Office of the United States Trade Representative December 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

2011 Special 301 Review: Identification of Countries Under Section 182 of the Trade Act of 1974: Request for Public Comment and Announcement of Public Hearing
Document Number: 2010-32916
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-12-30
Agency: Office of the United States Trade Representative, Trade Representative, Office of United States, Executive Office of the President
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.
WTO Dispute Settlement Proceeding Regarding China-Subsidies on Wind Power Equipment
Document Number: 2010-32868
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-12-29
Agency: Office of the United States Trade Representative
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (``USTR'') is providing notice that on December 22, 2010, in accordance with the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization (``WTO Agreement''), the United States requested consultations regarding certain subsidies provided by the People's Republic of China (China) on wind power equipment. The consultation request addresses a measure of China entitled the ``Provisional Measures on Administration of Special Fund for Industrialization of Wind Power Equipment'' (``Wind Power Equipment Fund''). The Wind Power Equipment Fund provides grants that appear to be contingent on the use of domestic over imported wind power equipment, and thus appears to be a prohibited subsidy that is inconsistent with China's obligations under Article 3 of the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (``SCM Agreement''). In addition, as it appears that China has neither made available a translation of the measure into a WTO official language nor notified it to the WTO, China appears to have failed to comply with its transparency obligations under the WTO Agreement. USTR invites written comments from the public concerning the issues raised in this dispute.
Generalized System of Preferences (GSP): Notice Regarding the Acceptance of Petitions To Grant a Competitive Need Limitation (CNL) Waiver
Document Number: 2010-32859
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-12-29
Agency: Office of the United States Trade Representative
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), in connection with the 2010 GSP Annual Review, has received petitions to waive the competitive need limitations (CNLs) on imports of certain products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program. This notice announces those petitions that have been accepted for further review. All other petitions have been rejected. Authorization of the GSP program expires on December 31, 2010. If and when the program is reauthorized, a schedule for submission of public comments and for a public hearing on the petitions will be announced in the Federal Register.
Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement: Request for Comments From the Public
Document Number: 2010-31763
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-12-17
Agency: Office of the United States Trade Representative, Trade Representative, Office of United States, Executive Office of the President
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has concluded negotiations on a proposed agreement to strengthen international cooperation, enforcement practices and legal frameworks for addressing counterfeiting and piracy. USTR is requesting written comments from the public on the final text of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in connection with consideration of U.S. signature of the agreement. The deadline for submission of written comments is, 5 p.m., Tuesday, February 15, 2011.
Determination of 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
Document Number: 2010-31055
Type: Notice
Date: 2010-12-10
Agency: Office of the United States Trade Representative, Trade Representative, Office of United States, Executive Office of the President
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.
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