Office of the United States Trade Representative September 2014 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) requests written comments from the public identifying Internet and physical markets based outside the United States that should be included in the 2014 Notorious Markets List. In 2010, USTR began publishing the Notorious Markets List separately from the annual Special 301 Report as an ``Out-of-Cycle Review.'' The Notorious Markets List (List) identifies online and physical marketplaces that reportedly engage in and facilitate substantial copyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting.

This notice amends the Trade Advisory Committee on Africa (TACA)Charter Renewal and Nominations for Membership Notice of March 18, 2014 (79 FR 15201) to revise the membership eligibility criteria pursuant to the Revised Guidance on the Appointment of Lobbyists to Federal Advisory Committees, Boards and Commissions, published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on August 13, 2014. Federally- registered lobbyists are no longer prohibited from serving on the TACA in a representative capacity in light of OMB's recent policy clarification that the eligibility restriction does not apply to advisory committee members who are specifically appointed to represent the interests of a nongovernmental entity, a recognizable group of persons or nongovernmental entities (an industry sector, labor unions, environmental groups, etc.), or state or local governments. The lobbyist prohibition continues to apply to persons serving on advisory committees in their individual capacity. The United States Trade Representative now will consider nominations of federally-registered lobbyists for appointment to the TACA as members who serve in a representative capacity. All other eligibility criteria continue to apply.

This notice amends the Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee on Trade (IGPAC)Charter Reestablishment and Request for Nominations Notice of April 1, 2014 (79 FR 18382) to revise the membership eligibility criteria pursuant to the Revised Guidance on the Appointment of Lobbyists to Federal Advisory Committees, Boards and Commissions, published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on August 13, 2014. Federally-registered lobbyists are no longer prohibited from serving on the IGPAC in a representative capacity in light of OMB's recent policy clarification that the eligibility restriction does not apply to advisory committee members who are specifically appointed to represent the interests of a nongovernmental entity, a recognizable group of persons or nongovernmental entities (an industry sector, labor unions, environmental groups, etc.), or state or local governments. The lobbyist prohibition continues to apply to persons serving on advisory committees in their individual capacity. The United States Trade Representative now will consider nominations of federally- registered lobbyists for appointment to the IGPAC as members who serve in a representative capacity. All other eligibility criteria continue to apply.