Regulacje i polityka gospodarcza · 11.09.2008

Revised Proposal for Available Alternative Site-Designation and -Management Framework

Based on comments received in response to the May 8, 2008, notice (73 FR 26077-26078), the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board staff is making a number of revisions to its proposal to make available an alternative framework (for grantees that choose to participate) to designate and manage their general-purpose FTZ sites. Comments on the May proposal were overwhelmingly supportive overall with regard to making such a framework available to grantees on an optional basis. However, comments also raised a number of important questions and concerns. In response, we have made some significant revisions to the proposal. Key revisions are allowance for a special transitional phase for each grantee applying to transfer to the alternative framework, elimination of a general initial limit on the number of "usage- driven" (formerly "user-driven") sites, elimination of the concept of an "anchor" site, and flexibility on the duration of the sunset limits for "magnet" sites--with five years established as a minimum rather than a fixed standard--so that the FTZ Board may take specific circumstances into account. Comments and questions are summarized and addressed below by general topic. The revised pro