Determination Regarding Waiver of Discriminatory Purchasing Requirements With Respect to Goods and Services of New Member States of the European Communities (Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria), 77820-77821 [E6-22173]

Download as PDF 77820 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 248 / Wednesday, December 27, 2006 / Notices NCUA Region II Regional Office: 1775 Duke Street, Suite 4206, Alexandria, VA 22314, Phone: (703) 519–4600. States covered: Delaware, District Of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. NCUA Region III Regional Office: 7000 Central Parkway, Suite 1600, Atlanta, GA 30328, Phone: (678) 443–3000. States covered: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virgin Islands. NCUA Region IV Regional Office: 4807 Spicewood Springs Road, Suite 5200, Austin, TX 78759, Phone: (512) 342–5600. States covered: Arkansas, Illinois Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin. NCUA Region V Regional Office: 1230 West Washington Street, Suite 301, Tempe, AZ 85281, Phone: (602) 302–6000. States covered: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. By the National Credit Union Administration Board on December 20, 2006. Mary F. Rupp, Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E6–22101 Filed 12–26–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7535–01–P THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES Meetings of Humanities Panel The National Endowment for the Humanities. ACTION: Notice of meetings. AGENCY: Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, as amended), notice is hereby given that the following meetings of Humanities Panels will be held at the Old Post Office, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20506. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Heather Gottry, Acting Advisory Committee Management Officer, National Endowment for the Humanities, Washington, DC 20506; telephone (202) 606–8322. Hearingimpaired individuals are advised that information on this matter may be obtained by contacting the Endowment’s TDD terminal on (202) 606–8282. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed meetings are for the purpose of panel review, discussion, evaluation and recommendation on applications for financial assistance under the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965, as amended, including discussion of jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Aug<31>2005 20:43 Dec 26, 2006 Jkt 211001 information given in confidence to the agency by the grant applicants. Because the proposed meetings will consider information that is likely to disclose trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential and/or information of a personal nature the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, pursuant to authority granted me by the Chairman’s Delegation of Authority to Close Advisory Committee meetings, dated July 19, 1993, I have determined that these meetings will be closed to the public pursuant to subsections (c)(4), and (6) of section 552b of Title 5, United States Code. 1. Date: January 8, 2007. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Room: 415. Program: This meeting will review applications for Humanities Projects in Media, submitted to the Division of Public Programs at the November 1, 2006 deadline. 2. Date: January 9, 2007. Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Room: 315. Program: This meeting will review applications for Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants, submitted to the Miscellaneous Humanities Projects at the November 15, 2006 deadline. 3. Date: January 10, 2007. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Room: 415. Program: This meeting will review applications for Humanities Projects in Media, submitted to the Division of Public Programs at the November 1, 2006 deadline. 4. Date: January 16, 2007. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Room: 415. Program: This meeting will review applications for Humanities Projects in Media, submitted to the Division of Public Programs at the November 1, 2006 deadline. 5. Date: January 22, 2007. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Room: 415. Program: This meeting will review applications for Humanities Projects in Media, submitted to the Division of Public Programs at the November 1, 2006 deadline. 6. Date: January 23, 2007. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Room: 315. Program: This meeting will review applications for Collaborative Research in European Studies, submitted to the Division of Research Programs at the November 1, 2006 deadline. 7. Date: January 29, 2007. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. PO 00000 Frm 00104 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Room: 315. Program: This meeting will review applications for Collaborative Research in Archaeology, Old World, submitted to the Division of Research Programs at the November 1, 2006 deadline. 8. Date: January 30, 2007 Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Room: 315. Program: This meeting will review applications for Collaborative Research in Africa and Asia, submitted to the Division of Research Programs at the November 1, 2006 deadline. 9. Date: January 31, 2007. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Room: 315. Program: This meeting will review applications for Scholarly Editions in British and American Editions, submitted to the Division of Research Programs at the November 1, 2006 deadline. Heather Gottry, Acting Advisory Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. E6–22172 Filed 12–26–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7536–01–P OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Determination Regarding Waiver of Discriminatory Purchasing Requirements With Respect to Goods and Services of New Member States of the European Communities (Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria) Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Determination Regarding Waiver of Discriminatory Purchasing Requirements under the Trade Agreements Act of 1979. AGENCY: Effective Date: January 1, 2007. Jean Heilman Grier, Senior Procurement Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative, (202) 395–9476. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The European Communities (‘‘EC’’) is a party to the World Trade Organization (‘‘WTO’’) Agreement on Government Procurement (‘‘GPA’’) and has assumed rights and obligations under the GPA on behalf of its Member States. On January 1, 2007, Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria (collectively, the ‘‘new Member States’’) will accede to the EC. In light of that accession, the EC has committed to assume rights and obligations on behalf of these new Member States under the GPA. On December 8, 2006, the WTO Committee on Government Procurement approved the application DATES: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1 jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 248 / Wednesday, December 27, 2006 / Notices of the GPA to Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria. The United States, which is also a party to the GPA, has agreed to waive discriminatory purchasing requirements for eligible products and suppliers of the Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria, beginning on January 1, 2007. Section 1–201 of Executive Order 12260 of December 31, 1980 delegated the functions of the President under sections 301 and 302 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (‘‘the Trade Agreements Act’’) (19 U.S.C. 2511, 2512) to the United States Trade Representative. Determination: In conformity with sections 301 and 302 of the Trade Agreements Act, and in order to carry out U.S. obligations under the GPA, I hereby determine that: 1. The European Communities, including its new Member States (Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria), is an instrumentality that: (A) Is a party to the GPA; and (B) will provide appropriate reciprocal competitive government procurement opportunities to United States products and services and suppliers of such products and services. In accordance with section 301(b)(1) of the Trade Agreements Act, the European Communities is so designated for purposes of section 301(a) of the Trade Agreements Act. 2. Accordingly, beginning on January 1, 2007, with respect to eligible products (namely, those goods and services covered under the GPA for procurement by the United States) of the Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria and suppliers of such products, the application of any law, regulation, procedure, or practice regarding government procurement that would, if applied to such products and suppliers, result in treatment less favorable than that accorded— (A) To United States products and suppliers of such products, or (B) To eligible products of another foreign country or instrumentality which is a party to the GPA and suppliers of such products, shall be waived. This waiver shall be applied by all entities listed in United States Annexes 1 and 3 of GPA Appendix 1. 3. The Trade Representative may modify or withdraw the designation in paragraph 1 and the waiver in paragraph 2. 4. This notice shall not affect the treatment to be accorded to eligible products of any country that was a Member State of the European Communities before January 1, 2007. VerDate Aug<31>2005 20:43 Dec 26, 2006 Jkt 211001 Dated: December 19, 2006. Susan C. Schwab, United States Trade Representative. [FR Doc. E6–22173 Filed 12–26–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3190–W7–P OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE [Docket No. WTO/DS345] WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding United States—Customs Bond Directive for Merchandise Subject to Anti-Dumping/ Countervailing Duties Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Notice; request for comments. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (‘‘USTR’’) is providing notice that on November 21, 2006, the Dispute Settlement Body, at India’s request, established a 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/DS345/6. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute. DATES: Although USTR will accept any comments received during the course of the dispute settlement proceedings, comments should be submitted on or before February 28, 2006 to be assured of timely consideration by USTR. ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted (i) Electronically, to FR0624@ustr.eop.gov, Attn: ‘‘India Bond Dispute (DS345)’’ in the subject line, or (ii) by fax, to Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395–3640. For documents sent by fax, USTR requests that the submitter provide a confirmation copy to the electronic mail address listed above. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elissa Alben, Assistant General Counsel, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508, (202) 395–9622. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 127(b) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (‘‘URAA’’) (19 U.S.C. 3537(b)(1)) requires that notice and opportunity for comment be provided after the United States submits or receives a request for the establishment of a WTO dispute settlement panel. Consistent with this obligation, USTR is providing notice that a dispute settlement panel has been requested pursuant to the WTO Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the PO 00000 Frm 00105 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 77821 Settlement of Disputes (‘‘DSU’’). The panel will hold its meetings in Geneva, Switzerland. Note that some of the issues described below were also raised in a request for the establishment of a panel submitted by Thailand, see 71 FR 59542 (October 10, 2006). Major Issues Raised by India On February 1, 2005 the Department of Commerce published an antidumping duty order covering certain frozen warm water shrimp from India (70 FR 5147). In its request for establishment of a panel, India alleges that the United States has imposed on importers a requirement to maintain a continuous entry bond in the amount of the antidumping duty margin multiplied by the value of imports of frozen warmwater shrimp imported by the importer in the preceding year. It alleges that Customs Bond Directive 99–3510–004, as amended on July 9, 2004 (and any clarifications and amendments thereof), as well as the laws and regulations of the United States pursuant to which the requirement was adopted (including 19 U.S.C. 1484, 1502, 1505, 1623, and 1673g, and 19 CFR 113.13, 113.40, 113.62, and 142.2) as such constitute specific action against dumping and subsidization not in accordance with Article VI:2 and 3 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (‘‘GATT 1994’’), as well as Articles 1, and 18.1 of the Agreement on Implementation of Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (‘‘AD Agreement’’) and Articles 10 and 32.1 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (‘‘Subsidies Agreement’’), that they result in charges in excess of the margin of dumping or amount of subsidy that are not in accordance with GATT 1994 Articles VI:2 and VI:3, and that the simultaneous imposition of the continuous bond requirement and the obligation to provide bonds or make cash deposits for the payment of antidumping or countervailing duty is unreasonable as security for payment of antidumping and countervailing duties and therefore inconsistent with Note Ad paragraphs 2 and 3 of GATT 1994 Article VI. India further alleges that they are inconsistent with Articles 7.1, 7.2, 7.4, and 7.5 of the AD Agreement and Articles 17.1, 17.2, 17.4, and 17.5 of the Subsidies Agreement to the extent that they are applied prior to the imposition of definitive antidumping or countervailing duties, and that they are inconsistent with Articles 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 9.1, 9.2 and 9.3 of the AD Agreement and Articles 1, 14, 19.2, 19.3 and 19.4 of the Subsidies Agreement. India further states that because the amended E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM 27DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77820-77821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22173]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Determination Regarding Waiver of Discriminatory Purchasing 
Requirements With Respect to Goods and Services of New Member States of 
the European Communities (Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria)

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Determination Regarding Waiver of Discriminatory Purchasing 
Requirements under the Trade Agreements Act of 1979.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DATES: Effective Date: January 1, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Heilman Grier, Senior Procurement 
Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative, (202) 
395-9476.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The European Communities (``EC'') is a party 
to the World Trade Organization (``WTO'') Agreement on Government 
Procurement (``GPA'') and has assumed rights and obligations under the 
GPA on behalf of its Member States. On January 1, 2007, Romania and the 
Republic of Bulgaria (collectively, the ``new Member States'') will 
accede to the EC. In light of that accession, the EC has committed to 
assume rights and obligations on behalf of these new Member States 
under the GPA. On December 8, 2006, the WTO Committee on Government 
Procurement approved the application

[[Page 77821]]

of the GPA to Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria. The United States, 
which is also a party to the GPA, has agreed to waive discriminatory 
purchasing requirements for eligible products and suppliers of the 
Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria, beginning on January 1, 2007.
    Section 1-201 of Executive Order 12260 of December 31, 1980 
delegated the functions of the President under sections 301 and 302 of 
the Trade Agreements Act of 1979 (``the Trade Agreements Act'') (19 
U.S.C. 2511, 2512) to the United States Trade Representative.
    Determination: In conformity with sections 301 and 302 of the Trade 
Agreements Act, and in order to carry out U.S. obligations under the 
GPA, I hereby determine that:
    1. The European Communities, including its new Member States 
(Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria), is an instrumentality that: (A) 
Is a party to the GPA; and (B) will provide appropriate reciprocal 
competitive government procurement opportunities to United States 
products and services and suppliers of such products and services. In 
accordance with section 301(b)(1) of the Trade Agreements Act, the 
European Communities is so designated for purposes of section 301(a) of 
the Trade Agreements Act.
    2. Accordingly, beginning on January 1, 2007, with respect to 
eligible products (namely, those goods and services covered under the 
GPA for procurement by the United States) of the Romania and the 
Republic of Bulgaria and suppliers of such products, the application of 
any law, regulation, procedure, or practice regarding government 
procurement that would, if applied to such products and suppliers, 
result in treatment less favorable than that accorded--
    (A) To United States products and suppliers of such products, or
    (B) To eligible products of another foreign country or 
instrumentality which is a party to the GPA and suppliers of such 
products, shall be waived. This waiver shall be applied by all entities 
listed in United States Annexes 1 and 3 of GPA Appendix 1.
    3. The Trade Representative may modify or withdraw the designation 
in paragraph 1 and the waiver in paragraph 2.
    4. This notice shall not affect the treatment to be accorded to 
eligible products of any country that was a Member State of the 
European Communities before January 1, 2007.

    Dated: December 19, 2006.
Susan C. Schwab,
United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. E6-22173 Filed 12-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W7-P
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