USTR admits difficulty receiving GSP review petitions

USTR admits difficulty receiving GSP review petitions    The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said some shippers and trade groups might have to verify whether their review petitions for the Generalized System of Preferences were actually received by the agency.
   The USTR admits that it experienced “technical difficulties” in receiving some petitions.
   GSP is a program that allows certain products from approved developing countries to enter the United States duty free. The USTR conducts review of the program each year.
   In an Aug. 1 Federal Register notice, the USTR said it did receive petitions. They include those from the Brazilian Association of Ceramic Tile Manufacturers, The Home Depot, the International Intellectual Property Rights Association, AFL-CIO, and R&J Trading International Co. All petitions were due to the USTR by July 20.
   Parties not listed, but who did file a petition are urged to contact the USTR’s GSP Subcommittee in Washington at (202) 395-6971 and then resubmit their petitions by e-mail to fr0618@ustr.eop.gov. Parties must also include proof that the petition was transmitted by e-mail to the GSP Subcommittee by the July 20 deadline.
   The deadline for resubmitting any petitions meeting these criteria is 5 p.m. on Aug. 11.