On August 23, 2016, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) published in the Federal Register a notice of opportunity to submit information relating to matters to be addressed in the Commission’s 17th report on the impact of the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) [Inv. No. 332-352]. Section 206 of the ATPA (19 U.S.C. 3204) requires the ITC to report biennially to the Congress and President by September 30 of each reporting year on the economic impact of the Act on U.S. industries and U.S. consumers, as well as on the effectiveness of the Act in promoting drug related crop eradication and crop substitution efforts by beneficiary countries. The Commission prepares these reports under investigation No. 332–352, Andean Trade Preference Act: Impact on U.S. Industries and Consumers and on Drug Crop Eradication and Crop Substitution.
The President’s authority to provide preferential treatment under the ATPA provisions expired on July 31, 2013. During the period covered by the report, calendar years 2014 and 2015, no importations entering the United States should have received preferential treatment under the ATPA program. In addition, two of the four countries originally eligible for designation for ATPA benefits, Peru and Colombia, entered into free trade agreements with the United States prior to July 31, 2013, and were no longer eligible for designation.
The deadline for filing written submissions September 6, 2016. The deadline for transmittal of Commission report to Congress is September 30, 2016.
