The Benchmark Survey of U.S. Direct
Investment Abroad (BE-10), which is conducted once every five
years, covers the U.S. direct investment abroad universe and is
BEA’s most comprehensive survey of such investment. U.S. direct
investment abroad is defined as the ownership or control, directly
or indirectly, by one U.S. person of 10 percent or more of the
voting securities of an incorporated foreign business enterprise or
an equivalent interest in an unincorporated foreign business
enterprise, including a branch. The purpose of the benchmark survey
is to obtain universe data on the financial and operating
characteristics of, and on positions and transactions between, U.S.
parent companies and their foreign affiliates. The data are needed
to measure the size and economic significance of U.S. direct
investment abroad, measure changes in such investment, and assess
its impact on the U.S. and foreign economies. Such data are
generally found in enterprise-level accounting records of
respondent companies. These data are used to derive current
universe estimates of direct investment from sample data collected
in other BEA surveys in non-benchmark years. In particular, they
serve as benchmarks for the quarterly direct investment estimates
included in the U.S. international transactions, international
investment position, and national income and product accounts, and
for annual estimates of the U.S. direct investment abroad position
and of the activities of U.S. multinational enterprises.
US Code:
22 USC USC 3101-3108 Name of Law: International Investment and
Trade in Services Survey Act
This request is for a
reinstatement, with change, of a previously approved collection.
Currently, there are no burden hours for the BE-10 survey in the
inventory maintained by OMB. Therefore, the estimated burden of
684,900 hours is shown entirely as a program change. The estimated
respondent burden for the previous (2014) survey was 561,100. The
increase in the estimated respondent burden is entirely due to an
increase in the respondent universe of U.S. and foreign entities
that are required to file the BE-10 benchmark survey, partially
offset by a net decrease from the amount of information being
collected.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.