Trade Representative, Office of United States August 2007 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice that on July 12, 2007, in accordance with the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (WTO Agreement), the United States requested the establishment of a dispute settlement panel regarding certain Chinese measures granting refunds, reductions or exemptions to enterprises from taxes otherwise due the government. That request may be found at www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS358/13. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

Pursuant to section 303 of the Trade and Tariff Act of 1984, as amended, 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 parties to assist it in identifying significant barriers to U.S. exports of goods, services and overseas direct investment for inclusion in the NTE. Particularly important are impediments materially affecting the actual and potential financial performance of an industry sector. The TPSC invites written comments that provide views relevant to the issues to be examined in preparing the NTE.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has determined not to initiate an investigation under section 302 of the Trade Act of 1974 with respect to a petition addressed to China's currency valuation policies because initiation of an investigation would not be effective in addressing the issues raised in the petition.

In Proclamation 8111 of February 28, 2007, the President modified the rules of origin for certain goods of Mexico under the North American Free Trade Agreement (the ``NAFTA'') incorporated in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (the ``HTS''). The proclamation stated that the modifications would be effective on the date to be announced in the Federal Register by the United States Trade Representative (the ``USTR'') and would apply to goods of Mexico that are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after the date indicated in the proclamation. The purpose of this notice is to announce that the effective date for the modifications is July 30, 2007. The changes were printed in the Federal Register of March 6, 2007 (72 FR 10028).