### 58205 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 182 / Wednesday, September 19, 2012 / Notices

**DEPARTMENT OF STATE**

**[Public Notice 8033]**

**In the Matter of the Designation of the Haqqani Network Also Known as HQN**  **as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Pursuant to Executive Order**  **13224, as Amended**

Acting under the authority of and in accordance with section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001, as amended by Executive Order 13268 of July 2, 2002, and Executive Order 13284 of January 23, 2003, I hereby determine that the organization known as the Haqqani Network, also known as HQN, committed, or poses a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United
States.

Consistent with the determination in section 10 of Executive Order 13224 that ‘‘prior notice to persons determined to be subject to the Order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States would render ineffectual the blocking and other measures authorized in the Order because of the ability to transfer funds instantaneously,’’ I determine that no prior notice needs to be provided to any person subject to this determination who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, because to do so would render ineffectual the measures authorized in the Order.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register

.

Dated: September 7, 2012. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State.

[FR Doc. 2012–23124 Filed 9–18–12; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4710–10–P**

**OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE** 

**Request for Public Comments on Annual Review of Country Eligibility**  **for Benefits Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act** 

**AGENCY :**  Office of the United States Trade Representative.

**ACTION :**  Notice and request for

comments.

**SUMMARY :**  The African Growth and Opportunity Act Implementation Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (the ‘‘Subcommittee’’) is requesting written public comments for the annual review of the eligibility of sub-Saharan African countries to receive the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (the AGOA). The Subcommittee will consider these comments in developing recommendations on AGOA country eligibility for calendar year 2013 for the President. Comments received related to the child labor criteria may also be considered by the Secretary of Labor in the preparation of the Department of Labor’s report on child labor as required under section 412(c) of the Trade and Development Act of 2000. This notice identifies the eligibility criteria that must be considered under the AGOA, and lists those sub-Saharan African countries that are currently eligible for the benefits of the AGOA and those that were ineligible for such benefits in

2012.

**DATES :**  To ensure consideration, public comments must be submitted to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) by October 12, 2012.

**ADDRESSES :**  USTR strongly prefers electronic submissions made at http:// www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR–2012–0026 See ‘‘Requirements for Submission,’’ below. If you are unable to make a submission at www.regulations.gov, please contact Don Eiss, Trade Policy Staff Committee, at (202) 395–3475 to make other arrangements.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  For procedural questions, please contact Don Eiss, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, 600 17th Street NW., Room F516, Washington, DC 20508, at (202) 395–3475. All other questions should be directed to Constance Hamilton, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, at (202) 395–

9514.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  The AGOA (Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 2000, Public Law 106–200) (19 U.S.C. 3721 et seq. ), as amended, authorizes the President to designate sub-Saharan African countries as beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries eligible for duty-free treatment for certain additional products under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) (Title V of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2461 et seq. ) (the ‘‘1974 Act’’)), as well as for the preferential treatment the AGOA provides for certain textile and apparel articles.

The President may designate a country as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country eligible for both the additional GSP benefits and the textile and apparel benefits of the AGOA for countries meeting certain statutory requirements intended to prevent unlawful transshipment of such articles, if he determines that the country meets the eligibility criteria set forth in: (1) Section 104 of the AGOA (19 U.S.C. 3703); and (2) section 502 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462).

Section 104 of the AGOA includes requirements that the country has established or is making substantial progress toward establishing, inter alia: A market-based economy; the rule of law, political pluralism, and the right to due process; the elimination of barriers to U.S. trade and investment; economic policies to reduce poverty; a system to combat corruption and bribery; and protection of internationally recognized worker rights. In addition, the country may not engage in activities that undermine U.S. national security or foreign policy interests or engage in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights. Please see section 104 of the AGOA and section 502 of the 1974 Act for a complete list of the AGOA eligibility criteria.

Section 506A of the 1974 Act requires that, if the President determines that a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country is not making continual progress in meeting the eligibility requirements, he must terminate the designation of the country as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country. For 2012, 40 countrieshave been designated as beneficiary subSaharan African countries. These countries, as well as the countries currently designated as ineligible, are listed below. Section 506A of the 1974 Act provides that the President shall monitor and review annually the progress of each sub-Saharan African country in meeting the foregoing eligibility criteria in order to determine whether each beneficiary sub-Saharan African country should continue to be eligible, and whether each sub-Saharan African country that is currently not a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country, should be designated as such a country.

The Subcommittee is seeking public comments in connection with the annual review of the eligibility of beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries for the AGOA’s benefits. The Subcommittee will consider any such comments in developing recommendations on country eligibility for the President. Comments related to the child labor criteria may also be considered by the Secretary of Labor in making the findings required under section 504 of the 1974 Act. The following sub-Saharan African countrieswere designated as beneficiary subSaharan African countries in 2012: Angola