[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 236 (Tuesday, December 9, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68594-68595]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30571]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Steel Import Licensing and Surge Monitoring
AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of continuation of Steel Import Licensing and Surge
Monitoring program.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation to Provide for the
Termination of Action Taken with Regard to Imports of Steel Products,
issued December 4, 2003, the Department of Commerce will continue the
Steel Import Licensing and Surge Monitoring program established
effective February 1, 2003 (19 CFR part 360).
DATES: This notice is effective December 4, 2003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Al-Saadawi: telephone (202) 482-
1930; fax (202) 501-1377; e-mail [email protected]. The
information contained in this notice is also posted on the import
licensing Web site (http://ia.ita.doc.gov/steel/license/).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 5, 2002, the President issued
Proclamation 7529, implementing safeguard measures with respect to
certain imported steel products pursuant to sections 201 and 203 of the
1974 Trade Act, 19 U.S.C. 2251, 2253 (67 FR 10553). In an accompanying
Memorandum, the President instructed the Secretary of the Treasury and
the Secretary of Commerce to establish a system of import licensing to
facilitate the monitoring of imports of these steel products, and
directed the Secretary of Commerce to publish regulations in the
Federal Register establishing such a system of import licensing (67 FR
10593, 10596). Pursuant to this direction, Import Administration
published proposed regulations establishing a system of import
licensing on July 18, 2002 (67 FR 47338), and promulgated final
regulations on December 31, 2002, effective February 1, 2003 (67 FR
79845).
On December 4, 2003, the President issued a proclamation
terminating the safeguard measures and directing the Secretary of
Commerce to continue the steel import licensing system established
effective February 1, 2003, until the earlier of March 21, 2005, or
such time as the Secretary of Commerce establishes a replacement
program.
[[Page 68595]]
19 CFR 360.105, promulgated December 31, 2002, and effective
February 1, 2003, provided as follows: ``The licensing program will be
in effect for the duration of the safeguard measures only. Licenses
will be required on all subject imports entered during this period. The
licenses will be valid for 10 business days after the expiration of the
safeguard measures to allow for the final filing of required Customs
documentation. Information collected under this system will not be kept
longer than the period of time legally required beyond the expiration
of these remedies.'' Section 105, which is itself not a termination
provision, referred to the initial period (three years and one day) for
which the safeguard measures were proclaimed by the President
(Proclamation 7529, section 9), after which they would expire in the
absence of further action by the President. The duration of the
licensing program is not affected by the early termination of such
measures. The President retains authority to implement such other
actions, including but not limited to the licensing program, as he
deems appropriate and feasible pursuant to 19 U.S.C. 2253, without
regard to the early termination of the safeguard measures.
James J. Jochum,
Assistant Secretary for Import Administration.
[FR Doc. 03-30571 Filed 12-8-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P