[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 193 (Friday, October 6, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 46739-46740]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21569]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census
15 CFR Part 30
[Docket Number: 170606545-7857-01]
RIN 0607-AA56
Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR): Request for Public Comments
Regarding Standard and Routed Export Transactions
AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Commerce Department.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (U.S. Census Bureau) is seeking
public comments to perform a review of the requirements governing
routed export transactions. In particular, the Census Bureau is
interested in comments regarding the definition of a routed export
transaction as well as the responsibilities of parties in routed export
transactions. Routed export transactions are transactions in which the
Foreign Principal Party in Interest (FPPI) controls the movement of the
goods out of the country. There are a variety of reasons why the FPPI
assumes this responsibility such as the use of a preferred carrier and
the desire to not disclose the ultimate consignee to the U.S. Principal
Party in Interest (USPPI), although the ultimate consignee is properly
identified to the U.S. Government. Because the FPPI controls the
movement of the goods in a routed transaction and cannot file
Electronic Export Information (EEI), the Census Bureau requires the
FPPI to authorize a U.S. authorized agent or the USPPI to file the EEI
on its behalf. This ensures that the Census Bureau collects the
statistical information.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before December 5, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Please direct all written comments on this advance notice of
proposed rulemaking to the Chief, International Trade Management
Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 5K158, Washington, DC 20233-6010.
You may also submit comments, identified by RIN number 0607-AA56, to
the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal:
[[Page 46740]]
http://www.regulations.gov. All comments received are part of the
public record. No comments will be posted to http://www.regulations.gov
for public viewing until after the comment period has closed. Comments
will generally be posted without change. All Personally Identifiable
Information (for example, name and address) voluntarily submitted by
the commentor may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential
Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.
The Census Bureau will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the
required fields, if you wish to remain anonymous). You may submit
attachments to electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel,
WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dale C. Kelly, Chief, International
Trade Management Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 5K158, Washington,
DC 20233-6010, by phone (301) 763-6937, by fax (301) 763-8835, or by
email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Census Bureau is responsible for collecting, compiling, and
publishing export trade statistics for the United States under the
provisions of Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Chapter 9, Section
301. The Automated Export System (AES), now part of the Automated
Commercial Environment (ACE), is the primary instrument used for
collecting export trade data. Through the AES, the Census Bureau
collects Electronic Export Information (EEI), the electronic equivalent
of the export data formerly collected on the Shipper's Export
Declaration (SED), reported pursuant to the Foreign Trade Regulations
(FTR), Title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 30. The EEI
consists of data elements as set forth in 15 CFR 30.6 for an export
shipment, and includes information such as the U.S. Principal Party in
Interest's (USPPI's) name, address, and identification number, and
detailed information concerning the exported product. The party
responsible for the accuracy and timeliness of EEI data elements varies
depending upon the type of export transaction; standard or routed.
Through this notice, the Census Bureau is seeking public comments to
perform a review of the requirements governing routed export
transactions, a subset of export transactions, as detailed in the FTR,
15 CFR, part 30.
Request for Comments
The Census Bureau is soliciting comments on the clarity, usability,
and any other matters related to the regulatory requirements for routed
transactions. This will include the definition of a routed export
transaction found in 15 CFR 30.1 as well as the general
responsibilities of parties in routed export transactions as detailed
in 15 CFR 30.3. Suggested questions are below; however, any pertinent
feedback not captured by these questions is also welcome:
1. If you do not think that the definition of a routed export
transaction in 15 CFR 30.1 is clearly stated, then what definition of
routed export transaction would you suggest?
2. Should the Census Bureau modify the list of data elements at 15
CFR 30.3(e)(2) that the U.S. authorized agent is required to provide
when filing the electronic export information? If so, what changes
would you suggest?
3. Should the Census Bureau modify the list of data elements at 15
CFR 30.3(e)(1) that the U.S. Principal Party in Interest is required to
provide to the U.S. Authorized agent? If so, what changes would you
suggest?
4. The carrier's responsibilities under the FTR are the same in
both standard and routed transactions. Does the FTR clearly communicate
these responsibilities? If not, what clarification would you suggest?
5. The data elements that the USPPI and U.S authorized agent are
required to provide are currently located in Section 30.3(e) of the
FTR. However, additional data elements are needed to complete the AES
filing. Below is a list of data elements that are required to be
reported but for which a responsible party is not listed. Please
provide comments on which party, the USPPI or the U.S. authorized
agent, should report these data elements.
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Hazardous material indicator routed export KPC number
transaction
indicator.
FTZ identifier.............. vehicle title number related party
indicator
shipment reference number... vehicle title state export information
code. code
VIN/product ID.............. filing option ....................
indicator
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6. Are the responsibilities of parties in a routed export
transaction clearly stated? If not, what improvements would you
suggest?
7. How could we improve the process to authorize filing in a routed
export transaction?
8. How could the FTR be revised to align with the Bureau of
Industry and Security's Export Administration Regulations on routed
export transactions?
9. What changes would you suggest in Section 30.3 of the FTR that
might improve the parties' understanding of the requirements of a
routed export transaction?
10. What changes would you suggest in Section 30.3 of the FTR that
might improve the parties' understanding of their roles in a routed or
standard export transaction?
Dated: September 29, 2017.
Ron S. Jarmin,
Associate Director for Economic Programs, Performing the Non-Exclusive
Functions and Duties of the Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 2017-21569 Filed 10-5-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P