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News Release 16-013
Inv. No(s). 332-556
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has revised the scope for a recently initiated investigation concerning possible modifications to the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).
The investigation, Generalized System of Preferences: Possible Modifications, 2015 Review (Investigation No. 332-556), was initiated on January 11, 2016, on the basis of a request by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
The revision was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative in a letter received on January 12, 2016. The letter asked the USITC to add to the investigation five additional statistical reporting numbers related to certain handbags and travel goods products that are being considered for addition to the list of GSP-eligible products.
The five HTS additional statistical reporting numbers are:
- 4202.92.30.20;
- 4202.92.30.31;
- 4202.92.30.91;
- 4202.92.90.26 and;
- 4202.92.90.60.
As requested, the USITC will provide its advice as to the probable economic effect on total U.S. imports, U.S. industries producing like or directly competitive articles, and on U.S. consumers of the elimination of U.S. import duties on the five articles for all beneficiary developing countries under the GSP program, least-developed beneficiary developing countries (LDBDCs), beneficiary developing countries of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and both LDBDCs and AGOA beneficiary developing countries combined under the GSP program.
In addition, the USTR also requested that the USITC provide advice with respect to whether like or directly competitive products were being produced in the United States on January 1, 1995, for the additional five articles as well as all of the products being considered for addition to and removal from the list of GSP-eligible products listed in Tables A and B of the Annex to the December 30, 2015, request letter.
No dates have changed in the investigation. The USITC will submit its confidential report to USTR by April 28, 2016. As soon as possible thereafter, the USITC will, as requested by USTR, issue a public version of the report containing only the unclassified sections, with any business confidential information and classified information deleted.
A public hearing will be held on February 24, 2016, and requests to appear at the hearing must be received by 5:15 p.m. on February 1, 2016. Written submissions must be received no later than 5:15 p.m. on February 29, 2016.
Further information on the revised scope of this investigation and appropriate submissions appears in the USITC’s notice of expansion of scope, dated January 19, 2015. Information on the original investigation can be found in the USITC’s notice of investigation, dated January 12, 2016. Both notices can be obtained from the USITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov) or by contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or at 202-205-2000.
USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.