign Trade Zone Activity Permit (CBP Forms 214, 214A, 214B, 214C and 216). 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 March 19, 2013 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 record keepers 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: Application for Foreign Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation, and Application for Foreign Trade Zone Activity Permit.

OMB Number: 1651-0029.

Form Number: CBP Forms 214, 214A, 214B, 214C and 216.

Abstract: Foreign trade zones (FTZs) are geographical enclaves located within the geographical limits of the United States but for tariff purposes are considered to be outside the United States. Imported merchandise may be brought into FTZs for storage, manipulation, manufacture or other processing and subsequent removal for exportation, consumption in the United States, or destruction. A company bringing goods into a zone has a choice of zone status (privileged/non-privileged foreign, domestic, or zone-restricted) which affects the way such goods are treated by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and for tariff purposes upon entry into the customs territory of the U.S.

CBP Forms 214, 214A, 214B, and 214C, Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation, are used by companies that bring merchandise into a foreign trade zone to register the admission of such merchandise into FTZs, and to apply for the appropriate zone status. CBP Form CBP 216, Foreign-Trade Zone Activity Permit, is used by companies to request approval to manipulate, manufacture, exhibit or destroy merchandise in a foreign trade zone.

These FTZ forms are authorized by 19 U.S.C. 81 and provided for by 19 CFR 146.22, 146.32, 146.41, 146.44, 146.52, 146.53, and 146.66. These forms are accessible at: http://www.cbp.gov/​xp/​cgov/​toolbox/​forms/​.

Action: CBP proposes to extend the expiration date of this information collection with no change to the burden hours or to CBP Forms 214, 214A, 214B, 214C and 216.

Type of Review: Extension (without change).

Affected Public: Businesses.

Form 214, Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Admission and/or Status Designation

Estimated Number of Respondents: 6,749.

Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 25.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 168,725.

Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 42,182.

Form 216, Application for Foreign-Trade Zone Activity Permit

Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,500.

Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 10.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 25,000.

Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,167.

Dated: January 14, 2013.

Tracey Denning,

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