Notice2025-14431
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; Direct Investment Surveys: BE-577, Quarterly Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad-Transactions of U.S. Reporter With Foreign Affiliate
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 30, 2025
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentEconomic Analysis Bureau
Abstract
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 144 (Wednesday, July 30, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 30, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35844-35845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-14431]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Direct Investment Surveys: BE-577, Quarterly Survey of U.S.
Direct Investment Abroad--Transactions of U.S. Reporter With Foreign
Affiliate
AGENCY: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 29,
2025.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
Amanda Budny, Chief, Direct Transactions and Positions Branch, Bureau
of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, by email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0c4d616d62686d224e796862754c6e696d226b637a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="49082428272d28670b3c2d2730092b2c28672e263f">[email protected]</span></a> and <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b6e6e4f7d5d9dbdbd3d8c2c5f6d2d9d598d1d9c0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="38686a795b5755555d564c4b785c575b165f574e">[email protected]</span></a>. Please reference OMB
Control Number 0608-0004 in the subject line of your comments. Do not
submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or
protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed
to Amanda Budny, Chief, Direct Transactions and Positions Branch,
Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce; via phone at
(301) 278-9154; or via email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#06476b6768626728447362687f4664636728616970"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="87c6eae6e9e3e6a9c5f2e3e9fec7e5e2e6a9e0e8f1">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
The Quarterly Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad--Transactions
of U.S. Reporter with Foreign Affiliate (Form BE-577) obtains quarterly
data on transactions and positions between U.S.-owned foreign business
enterprises and their U.S. parents, except certain private funds. The
survey is a sample survey that covers all foreign affiliates above a
size-exemption level. The sample data are used to derive universe
estimates in nonbenchmark years from similar data reported in the BE-
10, Benchmark Survey of U.S. Direct Investment Abroad, which is
conducted every five years. The data are essential for the preparation
of the U.S. international transactions accounts, the national income
and product accounts, the input-output accounts, and the international
investment position of the United States. The data are needed to
measure the size and economic significance of direct investment abroad,
measure changes in such investment, and assess its impact on the U.S.
and foreign economies.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is proposing a change to the
BE-577 survey reporting requirements that will reduce respondent burden
and increase the efficiency of data collection.
Description of Changes
The proposed change amends the reporting requirements for the BE-
577 survey. Specifically, BEA proposes to increase the valuation
threshold in the basic requirement for the survey. Currently, a BE-577
form is required for each (1) directly-owned foreign affiliate for
which total assets; annual sales or gross operating revenue, excluding
sales taxes; or annual net income after provision for foreign income
taxes was greater than $60 million (positive or negative) at any time
during the affiliate's fiscal reporting year and each (2) indirectly-
owned foreign affiliate that met the $60 million threshold and had an
intercompany receivable or payable balance with the U.S. reporter that
exceeded $10 million.
BEA proposes to increase the threshold for filing the BE-577 from
$60 million to $500 million. BEA has determined that this increased
threshold on the BE-577 would be sufficient to collect the information
necessary to provide data users with insightful statistics measuring
the economic impact of these investments. This proposed change would
reduce respondent burden and the BEA resources needed to collect and
process these investments.
II. Method of Collection
Notice of specific reporting requirements, including who is to
report, the information to be reported, the manner of reporting, and
the time and place of filing reports, will be mailed to potential
respondents each quarter. Reports are due 30 days after the close of
each calendar or fiscal quarter--45 days if the report is for the final
quarter of the respondent's financial reporting year. Reports are
required from each U.S. person that has a direct and/or indirect
ownership interest of at least 10 percent of the voting stock in an
incorporated foreign business enterprise, or an equivalent interest in
an unincorporated foreign business enterprise, and that meets the
additional conditions detailed in Form BE-577. Certain private funds
are exempt from reporting. Entities required to report will be
contacted individually by BEA. Entities not contacted by BEA have no
reporting responsibilities.
Potential respondents are those U.S. business enterprises that
reported owning foreign business enterprises in the 2024 benchmark
survey of U.S. direct investment abroad, along with entities that
subsequently entered the direct investment universe. The data collected
are sample data. Universe estimates are developed from the reported
sample data.
BEA offers electronic filing through its eFile system (<a href="http://www.bea.gov/efile">www.bea.gov/efile</a>) for use in reporting on the BE-577 survey forms. In addition,
BEA posts its survey forms and reporting instructions on its website
(<a href="http://www.bea.gov/dia">www.bea.gov/dia</a>).
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0608-0004.
Form Number: BE-577.
Type of Review: Regular submission, reinstatement without change.
Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,500 U.S. parents filing for
12,700 foreign affiliates per quarter, 50,800 annually.
Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour is the average but may vary
considerably among respondents because of differences in company
structure and complexity.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 50,800.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: International Investment and Trade in Services
[[Page 35845]]
Survey Act (P.L. 94-472, 22 U.S.C. 3101-3108, as amended by P.L. 98-573
and P.L. 101-533).
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department of
Commerce/Bureau of Economic Analysis to: (a) Evaluate whether the
proposed information collection is necessary for the proper functions
of the Department, including whether the information will have
practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the
time and cost burden for this proposed collection, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) Evaluate ways to
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to
respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other
forms of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot
guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Compliance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary of
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2025-14431 Filed 7-29-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P
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