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USMCA Automotive Rules of Origin: Economic Impact and Operations, 2023 Report Publication: Federal Register Signing Official: Katherine Hiner Agency: International Trade Commission Date: 9 August 2022 
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 152 (Tuesday, August 9, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48495-48497]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17064]
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INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
[Investigation No. 332-592]
USMCA Automotive Rules of Origin: Economic Impact and Operations,
2023 Report
ACTION: Notice of investigation and scheduling of a public hearing.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement
Implementation Act (``USMCA Implementation Act'') the U.S.
International Trade Commission (Commission) instituted Investigation
No. 332-592, USMCA Automotive Rules of Origin: Economic Impact and
Operations, 2023 Report.
DATES:
September 30, 2022: Deadline for filing requests to appear at the
public hearing.
October 13, 2022: Deadline for filing prehearing briefs and
statements.
October 27, 2022: Deadline for filing electronic copies of oral
hearing statements.
November 3, 2022: Public hearing.
November 11, 2022: Deadline for filing post-hearing briefs and
statements.
November 24, 2022: Deadline for filing all other written
submissions.
June 30, 2023: Transmittal of Commission report to Congress and
USTR.
ADDRESSES: All Commission offices are in the U.S. International Trade
Commission Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC. Due to the COVID
19 pandemic, the Commission's building is currently closed to the
public. Once the building reopens, persons with mobility impairments
who will need special assistance in gaining access to the Commission
should contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000. The public
record for this investigation may be viewed on the Commission's
electronic docket (EDIS) at https://edis.usitc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Project Leader Mitch Semanik
(mitchell.semanik@usitc.gov or 202-205-2034), or Deputy Project Leader
Sharon Ford (202-204-3084 or sharon.ford@usitc.gov) for information
specific to these investigations. For information on the legal aspects
of this investigation, contact William Gearhart of the Commission's
Office of the General Counsel (202-205-3091 or
william.gearhart@usitc.gov). The media should contact Jennifer Andberg,
Office of External Relations (202-205-3404 or
jennifer.andberg@usitc.gov). Hearing-impaired individuals may obtain
information on this matter by contacting the Commission's TDD terminal
at 202-205-1810. General information concerning the Commission may also
be obtained by accessing its website (https://www.usitc.gov). Persons
with mobility impairments who will need special assistance in gaining
access to the Commission should contact the Office of the Secretary at
202-205-2000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: As required by the USMCA Implementation Act, the
Commission in its report will focus on USMCA automotive rules of origin
(ROO) and their effects on the U.S. economy, impacts to U.S.
competitiveness, and relevancy considering recent technology changes.
In particular, the USMCA Implementation Act requires that the
Commission report on:
(1) the economic impact of USMCA automotive ROO on U.S. gross
domestic product, trade, employment, and consumers, as well as economic
impact on production, investment, capacity, revenues, wages, and
employment in U.S. automotive industries;
(2) the operation of USMCA automotive ROO and their effects on the
competitiveness of U.S. automotive production and trade;
(3) the relevancy of USMCA automotive ROO in light of recent
technology changes in the United States; and
(4) other matters the Commission considers relevant to the economic
impact of the USMCA automotive ROO.
The USMCA Implementation Act requires that the Commission transmit
its report on July 1, 2023, one year following submission of a USMCA
automotive ROO report by USTR, also required by the USMCA
Implementation Act. Because July 1, 2023, is a Saturday, the Commission
expects to submit the report on Friday, June 30, 2023. The Commission
is directed to submit reports on USMCA automotive ROO every two years
thereafter until 2031.
Public Hearing: A public hearing in connection with this
investigation will be held beginning at 9:30 a.m. on November 3, 2022.
More detailed information about the hearing, including how to
participate, will be posted on the Commission's website at (https://usitc.gov/research_and_analysis/what_we_are_working_on.htm). Once on
that web page, scroll down to Investigation No. 332-592, USMCA
Automotive Rules of Origin: Economic Impact and Operations 2023 Report,
and click on the link to
[[Page 48496]]
``Hearing Information.'' Interested parties should check the
Commission's website periodically for updates.
Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed with the
Secretary no later than 5:15 p.m., September 30, 2022, in accordance
with the requirements in the ``Written Submissions'' section below. All
prehearing briefs and statements should be filed not later than 5:15
p.m., October 13, 2022. To facilitate the hearing, including the
preparation of an accurate written transcript of the hearing, oral
testimony to be presented at the hearing must be submitted to the
Commission electronically no later than noon, October 27, 2022. All
post-hearing briefs and statements should be filed no later than 5:15
p.m., November 11, 2022. Post-hearing briefs and statements should
address matters raised at the hearing. For a description of the
different types of written briefs and statements, see the
``Definitions'' section below.
In the event that, as of the close of business on September 30,
2022, no witnesses are scheduled to appear at the hearing, the hearing
will be canceled. Any person interested in attending the hearing as an
observer or nonparticipant should check the Commission website in the
preceding paragraph for information concerning whether the hearing will
be held.
Written Submissions: In lieu of or in addition to participating in
the hearing, interested parties are invited to file written submissions
concerning this investigation. All written submissions should be
addressed to the Secretary and should be received not later than the
dates provided for in this notice. All written submissions must conform
to the provisions of section 201.8 of the Commission's Rules of
Practice and Procedure (19 CFR 201.8), as temporarily amended by 85 FR
15798 (March 19, 2020). Under that rule waiver, the Office of the
Secretary will accept only electronic filings at this time. Filings
must be made through the Commission's Electronic Document Information
System (EDIS, https://edis.usitc.gov). No in-person paper-based filings
or paper copies of any electronic filings will be accepted until
further notice. Persons with questions regarding electronic filing
should contact the Office of the Secretary, Docket Services Division
(202-205-1802), or consult the Commission's Handbook on Filing
Procedures.
Definitions of Types of Documents That May Be Filed; Requirements:
In addition to requests to appear at the hearing, this notice provides
for the possible filing of four types of documents: prehearing briefs,
oral hearing statements, post-hearing briefs, and other written
submissions.
(1) Prehearing briefs refers to written materials relevant to the
investigation and submitted in advance of the hearing and includes
written views on matters that are the subject of the investigation,
supporting materials, and any other written materials that you consider
will help the Commission in understanding your views. You should file a
prehearing brief particularly if you plan to testify at the hearing on
behalf of an industry group, company, or other organization, and wish
to provide detailed views or information that will support or
supplement your testimony.
(2) Oral hearing statements (testimony) refers to the actual oral
statement that you intend to present at the public hearing. Do not
include any confidential business information in that statement. If you
plan to testify, you must file a copy of your oral statement by the
date specified in this notice. This statement will allow Commissioners
to understand your position in advance of the hearing and will also
assist the court reporter in preparing an accurate transcript of the
hearing (e.g., names spelled correctly).
(3) Post-hearing briefs refers to submissions filed after the
hearing by persons who appeared at the hearing. Such briefs: (a) should
be limited to matters that arose during the hearing, (b) should respond
to any Commissioner and staff questions addressed to you at the
hearing, (c) should clarify, amplify, or correct any statements you
made at the hearing, and (d) may, at your option, address or rebut
statements made by other participants in the hearing.
(4) Other written submissions refer to any other written
submissions that interested persons wish to make, regardless of whether
they appeared at the hearing, and may include new information or
updates of information previously provided.
There is no standard format that briefs or other written
submissions must follow. However, each such document must identify on
its cover (1) the type of document filed (i.e., prehearing brief, oral
statement of (name), post-hearing brief, or written submission), (2)
the name of the person or organization filing it, and (3) whether it
contains confidential business information (CBI). If it contains CBI,
it must comply with the marking and other requirements set out below in
this notice relating to CBI. Submitters of written documents (other
than oral hearing statements) are encouraged to include a short summary
of their position or interest at the beginning of the document, and a
table of contents when the document addresses multiple issues.
Confidential Business Information: Any submissions that contain
confidential business information must also conform to the requirements
of section 201.6 of the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure
(19 CFR 201.6). Section 201.6 of the rules requires that the cover of
the document and the individual pages be clearly marked as to whether
they are the ``confidential'' or ``non-confidential'' version, and that
the confidential business information is clearly identified by means of
brackets. All written submissions, except for confidential business
information, will be made available for inspection by interested
parties.
As requested by the USTR, the Commission will not include any
confidential business information in its report. However, all
information, including confidential business information, submitted in
this investigation may be disclosed to and used: (i) by the Commission,
its employees and Offices, and contract personnel (a) for developing or
maintaining the records of this or a related proceeding, or (b) in
internal investigations, audits, reviews, and evaluations relating to
the programs, personnel, and operations of the Commission including
under 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3; or (ii) by U.S. government employees and
contract personnel for cybersecurity purposes. The Commission will not
otherwise disclose any confidential business information in a way that
would reveal the operations of the firm supplying the information.
Summaries of Written Submissions: Persons wishing to have a summary
of their position included in the report that the Commission sends to
the USTR should include a summary with their written submission and
should mark the summary as having been provided for that purpose. The
summary should be clearly marked as ``summary for inclusion in the
report'' at the top of the page. The summary may not exceed 500 words,
should be in MS Word format or a format that can be easily converted to
MS Word, and should not include any confidential business information.
The summary will be published as provided if it meets these
requirements and is germane to the subject matter of the investigation.
The Commission will list the name of the organization furnishing the
summary and will include a link to the Commission's Electronic Document
Information System (EDIS) where the full written submission can be
found.
By order of the Commission.
[[Page 48497]]
Issued: August 4, 2022.
Katherine Hiner,
Acting Secretary to the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2022-17064 Filed 8-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7020-02-P