[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 174 (Friday, September 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 55183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-21523]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Industry and Security

[Docket No. 120822382-2382-01]


Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural 
Commodities to Cuba

AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is requesting public 
comments on the effectiveness of its licensing procedures as defined in 
the Export Administration Regulations for the export of agricultural 
commodities to Cuba. BIS will include a description of these comments 
in its biennial report to the Congress, as required by the Trade 
Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7201 et 
seq.), as amended.

DATES: Comments must be received by October 9, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted to the Federal eRulemaking portal 
(www.regulations.gov). The regulations.gov ID is: BIS-2012-0039. 
Comments may also be sent by email to [email protected] with a 
reference to ``TSRA 2012 Report'' in the subject line. Written comments 
may be submitted by mail to Regulatory Policy Division, Bureau of 
Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2099B, 
Washington, DC 20230 with a reference to ``TSRA 2012 Report.'' All 
comments must be in writing (either submitted to regulations.gov, by 
email or on paper).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracy L. Patts, Office of 
Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance, Telephone: (202) 482-4252. 
Additional information on BIS procedures and our previous biennial 
report under the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act, as 
amended, is available at www.bis.doc.gov/licensing/TSRA_TOC.html. 
Copies of these materials may also be requested by contacting the 
Office of Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 906(a) of the Trade 
Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA) (22 U.S.C. 
7205(a)), the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) authorizes exports 
of agricultural commodities, as defined in part 772 of the Export 
Administration Regulations (EAR), to Cuba. Requirements and procedures 
associated with such authorization are set forth in Sec.  740.18 of the 
EAR (15 CFR 740.18). These are the only licensing procedures in the EAR 
currently in effect pursuant to the requirements of section 906(a) of 
TSRA.
    Under the provisions of section 906(c) of TSRA (22 U.S.C. 7205(c)), 
BIS must submit a biennial report to the Congress on the operation of 
the licensing system implemented pursuant to section 906(a) for the 
preceding two-year period. This report must include the number and 
types of licenses applied for, the number and types of licenses 
approved, the average amount of time elapsed from the date of filing of 
a license application until the date of its approval, the extent to 
which the licensing procedures were effectively implemented, and a 
description of comments received from interested parties during a 30-
day public comment period about the effectiveness of the licensing 
procedures. BIS is currently preparing a biennial report on the 
operation of the licensing system for the two-year period from October 
1, 2010 through September 30, 2012.

Request for Comments

    By this notice, BIS requests public comments on the effectiveness 
of the licensing procedures for the export of agricultural commodities 
to Cuba set forth under Sec.  740.18 of the EAR. Parties submitting 
comments are asked to be as specific as possible. All comments received 
by the close of the comment period will be considered by BIS in 
developing the report to Congress.
    All comments must be in writing and will be available for public 
inspection and copying. Any information that the commenter does not 
wish to be made available to the public should not be submitted to BIS.

    Dated: August 27, 2012.
Kevin J. Wolf,
Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-21523 Filed 9-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P