Office of the United States Trade Representative August 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) invites interested persons to submit written comments and participate in a public hearing to assist the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in the preparation of its annual report to the Congress on China's compliance with the commitments made in connection with its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is announcing the initiation of a country practice review of the eligibility of Turkey for benefits under the GSP program. This review will focus on whether Turkey is meeting the GSP eligibility criterion that requires a GSP beneficiary country to assure the United States that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to its market. This notice includes the schedule for submission of public comments and a public hearing.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) requests written comments that identify online and physical markets based outside the United States that should be included in the 2018 Notorious Markets List (List). Conducted under the auspices of the Special 301 program, the List identifies online and physical marketplaces that reportedly engage in and facilitate substantial copyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting. In 2010, USTR began publishing the Notorious Markets List separately from the annual Special 301 Report as an ``Out-of-Cycle Review.''

In a notice published on July 17, 2018 (83 FR 33608), the U.S. Trade Representative (Trade Representative) proposed a modification of the action taken in this investigation in the form of an additional 10 percent ad valorem duty on products of China with an annual trade value of approximately $200 billion. The July 17th notice sought public comment and provided notice of a public hearing regarding this proposed modification of the action in the investigation. On August 1, 2018, the Trade Representative announced that the President had directed the Trade Representative to consider raising the level of the additional duty in the proposed supplemental action from 10 percent to 25 percent. In light of this possible increase in the rate of additional duty, the Trade Representative is extending certain comment periods set out in the July 17th notice.