Trade Representative, Office of United States – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that Ecuador has requested the establishment of a dispute settlement panel under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement''). That request may be found at https://www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS335/6. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

This notice announces the results of the 2005 annual product review and tariff determinations, regarding Chilean imports of certain fruits, vegetables and juices, set forth by the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This review determines whether these tariff free products, imported during calendar year 2005, have exceeded conditions elaborated in the FTA thus requiring the U.S. to impose duties predetermined by its tariff phase-out schedule. The effective date for the resulting change in tariff treatment is October 1, 2006.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is requesting public input as to the probable effect certain modifications to tariff treatment of imports under the United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement on total U.S. trade, domestic producers, and workers in the affected industries. Specifically, USTR is evaluating proposals to accelerate the planned reduction in duties on nutritionals, peanuts, and polycarbonates of Singapore and to modify the rule of origin for photocopiers of Singapore. In addition, USTR is soliciting proposals regarding what sort of concessions Singapore, which does not impose duties on imports from the United States, could make to maintain the balance of concessions if these tariff acceleration requests are approved.

Legislation authorizing the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program expires on December 31, 2006. In connection with Congress' consideration of reauthorization of the program, the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) requested public comments on October 6, 2005, relating to whether the Administration's operation of the program should be changed so that benefits are not focused on trade from a few countries and that developing countries that traditionally have not been major traders under the program receive benefits. Based on information obtained thus far, the TPSC has decided to initiate a further review and request additional comments to determine whether major beneficiaries of the program have expanded exports or have progressed in their economic development within the meaning of the statute to the extent that their eligibility should be limited, suspended, or withdrawn, pursuant to section 502(d) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2462(d)). For the purpose of identifying beneficiary countries that are subject to this review and on which we are seeking comments, the TPSC looked at a country's total volume of trade under the GSP program, the World Bank's classification of the country's level of income, and the country's share of world goods exports. The TPSC is also conducting a review of existing competitive need limitation (CNL) waivers and requesting comments on whether any waivers should be terminated, pursuant to section 503(d)(5) of the Act (19 U.S.C. 2463(d)(5)), because they are no longer warranted due to changed circumstances. All public comments must be received by September 5, 2006.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has determined that Burkina Faso has adopted an effective visa system and related procedures to prevent unlawful transshipment and the use of counterfeit documents in connection with shipments of textile and apparel articles and has implemented and follows, or is making substantial progress toward implementing and following, the customs procedures required by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Therefore, imports of eligible products from Burkina Faso qualify for the textile and apparel benefits provided under the AGOA.

This notice announces the initiation of a review to consider the designation of East Timor as a least developed beneficiary developing country under the GSP program and solicits public comment relating to the designation criteria. Comments are due on August 25, 2006, in accordance with the requirements for submissions, explained below.

The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) will convene a public hearing and seek public comment to assist the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in the preparation of its annual report to the Congress on China's compliance with the commitments made in connection with its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This notice announces the disposition of the product petitions accepted for review in the 2005 GSP Annual Product Review, the results of the 2005 Country Practices Review, the results of the 2005 De Minimis Waiver and Redesignation Reviews, the 2005 Competitive Need Limitation (CNL) removals, and certain previously-deferred country practice decisions.

In its Special 301 Report issued on April 28, 2006, USTR announced plans to conduct a special provincial review (SPR) of intellectual property rights protection in China. As the first step in this review, USTR requests written comments from the public concerning the locations and issues that should be the focus of the SPR.

On March 27, 2006, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) renewed the charter of the Trade Advisory Committee on Africa (TACA), for a four-year term to expire on March 27, 2010. The TACA advises the USTR on trade and development policy matters with respect to the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. There are currently opportunities for membership on this Committee.

Notice is hereby given that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has submitted its annual report on the identification of those foreign countries that deny adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights or deny fair and equitable market access to United States persons that rely upon intellectual property protection, and those foreign countries determined to be priority foreign countries, to the Committee on Finance of the United States Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the United States House of Representatives, pursuant to section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the Trade Act) (19 U.S.C. 2242).

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is making rectifications, technical corrections, and conforming changes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) as set forth in the annex to this notice, pursuant to authority delegated to the USTR in Presidential Proclamation 6969 of January 27, 1997 (62 FR 4415). These modifications correct several inadvertent errors and omissions in various Presidential Proclamations and make conforming changes to the HTS, as set forth herein, so that the intended tariff treatment is provided.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice that on March 30, 2006, in accordance with the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO Agreement), the United States requested consultations regarding China's treatment of imported motor vehicle parts, components, and accessories (``auto parts''). That request may be found at https://www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS340/1. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

Pursuant to Section 205(b) of the Dominican RepublicCentral AmericaUnited States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (the Act), the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of his determination that Honduras and Nicaragua are eligible countries for purposes of retroactive duty treatment as provided in Section 205 of the Act.

The United States intends to initiate negotiations with Malaysia on a free trade agreement (FTA). The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) will convene a public hearing and seek public comment to assist the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in amplifying and clarifying negotiating objectives for the proposed agreement and to provide advice on how specific goods and services and other matters should be treated under the proposed agreement.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that Argentina has requested the establishment of a dispute settlement panel under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement''). That request may be found at https://www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS268/16. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

Free trade agreements entered into by the United States require the establishment of lists or rosters of individuals that would be available to serve as panelists in dispute settlement proceedings. From time to time, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will collect applications from people who wish to serve on those panels. USTR solicited comments from the public on this proposed collection of information and received none. Therefore no changes have been made to the proposed collection. USTR is now submitting a request for approval to the Office of Management and Budget pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act.

This publication gives notice that, pursuant to the Trade Act of 2002, and consistent with Executive Order 13141 (64 FR 63169) (Nov. 18, 1999) and its implementing guidelines (65 FR 79442), the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is initiating an environmental review of the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and Korea. The TPSC is requesting written comments from the public on what should be included in the scope of the environmental review, including the potential environmental effects that might flow from the free trade agreement and the potential implications for U.S. environmental laws and regulations, and identification of complementarities between trade and environmental objectives such as the promotion of sustainable development. The TPSC also welcomes public views on appropriate methodologies and sources of data for conducting the review. Persons submitting written comments should provide as much detail as possible on the degree to which the subject matter they propose for inclusion in the review may raise significant environmental issues in the context of the negotiation.

The United States Trade Representative has determined to terminate sanctions imposed on certain EC Member States (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). This determination is based on assurances from the European Communities that EC telecommunications operators are no longer subject to discriminatory requirements, and that purchasing by EC telecommunications operators are now based solely on commercial considerations, not EC procurement rules. The termination of sanctions is effective on March 1, 2006.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) received petitions in September 2005 to review certain practices in certain beneficiary developing countries to determine whether such countries are in compliance with the ATPA eligibility criteria. USTR published a list of responsive petitions that were accepted for review in a notice published on November 22, 2005 (70 FR 70652). This notice specifies the results of the preliminary review of those petitions as well as the status of the petitions filed in 2004 that have remained under review.

The Out-of-Cycle Review (``OCR'') under section 182 (commonly referred to as the ``Special 301'' provision) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``Trade Act''), has concluded with a finding that the Government of Ukraine substantially has improved its intellectual property right (``IPR'') enforcement efforts. As a result, the United States Trade Representative (``Trade Representative'') is revoking the identification of Ukraine as a Priority Foreign Country (``PFC'') under section 182 and instead is placing Ukraine on the Priority Watch List, and is restoring the tariff-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (``GSP'') accorded to products of Ukraine. Pursuant to section 306 of the Trade Act, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') will continue to monitor closely the Government of Ukraine's IPR enforcement efforts.

Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974 (Trade Act) (19 U.S.C. 2242), requires the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to identify countries that deny adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights or deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual property protection. (Section 182 is commonly referred to as the ``Special 301'' provisions of the Trade Act.) In addition, USTR is required to determine which of these countries should be identified as Priority Foreign Countries. Acts, policies, or practices that are the basis of a country's identification as a priority foreign country are normally the subject of an investigation under the Section 301 provisions of the Trade Act. Section 182 of the Trade Act contains a special rule for the identification of actions by Canada affecting United States cultural industries. USTR requests written submissions from the public concerning foreign countries' acts, policies, and practices that are relevant to the decision whether particular trading partners should be identified under Section 182 of the Trade Act.

This notice is to inform the public of the availability of interim 2005 import statistics relating to competitive need limitations (CNLs) under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. Public comments are invited by 5 p.m., January 27, 2006, regarding possible de minimis CNL waivers with respect to particular articles, and possible redesignations under the GSP program of articles currently not eligible for GSP benefits because they previously exceeded the CNLs.