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

The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) sought public comments to assist USTR in the preparation of its annual report to Congress on China's compliance with its obligations as a Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). USTR is canceling the public hearing that was scheduled to take place on October 4, 2023.

USTR is announcing that its fiscal year (FY) 2021 service contract inventory is publicly available.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), publishes the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE Report) each year. USTR invites comments to assist it and the TPSC in identifying significant foreign barriers to, or distortions of, U.S. exports of goods and services, U.S. foreign direct investment, and U.S. electronic commerce for inclusion in the NTE Report. USTR also will consider responses to this notice as part of the annual review of the operation and effectiveness of all U.S. trade agreements regarding telecommunications products and services that are in force with respect to the United States.

On June 12, 2023, USTR requested comments on how to design trade and investment policy to expand the benefits of trade to underserved and marginalized communities in the United States and trading partners that share concerns about rising inequality. To develop inclusive objectives and positions in all trade and investment policy areas for both enhanced engagement and subsequent negotiations, USTR is extending the 60-day comment period.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) requests comments that identify online and physical markets to be considered for inclusion in the 2023 Review of Notorious Markets for Counterfeiting and Piracy (Notorious Markets List). The Notorious Markets List identifies examples of online and physical markets that reportedly engage in or facilitate substantial copyright piracy or trademark counterfeiting. The issue focus for the 2023 Notorious Markets List will examine the potential health and safety risks posed by counterfeit goods.

The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) is seeking public comment to assist the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in the preparation of its annual report to Congress on China's compliance with its obligations as a Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). This notice includes the schedule for the submission of comments to the TPSC for the China report and a public hearing.

On July 24, 2023, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) held a virtual public hearing to receive oral testimony related to the annual review of the eligibility of sub- Saharan African countries to receive the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). USTR is accepting post-hearing comments until August 8, 2023.

The U.S. Trade Representative has to submit a report to Congress regarding the operation of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) on or before December 31, 2023. The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) invites comments concerning the operation of the CBI, including the performance of each beneficiary country, to assist in preparing the report to Congress on the operation of the CBI program.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative is providing notice of allocations of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 (October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024) in-quota quantity of the tariff- rate quotas (TRQs) for imported raw cane sugar, certain sugars, syrups and molasses (also known as refined sugar), specialty sugar, and sugar- containing products.

Since entry into force of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the United States, Canada, and Mexico (the Parties) have focused the work of the North American Competitiveness Committee (Committee) on expanding trilateral cooperation on North American workforce development issues and establishing mechanisms for cooperation during emergency situations that affect North American trade flows, including by establishing a joint understanding of critical infrastructure priorities in North America. USTR is seeking public comments and recommendations for these and potential additional workstreams for the Committee relevant to enhancing North American competitiveness. USTR is extending the deadline to submit comments by 30 days, until August 17, 2023.

The Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement (Committee) publishes in the Annex to this notice the final revised procedural guidelines for submissions by the public of information with respect to potential failures of Canada or Mexico to implement their labor obligations under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA or Agreement). These procedural guidelines include revisions that respond to comments received and minor technical clarifications.

On May 17, 2023, USTR announced the extension of 77 COVID exclusions through September 30, 2023. To conform with the tariff classifications set out by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) effective November 30, 2020, and changes to statistical reporting categories set out by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) effective January 27, 2022, USTR is making conforming amendments to four exclusions in the May 17, 2023 notice.

The Parties to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) intend to hold the second meeting of the Labor Council on June 28-29, 2023. The meeting will include a closed in-person government-to- government Labor Council session in Mexico City, Mexico, and a virtual public session on implementation of the USMCA labor chapter. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) invite comments and questions from the public in advance of the virtual public session.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is announcing the initiation of the annual review of the eligibility of sub-Saharan African countries to receive the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The AGOA Implementation Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (AGOA Subcommittee) is requesting written public comments for this review and will conduct a virtual public hearing on this matter. In developing its recommendations for the President on AGOA country eligibility for calendar year 2024, the AGOA Subcommittee will consider the written comments, written testimony, and oral testimony.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is providing notice of country-by-country reallocations of the fiscal year (FY) 2023 in-quota quantity of the World Trade Organization (WTO) tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for imported raw cane sugar.

This notice makes one conforming amendment and one technical amendment to the reinstated exclusions in the Section 301 investigation of China's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation.

In prior Federal Register notices, the U.S. Trade Representative modified the actions being taken in the section 301 investigation of China's acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation by excluding certain products from additional duties. The U.S. Trade Representative subsequently extended 549 of these exclusions. In 2022, following public notice and comment, the U.S. Trade Representative determined to reinstate 352 of these exclusions. These reinstated exclusions are scheduled to expire on December 31, 2022. This notice announces the U.S. Trade Representative's determination to extend the reinstated exclusions for an additional nine months.

Each year, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) conducts a review to identify countries that deny adequate and effective protection of intellectual property (IP) rights or deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. persons who rely on IP protection. Based on this review, the U.S. Trade Representative determines which, if any, of these countries to identify as Priority Foreign Countries. USTR requests written comments that identify acts, policies, or practices that may form the basis of a country's identification as a Priority Foreign Country or placement on the Priority Watch List or Watch List.

On September 8, 2022, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) received a petition requesting an investigation of certain alleged acts, policies, and practices of the government of Mexico concerning seasonal and perishable agricultural products. Due to the complexities of the factual and legal issues raised in the petition, the U.S. Trade Representative could not conclude during the 45-day statutory review period that an investigation would be effective and is not opening an investigation at this time. In light of challenges faced by U.S. producers, USTR in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will establish a private-sector industry advisory panel to recommend measures to promote the competitiveness of producers of seasonal and perishable produce in the southeastern United States. Furthermore, USTR and USDA will work with the petitioners and producers to examine the issues raised in the petition and to consider any further actions that may be appropriate.

USTR is conducting a four-year review of the July 6, 2018 action, as modified, and the August 23, 2018 action, as modified, in the section 301 investigation of China's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation. As part of the review, USTR is seeking public comments on the effectiveness of the actions in achieving the objectives of the investigation, other actions that could be taken, and the effects of such actions on the United States economy, including consumers.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has implemented certain changes to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) to reflect Harmonized System modifications adopted by the World Customs Organization and changes to statistical categories. This notice announces conforming amendments to legal note provisions in the HTSUS associated with the actions in the section 301 investigation of China's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation.

Pursuant to authority delegated to the U.S. Trade Representative, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is making a technical correction to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS).

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), through the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), publishes the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE Report) each year. USTR invites comments to assist it and the TPSC in identifying significant foreign barriers to, or distortions of, U.S. exports of goods and services, U.S. foreign direct investment, and U.S. electronic commerce for inclusion in the NTE Report. USTR also will consider responses to this notice as part of the annual review of the operation and effectiveness of all U.S. trade agreements regarding telecommunications products and services that are in force with respect to the United States.

In a notice published on May 5, 2022, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced the first step in the statutory four-year review process of the two actions, as modified, taken under Section 301 in the investigation of China's Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation. The notice informed representatives of domestic industries which benefit from the actions, as modified, of the possible termination of the actions and of the opportunity for the representatives to request continuation of the actions. The docket to receive requests for continuation for the July 6, 2018 action, as modified, closed on July 5, 2022. The docket to receive requests for the August 23, 2018 action, as modified, closed on August 22, 2022. USTR received requests for continuation of both actions from representatives of domestic industries which benefit from the actions. Accordingly, the actions have not terminated and will remain in effect, subject to possible further modifications, including any modifications resulting from the statutory four-year review.

The interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) invites interested persons to submit written comments 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). Due to the COVID-19 situation, the TPSC will foster public participation via written questions and written responses relating to the written comments received by the TPSC rather than an in-person hearing. This notice includes the schedule for submission of comments, questions and responses.