Document ID: BIS-2014-0034-0001
Agency: bis
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural Commodities to Cuba
Posted Date: 2014-09-04T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 171 (Thursday, September 4, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 52591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-21081]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Industry and Security

15 CFR Chapter VII

[Docket No. 140814670-4670-01]

Effectiveness of Licensing Procedures for Agricultural 
Commodities to Cuba

AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce.

ACTION: Request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is requesting public 
comments on the effectiveness of its licensing procedures as defined in 
the Export Administration Regulations for the export of agricultural 
commodities to Cuba. BIS will include a description of these comments 
in its biennial report to Congress, as required by the Trade Sanctions 
Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000, as amended.

DATES: Comments must be received by October 6, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted to the Federal eRulemaking portal 
(www.regulations.gov). The regulations.gov ID for this notice is: BIS-
2014-0034. Comments may also be sent by email to 
publiccomments@bis.doc.gov with a reference to ``TSRA 2014 Report'' in 
the subject line. Paper comments may be submitted by mail to Regulatory 
Policy Division, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Room 2099B, Washington, DC 20230 with a reference to ``TSRA 
2014 Report.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tracy L. Patts, Office of 
Nonproliferation and Treaty Compliance, Telephone: (202) 482-4252. 
Additional information on agricultural commodity export policy towards 
Cuba is available at http://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/country-guidance/13-policy-guidance/country-guidance/187-cuba.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 906(a) of the Trade 
Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (TSRA) (22 U.S.C. 
7205(a)), the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) authorizes exports 
of agricultural commodities, as defined in Sec.  772.1 of the Export 
Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR 772.1), to Cuba. Requirements 
and procedures associated with such authorization are set forth in 
Sec.  740.18 of the EAR. These are the only licensing procedures in the 
EAR currently in effect pursuant to the requirements of section 906(a) 
of TSRA.
    Under the provisions of section 906(c) of TSRA (22 U.S.C. 7205(c)), 
BIS must submit a biennial report to Congress on the operation of the 
licensing system implemented pursuant to section 906(a) for the 
preceding two-year period. This report must include the number and 
types of licenses applied for, the number and types of licenses 
approved, the average amount of time elapsed from the date of filing of 
a license application until the date of its approval, the extent to 
which the licensing procedures were effectively implemented, and a 
description of comments received from interested parties during a 30-
day public comment period about the effectiveness of the licensing 
procedures. BIS is currently preparing a biennial report on the 
operation of the licensing system for the two-year period from October 
1, 2012, through September 30, 2014.

Request for Comments

    By this notice, BIS requests public comments on the effectiveness 
of the licensing procedures for the export of agricultural commodities 
to Cuba set forth under Sec.  740.18 of the EAR. Parties submitting 
comments are asked to be as specific as possible. All comments received 
by the close of the comment period will be considered by BIS in 
developing the report to Congress. All comments must be in writing and 
will be available for public inspection and copying. Any information 
that the commenter does not wish to be made available to the public 
should not be submitted to BIS.

    Dated: August 29, 2014.
Kevin J. Wolf,
Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-21081 Filed 9-3-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-33-P