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

Many areas of today's research require multi-disciplinary teams in which the intellectual leadership of the project is shared among two or more individuals. To facilitate this team approach through recognition of the contributions of the team leadership members, OSTP issued a memorandum to all Federal research agencies on January 4, 2005, requiring them to formally allow more than one PI on individual research awards. The Federal agencies then sought input from the research communityscientists, research administrators, and organizations that represent components of the scientific communityon how best to implement this policy. This input was sought via a Request for Information published in the Federal Register on July 18, 2005 that posed a series of questions around core elements that will comprise each agency's implementation plan. The six core elements, to be posted on the Research Business Models (RBM) Web Site, include: (1) Statement of what constitutes a PI; (2) designation of contact PI; (3) application instructions for listing more than one PI; (4) PIs at different institutions; (5) access to award and review information; and (6) identification of all PIs in public data systems. The Supplementary Information section of this Notice provides background on the Research Business Models (RBM) Subcommittee of the Committee on Science (COS), the plan to recognize multiple PIs on Federal research projects, a summary of the responses to the Request for Information, and the government response to the comments submitted. The final policy on the recognition of multiple PIs is contained in the Policy Section.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative is seeking to update the current list of U.S. non-governmental individuals on the indicative list of potential panelists maintained by the WTO Secretariat, as provided for in Article 8.4 of the DSU. The DSU provides a mechanism for the settlement of disputes between the Members of the WTO. A three-person panel conducts each dispute settlement proceeding and issues a report for consideration by the Dispute Settlement Body (``DSB''). The indicative list assists in selecting panelists for dispute settlement proceedings; panelists often are drawn from the indicative list, although there is no requirement to do so. Article 8.4 of the DSU also provides for periodically updating the indicative list. Section 123(b) of the Uruguay Round Agreement Act (``URAA''), Public Law 103-405, provides that the Trade Representative shall seek to ensure that persons appointed to the WTO indicative list are well-qualified and that the indicative list includes persons with expertise in all of the subject matters covered by the Uruguay Round Agreements. USTR invites citizens of the United States with appropriate qualifications, discussed below, to apply for consideration as a nominee to the indicative list.

The Federal Activities Inventory Reform (FAIR) Act, Public Law 105-270, requires agencies to develop inventories each year of activities performed by their employees that are not inherently governmentali.e., inventories of commercial activities. The FAIR Act further requires OMB to review the inventories in consultation with the agencies and publish a notice of public availability in the Federal Register after the consultation process is completed. In accordance with the FAIR Act, OMB is publishing this notice to announce the availability of inventories from the agencies listed below. These inventories identify both commercial activities and activities that are inherently governmental. This is the third and final release of the FAIR Act inventories for FY 2006. Interested parties who disagree with the agency's initial judgment may challenge the inclusion or the omission of an activity on the list of activities that are not inherently governmental within 30 working days and, if not satisfied with this review, may appeal to a higher level within the agency. The Office of Federal Procurement Policy has made available a FAIR Act User's Guide through its Internet site: https://www.whitehouse.gov/ omb/procurement/fair-index.html. This User's Guide will help interested parties review FY 2006 FAIR Act inventories.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) received petitions in connection with the 2007 GSP Annual Review to modify the list of products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program and to modify the GSP status of certain GSP beneficiary developing countries because of country practices. This notice announces the product petitions, other than those requesting competitive need limitation (CNL) waivers, and country practice petitions that are accepted for further review in the 2007 GSP Annual Review. This notice also sets forth the schedule for comment and public hearings on these petitions, for requesting participation in the hearings, and for submitting pre-hearing and post-hearing briefs. The list of accepted petitions is available at: https://www.ustr.gov/Trade Development/PreferencePrograms/GSP/SectionIndex.html [2007 Annual review]. Petitions for CNL waivers are due November 16, 2007 (see 72 FR 28,527), and a review of those petitions will be conducted thereafter.

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 or deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on intellectual property protection. (Section 182 is commonly referred to as the ``Special 301'' provisions of the Trade Act.) In addition, the USTR is required to determine which 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 are normally the subject of an investigation under the section 301 provisions of the Trade Act. On April 27, 2007, USTR announced the results of the 2007 Special 301 Review and stated that Out-of-Cycle Reviews of Brazil, the Czech Republic, and Pakistan would be conducted this year. Pursuant to these Out-of-Cycle Reviews, USTR requests written submissions from the public concerning acts, policies, and practices regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of intellectual property protection and enforcement in Brazil, the Czech Republic, and Pakistan.

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.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that Brazil has requested consultations with the United States under the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement'') regarding U.S. domestic support measures and export credit guarantees for agricultural products. That request may be found at https://www.wto.org contained in a document designated as WT/DS365/1. 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.

This notice sets forth the schedule and summary agenda for a meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting is required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Dates And Place: September 11, 2007, Washington, DC. The meeting will be held in Room 100 at the Keck Center of the National Academies at 500 5th St. NW., Washington DC. Type of Meeting: Open. Further details on the meeting agenda will be posted on the PCAST Web site at: https://www.ostp.gov/PCAST/ pcast.html. Proposed Schedule and Agenda: The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is scheduled to meet in open session on Tuesday September 11, 2007, at approximately 9 a.m. The meeting is scheduled to include three panels, with presentations and discussion. The PCAST is tentatively scheduled to convene a panel on partnerships between universities and non-government entities in support of research. The PCAST also is tentatively scheduled to convene a panel on nanotechnology, including presentations on biomedical aspects of nanotechnology research and current Government activities supporting risk assessment and risk management. The PCAST also is tentatively scheduled to convene a panel on personalized medicine as part of the Council's study of policy issues associated with realizing the benefits of scientific and technological advances in this area. This session will end at approximately 5 p.m. Additional information and the final agenda will be posted at the PCAST Web site at: https://www.ostp.gov/ PCAST/pcast.html. Public Comments: There will be time allocated for the public to speak on the above agenda items. This public comment time is designed for substantive commentary on PCAST's work topics, not for business marketing purposes. Please submit a request for the opportunity to make a public comment five (5) days in advance of the meeting. The time for public comments will be limited to no more than 5 minutes per person. Written comments are also welcome at any time following the meeting. Please notify Dr. Celia Merzbacher, PCAST Executive Director, at (202) 456-7116, or fax your request/comments to (202) 456-6021.