Review of Interim List of Records Required to be Maintained and Produced Under 19 U.S.C. 1509 (a)(1)(a)

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Review of Interim List of Records Required to be Maintained and

Produced Under 19 U.S.C. 1509 (a)(1)(a)

AGENCY: U.S. Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.

ACTION: General Notice of plan to review Interim ``(a)(1)(A) list''.

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SUMMARY: An interim list of entry records or entry information required

to be maintained and produced under section 509(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff

Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1509(a)(1)(A)), as amended by title VI of the

North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, was published

in the Customs Bulletin on January 3, 1996, and subsequently reproduced

in the Federal Register on July 15, 1996. Since publication of the

list, the Customs Service has received numerous comments suggesting

that the content of its Interim (a)(1)(A) list is excessive. In

response to these comments, Customs has initiated a project intended to

remove from the list any and all entry records and information

requirements that are clearly unnecessary in today's environment. To

assist it in achieving this objective, Customs is soliciting input from

businesses impacted by the (a)(1)(A) list, trade associations, and

other agencies.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 23, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments in triplicate should be addressed to the Office of

Regulations and Rulings, U.S. Customs Service, 1301 Constitution Avenue

NW (Franklin Court), Washington, D.C. 20229, Attention: (a)(1)(A) List

Review Project. Comments may be inspected at the Office of Regulations

and Rulings, Suite 4000W, 1099 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005.

Comments submitted will be available for public inspection in

accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552),

Sec. 1.4, Treasury Department Regulations (31 CFR 1.4), and

Sec. 103.11(b), Customs Regulations (19 CFR 103.11(b)), during regular

business days between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stuart Seidel, Assistant Commissioner,

Office of Regulations and Rulings at (202) 482-6920 or Jerry Laderberg,

Chief, Entry Procedures & Carriers Branch, Office of Regulations and

Rulings at (202) 482-6940.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 509(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C.

1509(a)(1)(A)) as amended by section 615 of title VI of the North

American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (generally referred to

as the ``Customs Modernization Act'') requires the maintenance and

production of a record if ``such record is required by law or

regulation for the entry of merchandise (whether or not the Customs

Service required its presentation at the time of entry).'' Section 509

contains a new subsection (e) which requires the Customs Service to

identify and publish a list of records or entry information that is

required to be maintained and produced under section 509(a)(1)(A)--

commonly referred to as ``the (a)(1)(A) list.'' On September 12, 1994,

Customs invited comments on a ``proposed'' (a)(1)(A) list that it

posted on the Customs Electronic Bulletin Board. Subsequently, on

September 21, 1994, Customs published a Customs Bulletin containing

this same list and invitation for comments. Eleven comments were

received. After reviewing these comments and modifying its ``proposed''

(a)(1)(A) list, the Customs Service published an Interim (a)(1)(A) list

in the Customs Bulletin on January 3, 1996. This same list was posted

on the Customs Electronic Bulletin Board on January 4, 1996, and it was

reproduced in the Federal Register on July 15, 1996.

Recognizing that almost one year has passed since publication of

its Interim (a)(1)(A) list and in response to a significant number of

comments suggesting that the list contains too many records, Customs is

undertaking a complete review of the list and the underlying

regulations. Customs objective is to remove from the list any and all

records and information requirements that are clearly unnecessary in

today's environment. To assist it in achieving this objective, Customs

is soliciting input from businesses impacted by the (a)(1)(A) list,

trade associations, and other agencies.

Customs interest is not in receiving general comments recommending

that particular record or information requirements be eliminated from

the list. Customs interest is in receiving comments that specifically

identify why a particular record or information requirement can be

eliminated from the (a)(1)(A) list without modification of existing

statutes. In the conduct of its review, the Customs Service intends to

reconsider comments previously submitted. Accordingly, resubmission of

such comments will be unnecessary.

Dated: December 18, 1996.

Stuart P. Seidel,

Assistant Commissioner, Office of Regulations and Rulings.

[FR Doc. 96-32585 Filed 12-23-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4820-02-P