Request for Comments Concerning Compliance With Telecommunications Trade Agreements, 70527-70528 [2012-28505]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2012 / Notices (202) 482–3222, Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agenda topics to be discussed are: —U.S. Export Controls Reform —Metropolitan Export Initiative Dated: November 19, 2012. Rebecca Rosen, Director for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement. [FR Doc. 2012–28501 Filed 11–23–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3290–F3–P OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE Request for Comments Concerning Compliance With Telecommunications Trade Agreements Office of the United States Trade Representative. ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and reply comment. AGENCY: Pursuant to section 1377 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (19 U.S.C. 3106) (‘Section 1377’), the Office of the United States Trade Representative (‘‘USTR’’) is reviewing and requests comments on the operation, effectiveness, and implementation of, and compliance with the following agreements regarding telecommunications products and services of the United States: The World Trade Organization (‘‘WTO’’) General Agreement on Trade in Services; The North American Free Trade Agreement (‘‘NAFTA’’); U.S. free trade agreements (‘‘FTAs’’) with Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Morocco, Oman, Panama, Peru, and Singapore; the Dominican Republic–Central America– United States Free Trade Agreement (‘‘CAFTA–DR’’); and any other telecommunications trade agreements, such as Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for Conformity Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment. The USTR will conclude the review by March 31, 2013. DATES: Comments are due on December 17, 2012 and reply comments on January 14, 2013. ADDRESSES: Submissions should be made via the Internet at www.regulations.gov docket number USTR–2012–0035. For alternatives to on-line submissions please contact Yvonne Jamison (202–395–3475). The public is strongly encouraged to file submissions electronically rather than by facsimile or mail. mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:24 Nov 23, 2012 Jkt 229001 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan McHale, Office of Services and Investment, (202) 395–9533; or Scott Pietan, Office of Market Access and Industrial Competitiveness, (202) 395– 9646. Section 1377 requires the USTR to review annually the operation and effectiveness of all U.S. trade agreements regarding telecommunications products and services that are in force with respect to the United States. The purpose of the review is to determine whether any act, policy, or practice of a country that has entered into a trade agreement or other telecommunications trade agreement with the United States is inconsistent with the terms of such agreement or otherwise denies U.S. firms, within the context of the terms of such agreements, mutually advantageous market opportunities for telecommunications products and services. For the current review, the USTR seeks comments on: (1) Whether any WTO member is acting in a manner that is inconsistent with its obligations under WTO agreements affecting market opportunities for telecommunications products or services, e.g., the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (‘‘GATS’’), including the Agreement on Basic Telecommunications Services, the Annex on Telecommunications, and any scheduled commitments including the Reference Paper on Pro-Competitive Regulatory Principles; the WTO Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures; the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights; or the plurilateral WTO Agreement on Government Procurement. (2) Whether Canada or Mexico has failed to comply with its telecommunications obligations under the NAFTA; (3) Whether Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras or Nicaragua has failed to comply with its telecommunications obligations under the CAFTA–DR; (4) Whether Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Morocco, Oman, Panama, Peru, or Singapore has failed to comply with its telecommunications obligations under its FTA with the United States (see https://www.ustr.gov/ trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements for links to U.S. FTAs); (5) Whether any country has failed to comply with its obligations under telecommunications trade agreements with the United States other than FTAs, e.g., Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for Conformity Assessment of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00116 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 70527 Telecommunications Equipment (see https://ts.nist.gov/standards/conformity/ mra/mra.cfm for links to certain U.S. telecommunications MRAs); (6) Whether any act, policy, or practice of a country cited in a previous section 1377 review remains unresolved (see https://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/ services-investment/telecomecommerce/section-1377-review for recent reviews); and (7) Whether any measures or practices of a country that is a WTO member or for which an FTA or telecommunications trade agreement has entered into force with respect to the United States impede access to its telecommunications markets or otherwise deny market opportunities to telecommunications products and services of United Stares firms. Measures or practices of interest include, for example, efforts by a foreign government or a telecommunications service provider to block services delivered over the Internet (including, but not limited to voice over Internet protocol services, social networking, and search services); requirements for access to or use of networks that limit the products or services U.S. suppliers can offer in specific foreign markets; the imposition of excessively high licensing fees; unreasonable wholesale roaming rates that mobile telecommunications service suppliers in specific foreign markets charge U.S. suppliers that seek to supply international mobile roaming services to their U.S. customers; allocating access to spectrum or other scarce resources through discriminatory procedures or contingent on the purchase of locally-produced equipment; subsidies provided to equipment manufactures which are contingent upon exporting or local content, or have caused adverse effects to domestic equipment manufacturers and the imposition by foreign governments of unnecessary or discriminatory technical regulations or standards for telecommunications products or services. In all cases, commenters should provide any available documentary evidence, including relevant legal measures where available, translated into English where necessary, to facilitate evaluation. Public Comment and Reply Comment: Requirements for Submission Comments in response to this notice must be written in English, must identify (on the first page of the comments) the telecommunications trade agreement(s) discussed therein, and must be submitted no later than December 17, 2012. Any replies to comments submitted must also be in E:\FR\FM\26NON1.SGM 26NON1 70528 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2012 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES English and must be submitted no later than January 14, 2013. Comments and reply comments must be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR– 2012–0035. In the unusual case where submitters are unable to make submissions through regulations.gov, the submitter must contact Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395– 3475 to make alternate arrangements. To submit comments using https:// www.regulations.gov, enter docket number USTR– 2012–0035 under ‘‘Key Word or ID’’ on the home page and click ‘‘Search’’. The site will provide a search results page listing all documents associated with this docket. Locate the reference to this notice, and click on ’’Comment Now!’’ Follow the instructions given on the screen to submit a comment. The https:// www.regulations.gov Web site offers the option of providing comments by filling in a ‘‘Type Comment’’ field or by attaching a document using the ‘‘Upload File(s)’’ option. While both options are acceptable, USTR prefers submissions in the form of an attachment. If you attach a comment, it is sufficient to type ‘‘see attached’’ in the comment section. Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a cover letter in the comments themselves. Similarly, to the extent possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files. (For further information on using the www.regulations.gov Web site, please consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on the ‘‘help’’ tab.) Submitters should provide updated information on all issues they cite in their filings; USTR will not review submissions that are copies of earlier submissions. Business Confidential Submissions For any comments submitted electronically containing business confidential information, the file name of the business confidential version should begin with the characters ‘‘BC’’. The top of any page containing business confidential information must be clearly marked ‘‘BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL’’. Any person filing comments that contain business confidential information must also file in a separate submission a public version of the comments. The file name of the public version of the comments should begin with the character ‘‘P’’. The ‘‘BC’’ and ‘‘P’’ should be followed by the name of the person or entity submitting the comments. The submitter must include in the comments a written explanation of why the information should be VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:24 Nov 23, 2012 Jkt 229001 protected. The submission must indicate, with asterisks, where confidential information was redacted or deleted. The top and bottom of each page of the non-confidential version must be marked either ‘‘PUBLIC VERSION’’ or ‘‘NON-CONFIDENTIAL’’. Public Inspection of Submissions Comments will be placed in the docket and open to public inspection, except confidential business information. Comments may be viewed on the https://www.regulations.gov Web site by entering the relevant docket number in the search field on the home page. Douglas M. Bell, Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee. [FR Doc. 2012–28505 Filed 11–23–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3290–F3–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION [Docket No. DOT–OST–2004–16951] Request for Comments of a Previously Approved Information Collection Office of the Secretary, DOT. Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: ACTION: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request (ICR) abstracted below is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comments. A Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments on the following information collection was published on September 11, 2012 (77 FR 55893). No comments were received. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 26, 2012. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vanessa R. Balgobin, (202) 366–9721, Office of Aviation Analysis, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Exemptions for Air Taxi Operations. OMB Control Number: 2105–0565. Type of Request: Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection. Abstract: Part 298 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Exemptions for Air Taxi Registration, establishes a classification of air carriers known as air taxi operators that offer ondemand passenger service. The SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00117 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 regulation exempts these small operators from certain provisions of the Federal statute to permit them to obtain economic authority by filing a one-page, front and back, OST Form 4507, Air Taxi Operator Registration, and Amendments under Part 298 of DOT’s Regulations. DOT expects to receive 200 new air taxi registrations and 2,200 amended air taxi registrations each year, resulting in 2,400 total respondents. Further, DOT expects filers of new registrations to take 1 hour to complete the form, while it should only take 30 minutes to prepare amendments to the form. Thus, the total annual burden is expected to be 1,300 hours. Affected Public: U.S. air taxi operators. Number of Respondents: 2,400. Frequency: On occasion. Number of Responses: 2,400. Total Annual Burden: 1,300 hours. ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding the burden estimate, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503. Comments are invited on: whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; the accuracy of the Department’s estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; and 49 CFR 1:48. Issued in Washington, DC on Monday, November 19, 2011. Habib Azarsina, OST PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Secretary. [FR Doc. 2012–28571 Filed 11–23–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Highway Administration [Docket No. FHWA–2012–0116] Agency Information Collection Activities: Request for Comments for a New Information Collection Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), DOT. AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\26NON1.SGM 26NON1

Agencies

Office of the United States Trade Representative

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 227 (Monday, November 26, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70527-70528]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-28505]


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

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Request for Comments Concerning Compliance With 
Telecommunications Trade Agreements

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and reply comment.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 1377 of the Omnibus Trade and 
Competitiveness Act of 1988 (19 U.S.C. 3106) (`Section 1377'), the 
Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is 
reviewing and requests comments on the operation, effectiveness, and 
implementation of, and compliance with the following agreements 
regarding telecommunications products and services of the United 
States: The World Trade Organization (``WTO'') General Agreement on 
Trade in Services; The North American Free Trade Agreement (``NAFTA''); 
U.S. free trade agreements (``FTAs'') with Australia, Bahrain, Chile, 
Colombia, Korea, Morocco, Oman, Panama, Peru, and Singapore; the 
Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement 
(``CAFTA-DR''); and any other telecommunications trade agreements, such 
as Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for Conformity Assessment of 
Telecommunications Equipment. The USTR will conclude the review by 
March 31, 2013.

DATES: Comments are due on December 17, 2012 and reply comments on 
January 14, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submissions should be made via the Internet at 
www.regulations.gov docket number USTR-2012-0035. For alternatives to 
on-line submissions please contact Yvonne Jamison (202-395-3475). The 
public is strongly encouraged to file submissions electronically rather 
than by facsimile or mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jonathan McHale, Office of Services 
and Investment, (202) 395-9533; or Scott Pietan, Office of Market 
Access and Industrial Competitiveness, (202) 395-9646.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1377 requires the USTR to review 
annually the operation and effectiveness of all U.S. trade agreements 
regarding telecommunications products and services that are in force 
with respect to the United States. The purpose of the review is to 
determine whether any act, policy, or practice of a country that has 
entered into a trade agreement or other telecommunications trade 
agreement with the United States is inconsistent with the terms of such 
agreement or otherwise denies U.S. firms, within the context of the 
terms of such agreements, mutually advantageous market opportunities 
for telecommunications products and services. For the current review, 
the USTR seeks comments on:
    (1) Whether any WTO member is acting in a manner that is 
inconsistent with its obligations under WTO agreements affecting market 
opportunities for telecommunications products or services, e.g., the 
WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (``GATS''), including the 
Agreement on Basic Telecommunications Services, the Annex on 
Telecommunications, and any scheduled commitments including the 
Reference Paper on Pro-Competitive Regulatory Principles; the WTO 
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures; the WTO Agreement 
on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights; or the 
plurilateral WTO Agreement on Government Procurement.
    (2) Whether Canada or Mexico has failed to comply with its 
telecommunications obligations under the NAFTA;
    (3) Whether Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, 
Guatemala, Honduras or Nicaragua has failed to comply with its 
telecommunications obligations under the CAFTA-DR;
    (4) Whether Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Morocco, 
Oman, Panama, Peru, or Singapore has failed to comply with its 
telecommunications obligations under its FTA with the United States 
(see https://www.ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements for 
links to U.S. FTAs);
    (5) Whether any country has failed to comply with its obligations 
under telecommunications trade agreements with the United States other 
than FTAs, e.g., Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) for Conformity 
Assessment of Telecommunications Equipment (see https://ts.nist.gov/standards/conformity/mra/mra.cfm for links to certain U.S. 
telecommunications MRAs);
    (6) Whether any act, policy, or practice of a country cited in a 
previous section 1377 review remains unresolved (see https://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/services-investment/telecom-ecommerce/section-1377-review for recent reviews); and
    (7) Whether any measures or practices of a country that is a WTO 
member or for which an FTA or telecommunications trade agreement has 
entered into force with respect to the United States impede access to 
its telecommunications markets or otherwise deny market opportunities 
to telecommunications products and services of United Stares firms. 
Measures or practices of interest include, for example, efforts by a 
foreign government or a telecommunications service provider to block 
services delivered over the Internet (including, but not limited to 
voice over Internet protocol services, social networking, and search 
services); requirements for access to or use of networks that limit the 
products or services U.S. suppliers can offer in specific foreign 
markets; the imposition of excessively high licensing fees; 
unreasonable wholesale roaming rates that mobile telecommunications 
service suppliers in specific foreign markets charge U.S. suppliers 
that seek to supply international mobile roaming services to their U.S. 
customers; allocating access to spectrum or other scarce resources 
through discriminatory procedures or contingent on the purchase of 
locally-produced equipment; subsidies provided to equipment 
manufactures which are contingent upon exporting or local content, or 
have caused adverse effects to domestic equipment manufacturers and the 
imposition by foreign governments of unnecessary or discriminatory 
technical regulations or standards for telecommunications products or 
services. In all cases, commenters should provide any available 
documentary evidence, including relevant legal measures where 
available, translated into English where necessary, to facilitate 
evaluation.

Public Comment and Reply Comment: Requirements for Submission

    Comments in response to this notice must be written in English, 
must identify (on the first page of the comments) the 
telecommunications trade agreement(s) discussed therein, and must be 
submitted no later than December 17, 2012. Any replies to comments 
submitted must also be in

[[Page 70528]]

English and must be submitted no later than January 14, 2013. Comments 
and reply comments must be submitted using https://www.regulations.gov, 
docket number USTR- 2012-0035. In the unusual case where submitters are 
unable to make submissions through regulations.gov, the submitter must 
contact Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475 to make alternate 
arrangements. To submit comments using https://www.regulations.gov, 
enter docket number USTR- 2012-0035 under ``Key Word or ID'' on the 
home page and click ``Search''. The site will provide a search results 
page listing all documents associated with this docket. Locate the 
reference to this notice, and click on ''Comment Now!'' Follow the 
instructions given on the screen to submit a comment. The https://www.regulations.gov Web site offers the option of providing comments by 
filling in a ``Type Comment'' field or by attaching a document using 
the ``Upload File(s)'' option. While both options are acceptable, USTR 
prefers submissions in the form of an attachment. If you attach a 
comment, it is sufficient to type ``see attached'' in the comment 
section. Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic 
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a 
cover letter in the comments themselves. Similarly, to the extent 
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in 
the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files. (For 
further information on using the www.regulations.gov Web site, please 
consult the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on the 
``help'' tab.) Submitters should provide updated information on all 
issues they cite in their filings; USTR will not review submissions 
that are copies of earlier submissions.

Business Confidential Submissions

    For any comments submitted electronically containing business 
confidential information, the file name of the business confidential 
version should begin with the characters ``BC''. The top of any page 
containing business confidential information must be clearly marked 
``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL''. Any person filing comments that contain 
business confidential information must also file in a separate 
submission a public version of the comments. The file name of the 
public version of the comments should begin with the character ``P''. 
The ``BC'' and ``P'' should be followed by the name of the person or 
entity submitting the comments. The submitter must include in the 
comments a written explanation of why the information should be 
protected. The submission must indicate, with asterisks, where 
confidential information was redacted or deleted. The top and bottom of 
each page of the non-confidential version must be marked either 
``PUBLIC VERSION'' or ``NON-CONFIDENTIAL''.

Public Inspection of Submissions

    Comments will be placed in the docket and open to public 
inspection, except confidential business information. Comments may be 
viewed on the https://www.regulations.gov Web site by entering the 
relevant docket number in the search field on the home page.

Douglas M. Bell,
Chair, Trade Policy Staff Committee.
[FR Doc. 2012-28505 Filed 11-23-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F3-P

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