CAFTA-DR Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding Guatemala's Failure To Effectively Enforce Its Labor Laws, 4027 [2015-01329]

Agencies

• Office of the United States Trade Representative

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 16 (Monday, January 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 4027]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-01329]



[[Page 4027]]

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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


CAFTA-DR Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding Guatemala's 
Failure To Effectively Enforce Its Labor Laws

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative 
(``USTR'') is providing notice that effective September 19, 2014, at 
the request of the United States, the arbitral panel reviewing the U.S. 
challenge to Guatemala's breach of its obligations under Article 
16.2.1(a) of the Dominican Republic--Central America--United States 
Free Trade Agreement (``CAFTA-DR'') has begun its review.

DATES: Although USTR will accept any comments received during the 
course of the dispute settlement proceedings, comments should be 
submitted on or before February 20, 2015, to be assured of timely 
consideration by USTR.

ADDRESSES: Public comments should be submitted electronically to 
www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2014-0023. If you are unable to 
provide submissions by www.regulations.gov, please contact Sandy 
McKinzy at (202) 395-9483 to arrange for an alternative method of 
transmission.
    If (as explained below) the comment contains confidential 
information, then the comment should be submitted by fax only to Sandy 
McKinzy at (202) 395-3640.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen Claussen, Assistant General 
Counsel, Office of the United States Trade Representative, 600 17th St. 
NW., Washington, DC 20508, (202) 395-9589.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: USTR is providing notice that a dispute 
settlement arbitral panel (``panel'') has been established pursuant to 
Chapter Twenty of the CAFTA-DR and has now begun its work. The case 
documents and timetable for the proceedings are available to the public 
at the following Web site: https://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/labor/bilateral-and-regional-trade-agreements/guatemala-submission-under-cafta-dr.

Issue Raised by the United States

    On August 9, 2011, the United States requested a panel to review 
Guatemala's failure to effectively enforce its labor laws related to 
the right of association, the right to organize and bargain 
collectively, and acceptable conditions of work, through a sustained or 
recurring course of action or inaction, in a manner affecting trade 
between the CAFTA-DR Parties, contrary to Article 16.2.1(a) of the 
CAFTA-DR. The United States and Guatemala requested the panel to 
suspend its work to allow the Parties to negotiate and implement an 
Enforcement Plan. Despite engagement through the Enforcement Plan, the 
concerns regarding effective enforcement of Guatemala's labor laws 
remain. As a result, the United States requested the panel to resume 
its work, effective September 19, 2014. The United States filed its 
opening submission on November 3, 2014.

Public Comment: Requirements for Submissions

    Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning the issues raised in this dispute. Persons may submit public 
comments electronically to www.regulations.gov docket number USTR-2014-
0023. If you are unable to provide submissions at www.regulations.gov, 
please contact Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-9483 to arrange for an 
alternative method of transmission.
    To submit comments via www.regulations.gov, enter docket number 
USTR-2014-0023 on the home page and click ``search''. The site will 
provide a search-results page listing all documents associated with 
this docket. Find a reference to this notice by selecting ``Notice'' 
under ``Document Type'' on the left side of the search-results page, 
and click on the link entitled ``Comment Now!'' (For further 
information on using the www.regulations.gov Web site, please consult 
the resources provided on the Web site by clicking on ``How to use 
Regulations.gov'' under ``Help'' on the bottom of the page.)
    The www.regulations.gov Web site allows users to provide comments 
by filling in a ``Type Comments'' field, or by attaching a document 
using an ``Upload File'' field. It is expected that most comments will 
be provided in an attached document. If a document is attached, it is 
sufficient to type ``See attached'' in the ``Type Comments'' field.
    A person requesting that information contained in a comment that 
he/she submitted 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 submitter.
    Confidential business information must be clearly designated as 
such and the submission must be marked ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' at the 
top and bottom of the cover page and each succeeding page. Any comment 
containing business confidential information must be submitted by fax 
to Sandy McKinzy at (202) 395-3640. A non-confidential summary of the 
confidential information must be submitted to www.regulations.gov. The 
non-confidential summary will be placed in the docket and will be open 
to public inspection.
    USTR may determine that information or advice contained in a 
comment submitted, other than business confidential information, is 
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) Must provide a non-confidential summary of the information or 
advice.
    Any comment containing confidential information must be submitted 
by fax. A non-confidential summary of the confidential information must 
be submitted to www.regulations.gov. The non-confidential summary will 
be placed in the docket and will be open to public inspection. USTR 
will maintain a docket on this dispute settlement proceeding, docket 
number USTR-2014-0023, accessible to the public at www.regulations.gov.
    The public file will include non-confidential comments received by 
USTR from the public regarding the dispute. The following documents 
will be made available to the public at www.ustr.gov: The U.S. 
submissions and any non-confidential summaries or submissions received 
from other participants in the dispute. Comments open to public 
inspection may be viewed at www.regulations.gov.

Juan A. Mill[aacute]n,
Assistant United States Trade Representative for Monitoring and 
Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2015-01329 Filed 1-23-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3290-F5-P