The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has launched a general factfinding investigation to assess the economic impact on the United States of U.S. sanctions on Cuba.

The investigation, The Economic Impact of U.S. Sanctions with Respect to Cuba (Inv. No. 332-413), was requested by the Committee on Ways and Means, U.S. House of Representatives, in a letter received March 15, 2000.

As requested, the ITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will include the following in its report:

• an overview of U.S. sanctions with respect to Cuba;

• a description of the Cuban economy, Cuban trade and investment policies, and trade and investment trends;

• an analysis of the historical impact of U.S. sanctions on both the U.S. and Cuban economies, especially on affected sectors, and to the extent possible, on U.S. exports, imports, employment, consumers, and investment;

• an evaluation of the current impact on U.S.-Cuban bilateral trade, investment, employment, and consumers of the economic sanctions on trade and investment with Cuba, with particular attention to the effects on U.S. services, U.S. agriculture, and other sectors for which the impact is likely to be significant.

The ITC will hold a public hearing in connection with this investigation. The hearing will be held on September 19, 2000, at 9:30 a.m. at the ITC Building, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on August 29, 2000, with the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. For hearing-related information, contact the Office of the Secretary at 202-205-1806.

The ITC also welcomes written submissions for the record in this investigation. Written statements (one original and 14 copies) should be submitted at the earliest practical date but no later than October 4, 2000. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, United States International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20436.

Further information on the scope of this investigation and appropriate submissions is available in the ITC's notice of investigation, dated April 14, 2000, which may be obtained from the ITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov) or by contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or at 202-205-1806.

ITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Senate Committee on Finance, or the House Committee on Ways and Means. The resulting reports convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the ITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.