Executive Office of the President – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Under the authority of the Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950 (31 U.S.C. 1104(d)) and 44 U.S.C. 3504(e), the Office of Management and Budget, through the Economic Classification Policy Committee (ECPC), is soliciting proposals from the public for changes to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) structure and content to be included in a potential 2012 revision. The ECPC is also seeking public input on several clarifications to the existing classification system (please see Parts I-VI in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section, below). The clarifications relate to ongoing changes in how businesses organize and structure themselves to efficiently provide goods and services in the economy. In Part I, the ECPC provides background on the NAICS classification system. In Part II, the ECPC is soliciting public comments on the advisability and desirability of reducing national industry detail in the manufacturing sector during a 2012 revision of NAICS. Part III includes a solicitation of proposals for new and emerging industries. Part IV presents notification of a method to publicize corrections for errors and omissions that are identified in NAICS 2007. Part V solicits public comments on the classification of distribution centers, logistics service providers, and sales offices of publishers within NAICS. Part VI solicits public comments and suggestions to clarify the classification of establishments that outsource manufacturing transformation activities and provide manufacturing services in the market given the increasing specialization and globalization of business activities in the economy. In soliciting comments about revising NAICS, the ECPC does not intend to open the entire classification for substantial change in 2012. The ECPC will consider public comments and proposals for changes or modifications that advance the goals of NAICS. The ECPC is also seeking and will consider comments related to consistent classification in an era of greater specialization and globalization.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that on November 26, 2008, Thailand requested consultations with the United States under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement'') concerning certain issues relating to the imposition of antidumping measures on polyethylene retail carrier bags from Thailand. That request may be found at https://www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS383/1. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that on December 9, 2008, the People's Republic of China (``China'') requested the establishment of a dispute settlement panel under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement'') concerning final anti-dumping and countervailing duty determinations and orders by the Department of Commerce on imports of the following products from China: Circular Welded Carbon Quality Steel Pipe (Investigations A-570-910 and C-570- 911); Certain New Pneumatic Off-the-Road Tires (Investigations A-570- 912 and C-570-913); Light-Walled Rectangular Pipe and Tube (Investigations A-570-914 and C-570-915); and Laminated Woven Sacks (Investigations A-570-916 and C-570-917). That request may be found at www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS379/2. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.

The Aeronautics RDT&E Infrastructure Interagency Working Group (IIWG) of the Aeronautics Science and Technology Subcommittee (ASTS) of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Committee on Technology will hold a public meeting to discuss development of the National Aeronautics RDT&E Infrastructure Plan. Executive Order (E.O.) 13419National Aeronautics Research and Developmentsigned December 20, 2006, calls for the development of this plan. The plan is to be guided by both the National Aeronautics Research and Development (R&D) Policy and the National Plan for Aeronautics R&D and Related Infrastructure that were developed by the NSTC and approved by the President in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

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, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. 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; and (iii) the Dominican RepublicCentral AmericaUnited States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR), in the case of the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

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, Morocco, and Singapore; the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (``CAFTA-DR''); and any other FTA or telecommunications trade agreement coming into force on or before January 1, 2009. The USTR will conclude the review by March 31, 2009.

The Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Small and Minority Business (ITAC-11) will hold a meeting on Monday, December 8, 2008, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The meeting will be closed to the public from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and opened to the public from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.