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

The Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Small and Minority Business (ITAC 11) will hold a meeting on Monday, May 19, 2014. The meeting will be open to the public from 3:00-4:00 p.m.

In September 2010, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) accepted petitions in connection with the 2010 GSP Annual Review to modify the GSP status of certain GSP beneficiary developing countries because of country practices. In November 2010, USTR accepted petitions requesting waivers of GSP competitive need limitations (CNLs). On January 1, 2011, authorization of the GSP program lapsed. Following the recent reauthorization of the GSP program, the GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) announces that it has accepted for review a country practices petition submitted for the 2010 GSP Annual Review regarding the Republic of Georgia. This notice sets forth the schedule for submitting comments and conducting the public hearing on the newly accepted petition, requesting to participate in the hearing, and submitting pre- hearing and post-hearing briefs. The deadline for submitting pre- hearing comments and requesting participation in the hearing is 5 p.m., January 10, 2012. The petition can be found in docket USTR-2010-0017 at https://www.regulations.gov. This notice also announces that in view of the lapse in authorization of the GSP program through much of 2011, there will be no actions taken in 2011 with respect to CNLs, including no CNL-related removals of products from GSP eligibility and no redesignations of products currently subject to CNLs. Petitions previously accepted that requested waivers of CNL-related exclusions based on 2010 trade data are hereby dismissed.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of additional country-by-country allocations of the fiscal year (FY) 2011 in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for imported refined sugar for entry through November 30, 2011.

In January 1998, the USTR designated Paraguay as a Priority Foreign Country in the 1998 Special 301 Report. A Section 301 investigation was initiated in February 1998, and was suspended in November 1998 after the United States and Paraguay successfully entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on Intellectual Property Rights. USTR subsequently announced that the MOU would be monitored through Section 306 of the Trade Act of 1974. USTR hereby requests written submissions from the public concerning Paraguay's implementation of the MOU on Intellectual Property Rights, and additional actions that Paraguay should take, if any, to improve the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.

The U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement (``SLA'' or ``the Agreement'') entered into force on October 12, 2006 and is currently scheduled to expire on October 12, 2013. The SLA includes a provision for extension of the Agreement for an additional two years. The United States is considering extending the SLA through October 12, 2015. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on the possible extension of the Agreement.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that on July 22, 2011, the People's Republic of China requested consultations with the United States under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement'') concerning anti-dumping measures regarding diamond sawblades and parts thereof from China. That request may be found at https://www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS422/1/ Add.1. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in China's July 22, 2011 consultation request.

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).

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of country-by-country allocations of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quotas for imported raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar and sugar-containing products.

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 (IPR) or deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual property protection. (The provisions of Section 182 are commonly referred to as the ``Special 301'' provisions of the Trade Act.). The USTR is required to determine which, if any, 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 can be subject to the procedures set out in sections 301-305 of the Trade Act. In addition, USTR has created a ``Priority Watch List'' and ``Watch List'' to assist the Administration in pursuing the goals of the Special 301 provisions. Placement of a trading partner on the Priority Watch List or Watch List indicates that particular problems exist in that country with respect to IPR protection, enforcement, or market access for persons relying on intellectual property. Trading partners placed on the Priority Watch List are the focus of increased bilateral attention concerning the problem areas. USTR chairs an interagency team that reviews information from many sources, and that consults with and makes recommendations to the USTR on issues arising under Special 301. Written submissions from interested persons are a key source of information for the Special 301 review process. In 2011, USTR through the Special 301 Committee will conduct a public hearing as part of the review process. USTR is hereby requesting written submissions from the public concerning foreign countries' acts, policies, or practices that are relevant to the decision on whether a particular trading partner should be identified as a priority foreign country under Section 182 of the Trade Act or placed on the Priority Watch List or Watch List. Interested parties, including foreign governments, who want to testify at the public hearing must submit a request to testify at the hearing and a short hearing statement. The deadlines for these procedures are set out below. DATES: The schedule for the 2011 Special 301 review is set forth below.

In accordance with relevant provisions of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of its determination of the trade surplus in certain sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products of Chile, Morocco, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Peru. As described below, the level of a country's trade surplus in these goods relates to the quantity of sugar and syrup goods and sugar-containing products for which the United States grants preferential tariff treatment under (i) the United StatesChile Free Trade Agreement (Chile FTA), in the case of Chile; (ii) the United StatesMorocco Free Trade Agreement (Morocco FTA), in the case of Morocco; (iii) the Dominican RepublicCentral AmericaUnited States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), in the case of Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and (iv) the United StatesPeru Trade Promotion Agreement (Peru TPA), in the case of Peru.

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 (IPR) or deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual property protection. (The provisions of Section 182 are commonly referred to as the ``Special 301'' provisions of the Trade Act.) The USTR is required to determine which, if any, of these countries should be identified as Priority Foreign Countries. In addition, USTR has created a ``Priority Watch List'' and ``Watch List'' under Special 301 provisions. Placement of a trading partner on the Priority Watch List or Watch List indicates that particular problems exist in that country with respect to IPR protection, enforcement, or market access for persons relying on intellectual property. Countries placed on the Priority Watch List are the focus of increased bilateral attention concerning the problem areas. In the 2010 Special 301 Report (https://www.ustr.gov), USTR announced that, in order to monitor progress on specific IPR issues, Out-of-Cycle Reviews would be conducted for the Philippines and Thailand. USTR requests written submissions from the public concerning any act, policy, or practice that is relevant to the decision regarding whether the Philippines and Thailand should be identified under Section 182 of the Trade Act.

The United States Trade Representative (``Trade Representative'') has initiated an investigation under section 302(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``Trade Act''), with respect to acts, policies, and practices of the People's Republic of China (China) affecting trade and investment in green technology. The Trade Representative has initiated the investigation in response to a petition filed on September 9, 2010, and the investigation will cover the acts, policies, and practices identified in the petition. The investigation will consider whether these acts, policies, and practices deny U.S. rights or benefits under the GATT 1994, under the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (``SCM Agreement''), and under China's Protocol of Accession to the WTO. USTR invites written comments from the public on the matters covered in the investigation.

Chapter 19 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (``NAFTA'') provides for the establishment of a roster of individuals to serve on binational panels convened to review final determinations in antidumping or countervailing duty (``AD/CVD'') proceedings and amendments to AD/CVD statutes of a NAFTA Party. The United States annually renews its selections for the Chapter 19 roster. Applications are invited from eligible individuals wishing to be included on the roster for the period April 1, 2011, through March 31, 2012.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act Implementation Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (the ``Subcommittee'') is requesting written public comments for the annual review of the eligibility of sub-Saharan African countries to receive the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The Subcommittee will consider these comments in developing recommendations on AGOA country eligibility for the President. Comments received related to the child labor criteria may also be considered by the Secretary of Labor for the preparation of the Department of Labor's report on child labor as required under section 412(c) of the Trade and Development Act of 2000. This notice identifies the eligibility criteria that must be considered under the AGOA, and lists those sub-Saharan African countries that are currently eligible for the benefits of the AGOA, and those that are currently ineligible for such benefits.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that on September 15, 2010, the United States requested consultations with the People's Republic of China (``China'') under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement'') concerning issues relating to countervailing and antidumping duties imposed by China on imports from the United States of grain oriented flat-rolled electrical steel. That request may be found at https://www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS414/1. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

On August 11, 2010, a public notice was published in the Federal Register on pages 48737-48738 announcing a public hearing to consider country practices petitions received in the 2009 Annual Review under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. This notice announces a change in the hearing date and location, from September 24, 2010, to September 28, 2010. The hearing will now be held at 1724 F Street, NW., Washington, DC, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) published a notice in the Federal Register of August 17, 2010 concerning Fiscal Year 2011 tariff-rate quota allocations of raw cane sugar, refined and special sugar, and sugar-containing products. USTR is revising the effective date of that notice to September 1, 2010 from October 1, 2010.

The following staff members have been appointed to serve on the Performance Review Board:

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of country-by-country allocations of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 in-quota quantity of the tariff-rate quotas for imported raw cane sugar, refined and specialty sugar, and sugar-containing products.

On July 15, 2010, a public notice was published in the Federal Register on pages 41274-41276 requesting petitions by August 3, 2010, to modify the list of products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. This notice extends the deadline for submission of petitions for the 2010 Annual GSP Product Review to 5 p.m., Friday, August 13, 2010. Notification of which petitions are accepted for the 2010 Annual GSP Review and of other relevant dates will be announced in the Federal Register at a later date.

Pursuant to section 181 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2241), the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is required to publish annually the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE). With this notice, the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is requesting interested persons to submit comments to assist it in identifying significant barriers to U.S. exports of goods, services, and U.S. foreign direct investment for inclusion in the NTE.

This notice announces that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) will receive petitions to modify the list of products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program. This notice determines that the deadline for submission of product petitions, other than those requesting competitive need limitation (CNL) waivers, is 5 p.m., Tuesday, August 3, 2010. The deadline for submission of petitions requesting CNL waivers is 5 p.m., Tuesday, November 16, 2010. The lists of product petitions accepted for review will be announced in the Federal Register at a later date.

This notice requests that interested persons submit proposals seeking accelerated tariff elimination under the USCFTA and describes the procedures for filing proposals. This notice also requests proposals on appropriate changes that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) should consider for liberalizing the USCFTA's rules of origin.

Under the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA), Canada agreed to impose export measures on Canadian exports of softwood lumber products to the United States. At the request of the United States, an arbitral tribunal established under the SLA determined in March 2008 that Canada had breached certain SLA obligations. In February 2009, the tribunal issued a remedy award requiring Canada to collect an additional 10 percent ad valorem export charge on softwood lumber shipments from Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, until an entire amount of CDN $ 68 million has been collected. Canada did not begin collecting the additional export charge. In April 2009, the United States Trade Representative (``Trade Representative'') initiated an investigation under Section 302 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (``Trade Act''). In that investigation, the Trade Representative determined that Canada's failure to implement the tribunal's remedy award had the effect of denying U.S. rights under the SLA; and, pursuant to Section 301 of the Trade Act, the Trade Representative imposed 10 percent ad valorem duties on imports of softwood lumber products subject to the SLA from the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan (the April 2009 action). Under the April 2009 action, the duties are to remain in place until such time as the United States collects $54.8 million, the U.S. dollar equivalent of CDN $ 68 million at the time. The Government of Canada, however, is now