July 19 -- The U.S. Trade Representative has to submit a report to Congress regarding the operation of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) on or before December 31, 2023. The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) invites comments concerning the operation of the CBI, including the performance of each beneficiary country, to assist in preparing the report to Congress on the operation of the CBI program. The deadline for the submission of written comments is 11:59 EDT on August 18, 2023.
Together, the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), and the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) (19 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.) commonly are referred to as the Caribbean Basin Initiative or CBI. Section 212(f)(1) of the CBERA, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2702(f)(1)) requires the U.S. Trade Representative to report on the performance of each CBERA or CBTPA beneficiary country. Barbados, Belize, Curacao, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago receive benefits under both CBERA and CBTPA. Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines currently receive benefits only under CBERA. For the purposes of this report, the term `beneficiary country' includes both the independent countries and dependent territories receiving benefits under CBTPA or CBERA.
As described in more detail below, the TPSC seeks comments on any aspect of the CBI program's operation, including the performance of CBERA and CBTPA beneficiary countries under the criteria described in sections 212(b), 212(c), and 213(b)(5)(B) of the CBERA, as amended. You can access the criteria at
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011-title19/html/USCODE-2011-title19-chap15.htm.
The report also will examine the CBI's effect on the volume and composition of trade and investment between the United States and the CBI beneficiary countries and on advancing U.S. trade policy goals. You can access the most recent CBI report at
https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/reports/2021/2021CBIReport.pdf.
The TPSC seeks comments on any aspect of the CBI program's operation, including the performance of CBERA and CBTPA beneficiary countries using the following criteria: . . .
FRN:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2023-15222