WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding India-Additional and Extra Additional Duties on Imports, 50418-50419 [E7-17358]
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50418
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 169 / Friday, August 31, 2007 / Notices
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
China also maintains measures that
grant refunds, reductions, or exemptions
from taxes otherwise due to the
government on the condition that the
beneficiary enterprises meet certain
export performance criteria. The United
States believes that, as such, these
measures are inconsistent with China’s
obligations under Article 3.1(a) and 3.2
of the SCM Agreement and,
consequently, paragraph 10.3 of Part I of
China’s Protocol of Accession, and
paragraph 1.2 of Part I of its Protocol of
Accession (to the extent that it
incorporates paragraph 167 of the
Report of the Working Party on the
Accession of China).
Public Comment: Requirements for
Submissions
Interested persons are invited to
submit written comments concerning
the issues raised in the dispute.
Comments should be submitted (i)
electronically, to FR0507@ustr.eop.gov,
with ‘‘China Prohibited Subsidies
(DS358)’’ in the subject line, or (ii) by
fax, to Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395–
3640, with a confirmation copy sent
electronically to the electronic mail
address above.
USTR encourages the submission of
documents in Adobe PDF format as
attachments to an electronic mail.
Interested persons who make
submissions by electronic mail should
not provide separate cover letters;
information that might appear in a cover
letter should be included in the
submission itself. Similarly, to the
extent possible, any attachments to the
submission should be included in the
same file as the submission itself, and
not as separate files.
Comments must be in English. A
person requesting that information
contained in a comment submitted by
that person be treated as confidential
business information must certify that
such information is business
confidential and would not customarily
be released to the public by the
commenter. Confidential business
information must be clearly designated
as such and ‘‘BUSINESS
CONFIDENTIAL’’ must be marked at the
top and bottom of the cover page and
each succeeding page. Persons who
submit confidential business
information are encouraged also to
provide a non-confidential summary of
the information.
Information or advice contained in a
comment submitted, other than business
confidential information, may be
determined by USTR to be confidential
in accordance with section 135(g)(2) of
the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
2155(g)(2)). If the submitter believes that
VerDate Aug<31>2005
00:43 Aug 31, 2007
Jkt 211001
information or advice may qualify as
such, the submitter—
(1) Must clearly so designate the
information or advice;
(2) Must clearly mark the material as
‘‘SUBMITTED IN CONFIDENCE’’ at the
top and bottom of the cover page and
each succeeding page; and
(3) Is encouraged to provide a nonconfidential summary of the
information or advice.
Pursuant to section 127(e) of the
URAA (19 U.S.C. 3537(e)), USTR will
maintain a file on this dispute
settlement proceeding, accessible to the
public, in the USTR Reading Room,
which is located at 1724 F Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20508. The public file
will include non-confidential comments
received by USTR from the public with
respect to the dispute; if a dispute
settlement panel is convened or in the
event of an appeal from such a panel,
the U.S. submissions, the submissions,
or non-confidential summaries of
submissions, received from other
participants in the dispute; the report of
the panel and, if applicable, the report
of the Appellate Body. The USTR
Reading Room is open to the public, by
appointment only, from 10 a.m. to noon
and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday. An appointment to review the
public file (Docket WTO/DS–358, China
Prohibited Subsidies Dispute) may be
made by calling the USTR Reading
Room at (202) 395–6186.
Daniel Brinza,
Assistant United States Trade Representative
for Monitoring and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. E7–17357 Filed 8–30–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190–W7–P
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
[Docket No. WTO/DS–360]
WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding
Regarding India—Additional and Extra
Additional Duties on Imports
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 in accordance
with the Marrakesh Agreement
Establishing the World Trade
Organization (WTO Agreement), the
United States has requested the
establishment of a dispute settlement
panel regarding additional and extra
additional duties India applies to
imports from the United States. India
applies these duties to products that
PO 00000
Frm 00097
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
include, but are not limited to, imports
of wines and distilled spirits. That
request may be found at www.wto.org
contained in a document designated as
WT/DS360/5. 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, comments should be
submitted on or before September 14,
2007 to be assured of timely
consideration by USTR.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be
submitted (i) electronically, to
FR0706@ustr.eop.gov, with ‘‘India
Alcohol Duties (DS/360)’’ in the subject
line, or (ii) by fax, to Sandy McKinzy at
(202) 395–3640, with a confirmation
copy sent electronically to the electronic
mail address above, in accordance with
the requirements for submission set out
below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy A. Karpel, Assistant General
Counsel, Office of the United States
Trade Representative, 600 17th Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20508, (202) 395–
3150.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to section 127(b) of the Uruguay Round
Agreements Act (URAA) (19 U.S.C.
3537(b)(1)), USTR is providing notice
that the United States has requested the
establishment of a WTO dispute
settlement panel pursuant to the WTO
Understanding on Rules and Procedures
Governing the Settlement of Disputes
(DSU). Such panel, which would hold
its meetings in Geneva, Switzerland,
would be expected to issue a report on
its findings and recommendations
within nine months after it is
established.
Major Issues Raised by the United
States
India imposes an additional duty and
an extra additional duty on imports
from the United States. India applies
these duties to products that include,
but are not limited to, imports of wines
and distilled spirits. These duties
appear to subject imports to ordinary
customs duties or other duties or
charges in excess of those in India’s
WTO Tariff Schedule. These duties
include the following, as well as any
amendments and related or
implementing measures:
• Sections 2 and 3, and First
Schedule, of the Customs Tariff Act,
1975; (‘‘basic customs duty,’’
‘‘additional duty’’ and ‘‘extra additional
duty’’)
• Section 12 of the Customs Act, 1962
(‘‘basic customs duty’’)
E:\FR\FM\31AUN1.SGM
31AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 169 / Friday, August 31, 2007 / Notices
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
• Customs Notification No. 5/2004
(January 8, 2004) (‘‘basic customs duty’’
inter alia on spirits);
• Customs Notification No. 20/1997
(March 1, 1997) (‘‘basic customs duty’’
inter alia on wine);
• Customs Notification No. 32/2003
(March 1, 2003) (‘‘additional duty’’ inter
alia on wine and spirits); and
• Customs Notification No. 19/2006
(March 1, 2006) (‘‘extra additional duty’’
inter alia on wine and spirits).
As a result of the duties, products
from the United States do not appear to
be exempt from ordinary customs duties
or other charges in excess of those set
forth in India’s WTO Tariff Schedule
and appear to be accorded less favorable
treatment than that provided in India’s
WTO Tariff Schedule. Even if these
duties were considered to be internal
taxes applied at the time of importation,
the duties appear to subject imports
from the United States to internal taxes
in excess of those applied to like
domestic products or directly
competitive or substitutable domestic
products.
USTR believes these measures are
inconsistent with India’s obligations
under Article II:1(a) and (b), Articles
III:2 and III:4 of the General Agreement
on Tariffs and Trade 1994.
Public Comment: Requirements for
Submissions
Interested persons are invited to
submit written comments concerning
the issues raised in the dispute.
Comments should be submitted (i)
electronically, to FR0706@ustr.eop.gov,
with ‘‘India Alcohol Duties (DS360)’’ in
the subject line, or (ii) by fax, to Sandy
McKinzy at (202) 395–3640, with a
confirmation copy sent electronically to
the electronic mail address above.
USTR encourages the submission of
documents in Adobe PDF format as
attachments to an electronic mail.
Interested persons who make
submissions by electronic mail should
not provide separate cover letters;
information that might appear in a cover
letter should be included in the
submission itself. Similarly, to the
extent possible, any attachments to the
submission should be included in the
same file as the submission itself, and
not as separate files.
Comments must be in English. A
person requesting that information
contained in a comment submitted by
that person be treated as confidential
business information must certify that
such information is business
confidential and would not customarily
be released to the public by the
commenter. Confidential business
information must be clearly designated
VerDate Aug<31>2005
00:43 Aug 31, 2007
Jkt 211001
as such and BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL
must be marked at the top and bottom
of the cover page and each succeeding
page. Persons who submit confidential
business information are encouraged to
also provide a non-confidential
summary of the information.
Information or advice contained in a
comment submitted, other than business
confidential information, may be
determined by USTR to be confidential
in accordance with section 135(g)(2) of
the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
2155(g)(2)). If the submitter believes that
information or advice may qualify as
such, the submitter—
(1) Must clearly so designate the
information or advice;
(2) Must clearly mark the material as
‘‘SUBMITTED IN CONFIDENCE’’ at the
top and bottom of the cover page and
each succeeding page; and
(3) Is encouraged to provide a nonconfidential summary of the
information or advice.
Pursuant to section 127(e) of the
URAA (19 U.S.C. 3537(e)), USTR will
maintain a file on this dispute
settlement proceeding, accessible to the
public, in the USTR Reading Room,
which is located at 1724 F Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20508. The public file
will include non-confidential comments
received by USTR from the public with
respect to the dispute; if a dispute
settlement panel is convened or in the
event of an appeal from such a panel,
the U.S. submissions, the submissions,
or non-confidential summaries of
submissions, received from other
participants in the dispute; the report of
the panel and, if applicable, the report
of the Appellate Body. The USTR
Reading Room is open to the public, by
appointment only, from 10 a.m. to noon
and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday. An appointment to review the
public file (Docket WTO/DS–340, China
Auto Parts Dispute) may be made by
calling the USTR Reading Room at (202)
395–6186.
Daniel E. Brinza,
Assistant United States Trade Representative
for Monitoring and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. E7–17358 Filed 8–30–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190–W7–P
Office of Personnel
Management.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Federal Salary Council
will meet at the time and location
Fmt 4703
October 3, 2007, at 10 a.m.
Location: Office of Personnel
Management, 1900 E Street, NW., Room
7310, Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Charles D. Grimes III, Deputy Associate
Director for Performance and Pay
Systems, Office of Personnel
Management, 1900 E Street, NW., Room
7H31, Washington, DC 20415–8200.
Phone (202) 606–2838; Fax (202) 606–
4264; or e-mail at pay-performancepolicy@opm.gov.
For the President’s pay agent:
DATES:
Linda M. Springer,
Director.
[FR Doc. E7–17221 Filed 8–30–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6325–39–P
Correction to Agency Forms Submitted
for OMB Review, Request for
Comments
Federal Salary Council
Frm 00098
shown below. The Council is an
advisory body composed of
representatives of Federal employee
organizations and experts in the fields
of labor relations and pay policy. The
Council makes recommendations to the
President’s Pay Agent (the Secretary of
Labor and the Directors of the Office of
Management and Budget and the Office
of Personnel Management) about the
locality pay program for General
Schedule employees under section 5304
of title 5, United States Code. The
Council’s recommendations cover the
establishment or modification of locality
pay areas, the coverage of salary
surveys, the process of comparing
Federal and non-Federal rates of pay,
and the level of comparability payments
that should be paid.
The Council will review the results of
pay comparisons and formulate its
recommendations to the President’s Pay
Agent on pay comparison methods,
locality pay rates, and locality pay area
boundaries for 2009. The Council
anticipates it will complete its work for
this year at this meeting and has not
scheduled any additional meetings for
2007. The public may submit written
materials about the locality pay program
to the Council at the address shown
below. The meeting is open to the
public.
RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL
MANAGEMENT
PO 00000
50419
Sfmt 4703
SUMMARY: In the document appearing on
page 47086, FR Doc. E7–16592, Agency
Forms Submitted for OMB Review,
Request for Comments dated August 22,
2007, the Railroad Retirement Board is
making a correction to the Item titled
‘‘Changes Proposed’’. As published, the
E:\FR\FM\31AUN1.SGM
31AUN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 169 (Friday, August 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50418-50419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17358]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
[Docket No. WTO/DS-360]
WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding India--Additional and
Extra Additional Duties on Imports
AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is
providing notice that in accordance with the Marrakesh Agreement
Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO Agreement), the United
States has requested the establishment of a dispute settlement panel
regarding additional and extra additional duties India applies to
imports from the United States. India applies these duties to products
that include, but are not limited to, imports of wines and distilled
spirits. That request may be found at www.wto.org contained in a
document designated as WT/DS360/5. 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, comments should be submitted on or before
September 14, 2007 to be assured of timely consideration by USTR.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted (i) electronically, to
FR0706@ustr.eop.gov, with ``India Alcohol Duties (DS/360)'' in the
subject line, or (ii) by fax, to Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-3640, with
a confirmation copy sent electronically to the electronic mail address
above, in accordance with the requirements for submission set out
below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy A. Karpel, Assistant General
Counsel, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508, (202) 395-3150.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to section 127(b) of the Uruguay
Round Agreements Act (URAA) (19 U.S.C. 3537(b)(1)), USTR is providing
notice that the United States has requested the establishment of a WTO
dispute settlement panel pursuant to the WTO Understanding on Rules and
Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes (DSU). Such panel,
which would hold its meetings in Geneva, Switzerland, would be expected
to issue a report on its findings and recommendations within nine
months after it is established.
Major Issues Raised by the United States
India imposes an additional duty and an extra additional duty on
imports from the United States. India applies these duties to products
that include, but are not limited to, imports of wines and distilled
spirits. These duties appear to subject imports to ordinary customs
duties or other duties or charges in excess of those in India's WTO
Tariff Schedule. These duties include the following, as well as any
amendments and related or implementing measures:
Sections 2 and 3, and First Schedule, of the Customs
Tariff Act, 1975; (``basic customs duty,'' ``additional duty'' and
``extra additional duty'')
Section 12 of the Customs Act, 1962 (``basic customs
duty'')
[[Page 50419]]
Customs Notification No. 5/2004 (January 8, 2004) (``basic
customs duty'' inter alia on spirits);
Customs Notification No. 20/1997 (March 1, 1997) (``basic
customs duty'' inter alia on wine);
Customs Notification No. 32/2003 (March 1, 2003)
(``additional duty'' inter alia on wine and spirits); and
Customs Notification No. 19/2006 (March 1, 2006) (``extra
additional duty'' inter alia on wine and spirits).
As a result of the duties, products from the United States do not
appear to be exempt from ordinary customs duties or other charges in
excess of those set forth in India's WTO Tariff Schedule and appear to
be accorded less favorable treatment than that provided in India's WTO
Tariff Schedule. Even if these duties were considered to be internal
taxes applied at the time of importation, the duties appear to subject
imports from the United States to internal taxes in excess of those
applied to like domestic products or directly competitive or
substitutable domestic products.
USTR believes these measures are inconsistent with India's
obligations under Article II:1(a) and (b), Articles III:2 and III:4 of
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.
Public Comment: Requirements for Submissions
Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning the issues raised in the dispute. Comments should be
submitted (i) electronically, to FR0706@ustr.eop.gov, with ``India
Alcohol Duties (DS360)'' in the subject line, or (ii) by fax, to Sandy
McKinzy at (202) 395-3640, with a confirmation copy sent electronically
to the electronic mail address above.
USTR encourages the submission of documents in Adobe PDF format as
attachments to an electronic mail. Interested persons who make
submissions by electronic mail should not provide separate cover
letters; information that might appear in a cover letter should be
included in the submission itself. Similarly, to the extent possible,
any attachments to the submission should be included in the same file
as the submission itself, and not as separate files.
Comments must be in English. A person requesting that information
contained in a comment submitted by that person be treated as
confidential business information must certify that such information is
business confidential and would not customarily be released to the
public by the commenter. Confidential business information must be
clearly designated as such and BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL must be marked at
the top and bottom of the cover page and each succeeding page. Persons
who submit confidential business information are encouraged to also
provide a non-confidential summary of the information.
Information or advice contained in a comment submitted, other than
business confidential information, may be determined by USTR to be
confidential in accordance with section 135(g)(2) of the Trade Act of
1974 (19 U.S.C. 2155(g)(2)). If the submitter believes that information
or advice may qualify as such, the submitter--
(1) Must clearly so designate the information or advice;
(2) Must clearly mark the material as ``SUBMITTED IN CONFIDENCE''
at the top and bottom of the cover page and each succeeding page; and
(3) Is encouraged to provide a non-confidential summary of the
information or advice.
Pursuant to section 127(e) of the URAA (19 U.S.C. 3537(e)), USTR
will maintain a file on this dispute settlement proceeding, accessible
to the public, in the USTR Reading Room, which is located at 1724 F
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20508. The public file will include non-
confidential comments received by USTR from the public with respect to
the dispute; if a dispute settlement panel is convened or in the event
of an appeal from such a panel, the U.S. submissions, the submissions,
or non-confidential summaries of submissions, received from other
participants in the dispute; the report of the panel and, if
applicable, the report of the Appellate Body. The USTR Reading Room is
open to the public, by appointment only, from 10 a.m. to noon and 1
p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. An appointment to review the
public file (Docket WTO/DS-340, China Auto Parts Dispute) may be made
by calling the USTR Reading Room at (202) 395-6186.
Daniel E. Brinza,
Assistant United States Trade Representative for Monitoring and
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. E7-17358 Filed 8-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3190-W7-P
