Federal Register Notices
[Federal
Register: February 8, 2010 (Volume 75, Number
25)]
[Notices]
[Page 6167-6168]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08fe10-27]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
Notice of a Request for Revision of a
Currently Approved Information Collection
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
SUMMARY: In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act, this notice announces
the Foreign Agricultural Service's intention to
request an extension for a currently approved
information collection in support of the
regulations governing the entry of raw cane
sugar under the tariff- rate quota (TRQ) into
the United States.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be
received by no later than April 9, 2010 to be
assured of consideration.
Additional Information and Comments:
Contact William Janis, International Economist,
Import Policies and Export Reporting Division,
Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, AgStop 1021, 1250 Maryland Avenue,
SW., Washington, DC 20250-1021; or by telephone
(202) 720-2194; by fax to (202) 720-0876; or by
e-mail
William.Janis@fas.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Certificate of Quota Eligibility.
OMB Number: 0551-0014.
Expiration Date of Approval: May 31, 2010.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved
information
collection.
Abstract: The provisions of paragraph (b)(iv)
of the Additional U.S. note 5 to Chapter 17 of
the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United
States (HTS), established by Presidential
Proclamation 6763 of December 1994, authorizes
the Secretary of Agriculture to establish for
each fiscal year the quantity of sugars and
syrups that may be entered at the lower tariff
rates of TRQs. The TRQs cover sugars and syrups
described in HTS subheadings 1701.11, 1701.12,
1701.91, 1701.99,
1702.90 and 2106.90. This authority was
proclaimed by the President to implement the
results of the Uruguay Round of multilateral
trade negotiations as reflected in the
provisions of Schedule XX (United States),
annexed to the Agreement establishing the World
Trade Organization. The terms under which
Certificates for Quota Eligibility (CQEs) will
be issued to foreign countries that have been
allocated a share of the TRQ are set forth in 15
CFR Part 2011, Allocation of Tariff-Rate Quota
on Imported Sugars, Syrups, and Molasses,
Subpart A--Certificates of Quota. The authority
for issuing CQEs is Additional U.S. Note
5(b)(iv) to chapter 17 of the HTS. The
regulation,
promulgated by the United States Trade
Representative, provides for the issuance of
CQEs by the Secretary of Agriculture and in
general prohibits sugar subject to the TRQ from
being imported into the United States or
withdrawn from a warehouse for consumption at
the in-quota duty rates unless such sugar is
accompanied by a CQE.
CQEs are issued to foreign countries by the
Director of the Import Policies and Export
Reporting Division, Foreign Agricultural Service,
or his or her designee. The issuance of CQEs is
in such amounts and at such times as the
Director determines are appropriate to enable
the foreign country to fill its quota allocation
for such quota period in a reasonable manner,
taking into account harvesting periods, U.S.
import requirements, and other relevant factors.
The information required to be collected on the
CQE is used to monitor and control the imports
of raw cane sugar. Proper completion of the CQE
is mandatory for those foreign governments that
are eligible and elect to export raw cane sugar
to the United States under the TRQ.
Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for the
collection directly varies with the number of
CQEs issued.
Respondents: Foreign governments.
Estimated number of respondents: 40 (i.e., number of
countries receiving a TRQ allocation).
Estimated number of responses per respondent: 30 per fiscal
year.
Estimated total number of forms: 1,200.
Estimated burden hours per response: 0.1667 hour (10
minutes).
Estimated total annual burden hours for respondents: 200
hours.
Requests for Comments: Send comments regarding (a) Whether
the information collection 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 of the
collection of information including validity of
the methodology and assumption used; (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 those who are to respond,
including through the use of automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology. Copies of this
information collection may be obtained from
Tamoria Thompson-Hall, the Agency Information
Collection Coordinator, at (202) 690-1690.
Comments may be sent to William Janis, International
Economist, Import Policies and Export Reporting
Division, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, AgStop 1021, 1250
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20024-1021;
or by telephone (202) 720-2194;
or by e-mail:
William.Janis@fas.usda.gov. All comments
received will be available for public inspection
in Room PB435-B at the above address. Persons
with disabilities who require an alternative
means of communication for information (Braille,
large print, audiotape, etc.)
should contact USDA's target center at (202)
720-2600 (voice and TDD). All responses to this
notice will be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All comments also will
become a matter of public record. FAS is
committed to complying with the Government
Paperwork Elimination Act which requires
Government agencies, to the maximum extent
feasible, to provide the public the option of
electronically submitting information
collection. CQEs permit exporters to ship raw
cane sugar to the United States at the U.S.
price, which is ordinarily significantly higher
than the world price for raw cane sugar.
Therefore, in contrast to most information
collection documents, CQEs have a monetary value
equivalent to the substantial benefits to
exporters who can fill their raw cane sugar
allocations under the TRQ. CQEs have always been
carefully handled as secure documents, and
issued only to foreign government-approved
certifying authorities. The Department does not
plan to make CQEs available electronically in
order to prevent a potential proliferation of
invalid CQEs, which could undermine the
integrity of the TRQ system.
Signed at Washington, DC, on February 1,
2010.
John D. Brewer,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-2695 Filed 2-5-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P
