Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 144--Brunswick, Georgia; Notification of Proposed Production Activity; Mercedes Benz USA, LLC, (Accessorizing Passenger Motor Vehicles); Brunswick, Georgia

Topics:  Mercedes-Benz

Elizabeth Whiteman
Department of Commerce
1 June 2017

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 104 (Thursday, June 1, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25238-25239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11326]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[B-35-2017]


Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 144--Brunswick, Georgia; Notification of 
Proposed Production Activity; Mercedes Benz USA, LLC, (Accessorizing 
Passenger Motor Vehicles); Brunswick, Georgia

    The Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority, grantee of 
FTZ 144, submitted a notification of proposed production activity to 
the FTZ Board on behalf of Mercedes Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA), located in 
Brunswick, Georgia. The notification conforming to the requirements of 
the regulations of the FTZ Board (15 CFR 400.22) was received on May 8, 
2017.
    MBUSA already has FTZ authority for accessorizing passenger motor 
vehicles within Site 2 of FTZ 144. The current request would add 
foreign-status materials/components to the scope of

[[Page 25239]]

authority. Pursuant to 15 CFR 400.14(b), FTZ activity would be limited 
to the specific foreign-status materials and components described in 
the submitted notification (as described below) and subsequently 
authorized by the FTZ Board.
    Production under FTZ procedures could exempt MBUSA from customs 
duty payments on the foreign-status components used in export 
production. On its domestic sales, MBUSA would be able to choose the 
duty rate during customs entry procedures that applies to passenger 
motor vehicles (duty rate--2.5%) for the foreign-status inputs noted 
below and in the existing scope of authority. Customs duties also could 
possibly be deferred or reduced on foreign-status production equipment.
    The components and materials sourced from abroad include plastic 
statuettes and other ornamental articles, carpets of man-made fibers, 
smart cards/memory cards for data storage, and steering wheels (duty 
rates range from free to 5.3%). The applicant indicates that carpets of 
man-made fibers would be admitted to the FTZ in privileged foreign 
status (19 CFR 146.41). This would preclude inverted tariff benefits on 
the foreign-status carpets used in its domestic sales of passenger 
motor vehicles.
    Public comment is invited from interested parties. Submissions 
shall be addressed to the FTZ Board's Executive Secretary at the 
address below. The closing period for their receipt is July 11, 2017.
    A copy of the notification will be available for public inspection 
at the Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, 
Room 21013, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20230-0002, and in the ``Reading Room'' section of the 
FTZ Board's Web site, which is accessible via www.trade.gov/ftz.
    For further information, contact Diane Finver at 
Diane.Finver@trade.gov or (202) 482-1367.

    Dated: May 26, 2017.
Elizabeth Whiteman,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-11326 Filed 5-31-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P