USTR Seeks Comments to Draft Report on Caribbean Basin Initiative

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is asking for comments (here) on the Caribbean Basin Initiative, a program that provides permanent duty elimination on a wide range of imports from the Caribbean region. The CBI is comprised of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act and amendments to that law in the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act. USTR is asking for comments to meet its statutory obligation to send a report to Congress every two years on the CBI. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit comments on “any aspect of the program’s operation, including the performance of CBERA and CBTPA beneficiary countries,” USTR said. The report to Congress is due by Dec. 31, and USTR is required to focus on labor policies, practices and conditions, as well as broader trade behavior in the CBI-beneficiary countries. USTR prefers stakeholders submit comments through www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2015-0008. Comments are due by Oct. 5.