83 FR 21813 - Notice of Continuation and Request for Nominations for the Industry Trade Advisory Committees

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 91 (May 10, 2018)

The United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative) and the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) have established a new four- year charter term ending in February 2022, and are accepting applications from qualified individuals interested in serving as a member of an Industry Trade Advisory Committee (ITAC). The ITACs provide detailed policy and technical advice, information, and recommendations to the Secretary and the Trade Representative regarding trade barriers, negotiation of trade agreements, and implementation of existing trade agreements affecting industry sectors, and perform other advisory functions relevant to U.S. trade policy matters. There currently are opportunities for membership on each ITAC and we will accept nominations throughout the charter term.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 91 (Thursday, May 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21813-21815]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09966]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE


Notice of Continuation and Request for Nominations for the 
Industry Trade Advisory Committees

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and request for applications.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States Trade Representative (Trade Representative) 
and the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) have established a new four-
year charter term ending in February 2022, and are accepting 
applications from qualified individuals interested in serving as a 
member of an Industry Trade Advisory Committee (ITAC). The ITACs 
provide detailed policy and technical advice, information, and 
recommendations to the Secretary and the Trade Representative regarding 
trade barriers, negotiation of trade agreements, and implementation of 
existing trade agreements affecting industry sectors, and perform other 
advisory functions relevant to U.S. trade policy matters. There 
currently are opportunities for membership on each ITAC and we will 
accept nominations throughout the charter term.

DATES: We will accept nominations for membership on the ITACs 
throughout the four-year charter term.

ADDRESSES: Submit nominations via email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ingrid Mitchem, Director, Industry 
Trade Advisory Center, U.S. Department of Commerce at 202-482-3268, or 
Gregory Walters, Assistant United States Trade Representative for 
Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement at 
[email protected] or 202-395-2558. You can find additional 
information about the ITACs on the International Trade Administration 
website at www.trade.gov/itac.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 135 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2155), 
establishes a private-sector trade advisory system to ensure that U.S. 
trade policy and trade negotiation objectives adequately reflect U.S. 
commercial and economic interests. Section 135(c)(2) (19 U.S.C. 
2155(c)(2)) directs the President to establish sectoral or functional 
trade advisory committees, as appropriate, including representatives of 
industry, labor, agriculture, and services, including small business, 
in the sector or functional area concerned, to provide detailed policy 
and technical advice, information, and recommendations regarding trade 
barriers, negotiation of trade agreements, and implementation of 
existing trade agreements affecting industry sectors, and perform other 
advisory functions relevant to U.S. trade policy matters as requested.

II. What do the ITACs do?

    The ITACs provide detailed policy and technical advice, 
information, and recommendations to the Secretary and the Trade 
Representative on trade policy matters including: (1) Negotiating 
objectives and bargaining positions before entering into trade 
agreements; (2) the impact of the implementation of trade agreements on 
the relevant sector; (3) matters concerning the operation of any trade 
agreement once entered into; and (4) other matters arising in 
connection with the development, implementation, and administration of 
the trade policy of the United States. The nonpartisan, industry input 
provided by the ITACs is important in developing unified trade policy 
objectives and positions when the United States negotiates and 
implements trade agreements.
    The ITACs address market-access problems, trade barriers, tariffs, 
discriminatory foreign procurement practices, and information, 
marketing, and advocacy needs of their industry sector. Eleven ITACs 
(ITACS 1-11) provide advice and information on issues that affect 
specific sectors of U.S. industry. Three ITACs (ITACs 12-14) focus on 
crosscutting functional issues that affect all industry sectors and 
include specifically appointed members along with non-voting members 
from the industry specific ITACs to represent a broad range of industry 
perspectives. The ITACs may address other trade policy issues, e.g., 
government procurement and subsidies, in ad hoc working groups.

III. What is the ITAC slate for 2018-2022?

    When the Trade Representative and the Secretary organize the ITACs, 
the Trade Act requires that they consult with interested private 
organizations and consider:
     Patterns of actual or potential competition between U.S. 
industry and agriculture and foreign enterprise in international trade.
     The character of the nontariff barriers and other 
distortions affecting such competition.
     The necessity for reasonable limits on the number and size 
of the ITACs.
     That the product lines covered by each ITAC are reasonably 
related.
    The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Department 
of Commerce requested comments on proposed changes to the slate of 
ITACs (83 FR 3253) and received 23 written submissions in response. A 
majority of the responses were a substantially similar letter in 
opposition to merging ITAC 7 and ITAC 9. A significantly smaller 
portion advocated against the elimination of the Committee of Chairs.
    We have carefully considered these submissions and other factors 
including the nature of the U.S. industry in various sectors, the level 
of interest in serving on an ITAC (using the number of members and 
applications for appointment during the 2014-2018 charter terms), the 
level of activity of each ITAC (using the number of meetings and 
recommendations submitted during the 2014-2018 charter

[[Page 21814]]

terms), and constraints on the resources to support and engage with the 
ITACs. We also are renaming ITAC 10 to Services to more accurately 
reflect the functions of the committee. Based on all of this 
information, pursuant to section 135(c)(2) of the Trade Act, the 
Secretary and the Trade Representative have established new four-year 
charter terms for the following ITACs, that began on February 14, 2018 
and will end on February 14, 2022.

ITAC 1 Aerospace Equipment
ITAC 2 Automotive Equipment and Capital Goods
ITAC 3 Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals, Health/Science Products and Services
ITAC 4 Consumer Goods
ITAC 5 Forest Products, Building Materials, Construction and Nonferrous 
Metals
ITAC 6 Energy and Energy Services
ITAC 7 Steel
ITAC 8 Digital Economy
ITAC 9 Small and Minority Business
ITAC 10 Services
ITAC 11 Textiles and Clothing
ITAC 12 Customs Matters and Trade Facilitation
ITAC 13 Intellectual Property Rights
ITAC 14 Standards and Technical Trade Barriers

    The ITACs are subject to the provisions of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act. See 19 U.S.C. 2155(f); 5 U.S.C. App. II.

IV. Membership

    Each ITAC consists of members with experience relevant to the 
industry sector for ITACs 1 through 11 or the subject area for ITACs 12 
through 14. All ITAC members serve in a representative capacity (there 
are no special government employees (SGEs)) and present the views and 
interests of a sponsoring U.S. entity or U.S. organization and the 
entity's or organization's subsector (if applicable). In selecting 
members, the Secretary and the Trade Representative consider the 
nominee's ability to carry out the objectives of the ITAC, including 
knowledge and expertise of the industry and of trade matters relevant 
to the work of the ITAC, and ensuring that the ITAC is balanced in 
terms of points of view, demographics, geography, and entity or 
organization size. Appointments are made without regard to political 
affiliation.
    The Secretary and the Trade Representative appoint all ITAC members 
for a term of four-years or until the ITAC charter expires, and members 
serve at the discretion of the Secretary and the Trade Representative. 
Individuals can be reappointed for any number of terms. Appointments 
are made at the time an ITAC is re-chartered and periodically 
throughout the four-year charter term. Appointments expire at the end 
of the charter term, in this case, on February 14, 2022.
    ITAC members serve without compensation, including reimbursement of 
expenses. Members are responsible for all expenses they incur to attend 
meetings or otherwise participate in ITAC activities.
    The ITACs meet as needed, depending on various factors such as the 
level of activity of trade negotiations and the needs of the Secretary 
and the Trade Representative. On average, each ITAC meet six times a 
year in Washington, DC.

V. Request for Nominations

    The Secretary and the Trade Representative are soliciting 
nominations for membership on the ITACs.

A. Eligibility Requirements

    To apply for membership, an applicant must meet the following 
eligibility criteria:
    1. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen.
    2. The applicant cannot be a full-time employee of a U.S. 
governmental entity.
    3. The applicant cannot be registered with the U.S. Department of 
Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
    4. The applicant must be able to obtain and maintain a security 
clearance.
    5. The applicant must represent either:
    a. A U.S. entity that is directly engaged in the import or export 
of goods or services or that provides services in direct support of the 
international trading activities of other entities; or
    b. A U.S. organization that trades internationally, represents 
members that trade internationally, or, consistent with the needs of an 
ITAC as determined by the Secretary and the Trade Representative, 
represents members who have a demonstrated interest in international 
trade.
    For eligibility purposes, a ``U.S. entity'' is a for-profit firm 
engaged in commercial, industrial, or professional activities that is 
incorporated in the United States (or is an unincorporated U.S. firm 
with its principal place of business in the United States) that is 
controlled by U.S. citizens or by other U.S. entities. An entity is not 
a U.S. entity if 50 percent plus one share of its stock (if a 
corporation, or a similar ownership interest of an unincorporated 
entity) is known to be controlled, directly or indirectly, by non-U.S. 
citizens or non-U.S. entities.
    For eligibility purposes, a ``U.S. organization'' is an 
organization, including a trade association, labor union or 
organization, and nongovernmental organization (NGO), established under 
the laws of the United States, that is controlled by U.S. citizens, by 
another U.S. organization (or organizations), or by a U.S. entity (or 
entities), as determined based on its board of directors (or comparable 
governing body), membership, and funding sources, as applicable. To 
qualify as a U.S. organization, more than 50 percent of the board of 
directors (or comparable governing body) and more than 50 percent of 
the membership of the organization to be represented must be U.S. 
citizens, U.S. organizations, or U.S. entities. Additionally, in order 
for an NGO to qualify as a U.S. organization, at least 50 percent of 
the NGO's annual revenue must be attributable to nongovernmental U.S. 
sources.
    An applicant who will represent an entity or organization known to 
have 10 percent or greater non-U.S. ownership of its shares or equity, 
non-U.S. board members, non-U.S. membership, or non-U.S. funding 
sources, as applicable, must certify that this non-U.S. interest does 
not constitute control and will not adversely affect his/her ability to 
serve as a trade advisor to the United States.
    The Secretary and the Trade Representative have appointed, and will 
consider nominees, who represent the public health or health care 
community to ITACs 3 and 13, and environmental viewpoints to ITACs 3 
and 5.

B. How do I apply?

    To be considered for ITAC membership, interested persons should 
submit the following to the Director of the Industry Trade Advisory 
Center at the U.S. Department of Commerce at [email protected]:
    1. Name, title, affiliation, and contact information of the 
individual requesting consideration.
    2. The ITAC for which the individual is applying for appointment.
    3. A sponsor letter on the entity's or organization's letterhead 
containing a brief description of why the Secretary and the Trade 
Representative should consider the individual for membership.
    4. The individual's personal resume or comprehensive biography 
demonstrating knowledge of international trade issues.
    5. An affirmative statement that the individual and the sponsoring 
entity or organization s/he represents meet all eligibility 
requirements.

[[Page 21815]]

    6. Information regarding the sponsoring entity or organization, 
including the control of the entity or organization to be represented 
and the entity's or organization's size and ownership, product or 
service line, and trade activities.
    7. You can find information on the additional requirements for 
consultants and legal advisors, which vary depending on the nature of 
the entity or organization and the interests the individual will 
represent, on the International Trade Administration website at 
www.trade.gov/itac or by contacting the Industry Trade Advisory Center 
at [email protected].
    The Secretary and the Trade Representative will consider applicants 
who meet the eligibility criteria based on the following factors: 
Ability to represent the sponsoring U.S. entity's or U.S. 
organization's and its subsector's interests on trade matters; 
knowledge of and experience in trade matters relevant to the work of 
the ITAC; and ensuring that the ITAC is balanced in terms of points of 
view, demographics, geography, and entity or organization size.

Gregory Walters,
Assistant United States Trade Representative for Intergovernmental 
Affairs and Public Engagement, Office of the United States Trade 
Representative.
[FR Doc. 2018-09966 Filed 5-9-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F8-P