[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 96 (Thursday, May 18, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Page 26716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12197]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[Dockets 21-95; 22-95]


Foreign-Trade Zone 168--Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; Foreign-Trade 
Zone 196--Fort Worth, Texas; Requests for Expanded Manufacturing 
Authority Nokia Mobile Phones Manufacturing (USA), Inc. 
(Telecommunications Products)

    Applications have been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the Foreign-Trade Zone Operating Company of Texas, 
operator of FTZ 168, and Alliance Corridor, Inc., grantee of FTZ 196, 
requesting authority on behalf of Nokia Mobile Phones Manufacturing 
(USA), Inc./Nokia Mobile Phones Trading (USA), Inc. (Nokia), to expand 
Nokia's authority to manufacture telecommunications products under zone 
procedures within FTZ 168 and FTZ 196. The applications were submitted 
pursuant to the provisions of the Foreign-Trade Zones Act, as amended 
(19 U.S.C. 81a-81u), and the regulations of the Board (15 CFR Part 
400). They were formally filed on May 8, 1995.
    The FTZ Board authorized Nokia to manufacture cellular phones using 
certain foreign components under zone procedures within FTZ 168 and FTZ 
196 in late 1994 (Board Orders 728 and 729, 60 FR 2376, 1/9/95).
    Nokia is now seeking authority to manufacture a broader range of 
telecommunications products at its plants within FTZ 168 and FTZ 196, 
including mobile/cellular phones, cellular phone systems equipment, 
office and cellular switching systems, telecommunications network 
equipment, and related signal and data processing equipment. Many of 
the components for the finished cellular phones are currently sourced 
from abroad, including printed circuits, integrated circuits, 
semiconductors, resistors, capacitors, diodes, crystals, liquid crystal 
display panels, switches, speakers, antennas, power supplies, 
transformers, batteries, pagers, leather and plastic cases, rubber and 
plastic parts, fasteners, iron and steel parts, and packaging 
materials. Other components that may also be sourced from abroad 
include signal reception and transmission equipment, sound recording 
equipment, electric motors, glass envelopes, propylene, cabinets, wire, 
cable, and computers/components.
    Zone procedures would exempt Nokia from Customs duty payments on 
the foreign components used in export production. On its domestic 
sales, the company would be able to choose the duty rates that apply to 
finished products (free-8.7%). The duty rates on components range from 
duty-free to 15 percent. The applications indicate that savings from 
zone procedures would help the international competitiveness of Nokia's 
domestic plants.
    In accordance with the Board's regulations, a member of the FTZ 
Staff has been appointed examiner to investigate the applications and 
report to the Board.
    Public comment on the applications is invited from interested 
parties. Submissions (original and three copies) shall be addressed to 
the Board's Executive Secretary at the address below. The closing 
period for their receipt is July 17, 1995. Rebuttal comments in 
response to material submitted during the foregoing period may be 
submitted during the subsequent 15-day period (to August 1, 1995).
    Copies of the applications and the accompanying exhibits will be 
available for public inspection at each of the following locations:

U.S. Department of Commerce, District Office, 2050 N. Stemmons Freeway, 
Suite 170, Dallas, TX 75258
Office of the Executive Secretary, Foreign-Trade Zones Board, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Room 3716, 14th & Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230.

    Dated: May 10, 1995.
John J. Da Ponte, Jr.,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-12197 Filed 5-17-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P