Prior Notification of Exports Under License Exception AGR

ACTION:

Proposed Collection; comment request.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES:

Written comments must be submitted on or before February 28, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, (202) 482-0266, Department of Commerce, Room 6626, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions should be directed to Stephen Baker, BIS ICB Liaison, Department of Commerce, Room 6622, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

Section 906 of the TSRA requires that exports of agricultural commodities, medicine or medical devices to Cuba or to the government of a country that has been determined by the Secretary of State to have repeatedly provide support for acts of international terrorism, or to any other entity in such a country, are made pursuant to one-year licenses issued by the U.S. Government, while further providing that the requirements of one-year licenses shall be no more restrictive than license exceptions administered by the Department of Commerce, except that procedures shall be in place to deny licenses for exports to any entity within such country promoting international terrorism.

To meet the requirements of TSRA, BIS is imposing a prior notification procedure under new License Exception Agricultural Commodities (AGR). Exports and certain reexports of agricultural commodities will be authorized under License Exception AGR to Cuba.

II. Method of Collection

Submitted on forms.

III. Data

OMB Number: 0694-0123.

Form Number: BIS-748P.

Type of Review: Regular submission for extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Individuals, businesses or other for-profit and not-for-profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 250.

Estimated Time Per Response: 52-57 minutes per response.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 926 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Cost: No start-up capital expenditures.

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they will also become a matter of public record.