June 28 -- This proposed rule would amend regulations of the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) to set forth the reporting requirements for the BE-13, Survey of New Foreign Direct Investment in the United States (“BE-13 survey”). The BE-13 survey collects information on the acquisition or establishment of U.S. business enterprises by foreign investors, and information on expansions by existing U.S. affiliates of foreign companies. The data collected through the survey are used to measure the amount of new foreign direct investment in the United States and ensure complete coverage of BEA's other foreign direct investment statistics. BEA proposes one change to the reporting requirements of the survey that will reduce respondent burden, simplify reporting, and increase the efficiency of the data collection. This mandatory BE-13 survey is required from persons subject to the reporting requirements, whether or not they are contacted by BEA. Comments on this proposed rule will receive consideration if submitted in writing on or before August 29, 2022.
The BE-13, Survey of New Foreign Direct Investment in the United States, is a mandatory survey conducted by BEA under the authority of the International Investment and Trade in Services Survey Act (22 U.S.C. 3101-3108).
The purpose of the BE-13 survey is to collect data on the acquisition or establishment of U.S. business enterprises by foreign investors and the expansion of existing U.S. affiliates of foreign companies to establish a new facility where business is conducted. The data collected on the survey are used to measure the amount and economic significance of new foreign direct investment in the United States and assess its impact on the U.S. economy. Foreign direct investment in the United States is defined as the ownership or control, directly or indirectly, by one foreign person (foreign parent) of 10 percent or more of the voting securities of an incorporated U.S. business enterprise, or an equivalent interest of an unincorporated U.S. business enterprise, including a branch.
This proposed rule would amend 15 CFR 801.7 to set forth the reporting requirements for the BE-13, Survey of New Foreign Direct Investment in the United States. Under this proposed rule, persons subject to the reporting requirements of the BE-13, Survey of New Foreign Direct Investment in the United States, would be required to respond, whether or not they are contacted by BEA.
The proposed change amends the regulations for the BE-13 survey. Specifically, BEA proposes to change the reporting requirements of form BE-13E, Fiscal Year End Cost Update for Projects Originally Reported on Forms BE-13B and BE-13D. The form collects updated cost information for greenfield investments—i.e., establishments or expansions of U.S. businesses by foreign investors filed on BE-13B or BE-13D forms, respectively—and is required to be filed annually until the establishment or expansion of the U.S. business enterprise is complete.
BEA proposes to limit the filing requirement of the BE-13E form to three years after the year the investment is initiated. BEA has found that this timeframe would be sufficient to collect the vast majority of the changes to total planned expenditures of greenfield investments and provide data users with insightful statistics on the ultimate cost of these investments. The proposed change would reduce respondent burden and the BEA resources needed to continue to collect and process these updates, allowing BEA to focus resources on the featured statistics for more recent periods. The BE-13 survey, as proposed, is expected to result in the filing of approximately 3,027 reports from U.S. affiliates each year.
BEA New Foreign Direct Investment in the US:
https://www.bea.gov/data/intl-trade-investment/new-foreign-direct-investment-united-states
BE-13 proposed rule:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-13713
BE-13 submission to OMB:
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=202204-0608-001 Click IC List for data collection instruments, View Supporting Statement for technical documentation.
