Corporate Patterns Survey Authorization of Collection of Economic Reports

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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION CORPORATE PATTERNS SURVEY Authorization of Collection of Economic Reports Notice is hereby given that the Federal Trade Commission has given final ap­ proval to the Corporate Patterns Report survey of the 1,000 largest manufactur­ ing companies. This survey, cleared by the General Accounting Office on March 24, 1975, will be conducted by the Bureau of Economics and will principally collect value of shipments data for the year 1972 for each of 1,300 manufactur­ ing product classes. Corporate Patterns Report data will provide detailed market share information for corporations that account for more than three-fourths of the total assets of all manufacturing cor­ porations. The forms will be mailed on Friday, August 22.

The Commission’s resolution approv­ ing the survey specifies that no indi­ vidual company data will be published before January 1,1978, or five years after the 1972 year for which data will be col- - lected.

In a supplementary statement on con­ fidentiality, the Commission stated it would consider individual company data to be exempt from disclosure pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request for access but noted it would comply with official requests for data from a Congres­ sional committee or pursuant to a court order.

The 1972 Corporate Patterns Report is the first such survey since data for the year 1950 were collected in the initial sur­ vey of this type. In its statement to the General Accounting Office, however, the R esolution Authorizing and Directing the Collection of Economic R eports Whereas, the Federal Trade Commis­ sion is authorized by Section 6 of the Federal Trade Commisison Act to gather and compile information concerning, and to investigate from time to time the or­ ganization, business, conduct, practices and management of 'corporations (as specified in the Federal Trade Commis­ sion Act) engaged in commerce, and their relation to other corporations and to individuals, associations and partner­ ships; and Whereas, the Federal Trade Commis­ sion may require that such corporations file annual or special reports, or both, furnishing to the Commission such in­ formation as may be needed as to their organization, business, conduct, prac­ tices, management, and their relation to other corporations, partnerships and in­ dividuals; and Whereas, it is deemed necessary in the public interest for the Federal Trade Commission to gather information as to the nature of business and the relation of such corporations and of corporations and businesses acquired by such corpora­ tions to other corporations, individuals, associations, and partnerships which are interrelated in varying: degrees with other corporations, individuals, associa­ tions, and partnerships within the vari­ ous industries and lines of commerce in the United States, as to their majority ownership interests, as to their value of shipments or production by product class in manufacturing, as to their sales, business receipts or other appropriate value measure by major group and more detailed classification in nonmanufac­ turing activities, as to their acquisitions and dispositions of companies or part of companies, as to their net sales and total assets, as to the financial and other characteristics of their minority-interest FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 40, NO. 157— WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1975

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NOTICES 34027 companies, including buyer and seller re­ lationships with their joint ventures for the purpose of making reports authorized under Section 6(f) of the Federal Trade Commission Act concerning concentra­ tion, diversification and integration of firms by product classes and major groups and for the purpose of obtaining precise information as to the position of firms and of competitive conditions in various product markets to the end that a proper determination of the effect on competition may be made in connection with the administration and enforcement of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Com­ mission Act and Sections 2, 3 and 7 of the Clayton Act, as amended. Now, therefore, it is hereby resolved that the Federal Trade Commission, in the exercise of the powers vested in it by Section 6 of the Federal Trade Com­ mission Act, and with the aid of any and all powers conferred upon it by law and any and all compulsory processes avail­ able to it, do forthwith proceed to in­ vestigate and collect information, in­ cluding information in the form of re­ ports, of fhe nature and for. the purposes hereinabove stated,’ from such corpora­ tions engaged in commerce as may be designated by the Commission pursuant to general or special orders. It is further resolved that no information for individ­ ual companies will be published before January 1, 1978, Statement op the C om m ission C oncern­ ing Confidentiality op I ndividual Company D ata S ubmitted P ursuant to Corporate P^TTiiRNS R eport (CPR) — The Commission will not publish ear­ lier than January 1, 1978, any individual company data submitted pursuant to CPR-1972. In addition, subject to the conditions noted below, the Commission pledges not to disclose earlier than Jan­ uary 1, 1978, any individual company data to persons not employed by the Commission. The Commission considers the. individual company data to be con­ fidential and exempt under 5 U.S.C. § 55£ (b) (4) frbm disclosure pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act request for access.

This pledge will not apply to the Com­ mission’s furnishing individual company data in response to an official request from a committee or subcommittee of Congress or pursuant to court order. In the event of such release, the' Congres­ sional committee or subcommittee or the court will be advised that the Commis­ sion and company consider the material to be confidential.

, Consultants retained by the Commis­ sion who pledge to maintain the confi­ dentiality of the data may be given ac­ cess to individual company data. - If the Commission decides to disclose individual company data to a Congres­ sional committee or pursuant to a court order, the company will be provided with ten (10) days’ prior notice where possible, and in any event as much notice as can reasonably be given.

Issued by direction of the Commission dated July 29,1975.

Charles A. T obin, Secretary.

]FR Doc.75-21209 Filed 8-12-75;8:45 am] INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [AA1921—Inq.-2] NEW, ON-THE-HIGHWAY, FOUR-WHEELED, PASSENGER AUTOMOBILES Notice of 30-day Inquiry and Hearing1 Having received advice from the Treasury Department on August 7, 1975, that, during the course of determining whether to institute an investigation with respect to new, on-the-highway, four-wheeled, passenger automobiles from Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and West Germany in accordance with section 201(c) of the Antidumping Act, 1921 (19 U.S.C. 160(c)), it concludes from the information available to it that there is substantial doubt whether an industry in the United States is being or is likely to be injured, or is prevented from being established, by reason of im­ portation of this merchandise into the United States, the United States Inter­ national Trade Commission on August 8, 1975, instituted inquiry AA1921-Inq.-2, under section 201(c) (2) of the Act, to determine whether:

There is no reasonable indication that an industry in the United States is being or is likely to be injured, or is prevented from being established, by reason of the impor­ tation of such merchandise ipto the United States.

Relevant portions of the Treasury De­ partment advice are as follows : According to the preliminary information thus far available to us,,the domestic indus­ try’s production of subcompact-compact automobiles, that merchandise generally most competitive with imports, appears to have increased by 36 percent from 1972- 1974, and in 1973 and 1974 for the first time in recent years, exceeded imports in absolute numbers. During 1972-1974, imports of auto­ mobiles increased only by 3.6 percent. Dining the 1972-1973 period, *U.S. produc­ tion of intermediate-full size autos increased 3.6 percent. However, from 1973 to 1974, U.S. production of such autos declined 40 percent. While this data poses some difficulties of in­ terpretation, we do not feel that standing alone it creates the substantial doubt re­ quiring referral to the Commission. However, both Mr. William Eberle, Presi­ dent of the Motor Vehicle Manufacturer’s 1This 30-day inquiry is being conducted under a new provision (section 201(c)) added to the Antidumping Act, 1921, by sec­ tion 321 of the Trade Act of 1974 (88 Stat. 2043). If the determination to be made by the Commission under section 201 (c) is neg­ ative, the current related antidumping in­ vestigations of the Department of Treasury will be permitted to continue; if, on the other hand, any determination to be made by the Commission is affirmative, the related Treasury investigations will be terminated. Association, and Mr. Elliot M. Estes, Presi­ dent of General Motors, have recently testi-. fled before Congress that the U.S. auto indus­ try’s problems are not due to imports. In addition, an April 1975 Staff Economic Re­ port, of the Office of Economic Research, U.S. Department of Commerce (not an official Commerce Department position), supports Mr. Eberle and Mr. Estes. The Department of Labor, in its August 1, 1975 adjustment as­ sistance decision for Chrysler workers stated that imports have contributed relatively little to the decline in the US. automobile indus­ try as a whole, finding in one particular class of automobile that imports contributed to the decline in US. production. For compact, standard, and luxury autos, the Department found that the recession and other non­ import factors were sufficient to explain the decline in output and employment. I therefore conclude that these views minimizing the effect of imports on the present state of the domestic industry create the substantial doubt which requires refer­ ence of this case to the Commission for ap­ propriate consideration pursuant to section 201(c)(2) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 1 6 0 (c)(2)). Preliminarily, alleged margins of sales at less than fair value, from petitioners’ infor­ mation, appear to range as follows: Belgium—up to 43 percent on 1974 imports valued at $216 million.

Canada—up to 20 percent on 1974 imports valued at $3 billion.

' France— up to 24 percent on 1974 imports valued at $45.5 million.

Italy—up to 41 percent on 1974 imports valued at $240 million.

Japan—up to 24 percent on 1974 imports valued at $1.7 billion.

Sweden—up to 43 percent on 1974 imports valued at $227 million.

United Kingdom—up to 35 percent on 1974 imports valued at $156 million. West Germany—up to 73 percent on 1974 imports valued at $1.9 billion. Total automobile imports during 1974 were valued at roughly $7.5 billion with domestic production during the same period estimated $20.8 billion.

Hearing. A public hearing in connec­ tion with the inquiry will be held in the Commission’s Hearing Room, Interna­ tional Trade Commission Building, 701 E Street, NW., Washington, D.C. 20436, beginning at 10:00 a.m., EDT, on Tues­ day, August 19, 1975. All parties will be given an opportunity to be present, to produce evidence, and to be heard at such hearing. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be received by the Secre­ tary of the Commission in writing, at its office in Washington, D.C., not later than noon Friday,, August 15, 1975. It is sug­ gested that parties who have a common interest endeavor whenever possible to arrange for a consolidated presentation of their views.

Requests to appear must contain: a. The name and organization of the ».witness or witnesses who will testify, and the name, address, telephone number, and organization of the person filing the request.

b. An estimate of the aggregate time desired for presentation of oral testimony by all witnesses for whose appearance the request is filed.

Because of the limited time available under the statute, the Commission re­ serves the right to limit the time assigned to witnesses.

FEDERAL REGISTER, VOL. 40, NO. 157— WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1975

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34028 NOTICES Questioning of witnesses will be limited to members of the Commission and the Commission’s staff.

Written statements. Interested parties may submit statements in writing in lieu of, and in addition to, appearance at the public hearing. A signed original and nineteen true copies of such statements should be submitted. To be assured of their being given due consideration by the Commission, such statements should be received no later than August 22,1975. Issued: August 8,1975.

By order of the Commission. [ seal] K enneth R . M ason, Secretary.

[PR Doc.75-21215 Piled 8-12-75:8:45 am]