83_FR_43131 83 FR 42966 - Request for Comments To Compile the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers

83 FR 42966 - Request for Comments To Compile the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 165 (August 24, 2018)

Page Range42966-42968
FR Document2018-18287

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) publishes the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE Report) each year. The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) invites interested persons to submit written comments to assist the TPSC in identifying significant barriers to U.S. exports of goods and services, U.S. foreign direct investment, and the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights 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.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 165 (Friday, August 24, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 165 (Friday, August 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42966-42968]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-18287]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[Docket Number USTR-2018-0029]


Request for Comments To Compile the National Trade Estimate 
Report on Foreign Trade Barriers

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) 
publishes the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers 
(NTE Report) each year. The Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) invites 
interested persons to submit written comments to assist the TPSC in 
identifying significant barriers to U.S. exports of goods and services, 
U.S. foreign direct investment, and the protection and enforcement of 
intellectual property rights 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.

DATES: We must receive all written comments no later than 11:59 p.m. on 
October 30, 2018.

ADDRESSES: USTR strongly prefers electronic submissions made through

[[Page 42967]]

the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. The 
instructions for submitting comments are in section 4 below. The docket 
number is USTR-2018-0029. For alternatives to on-line submissions, 
contact Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475 before transmitting a comment 
and in advance of the relevant deadline.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Background

    Section 181 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2241) 
requires USTR annually to publish the NTE Report, which sets out an 
inventory of the most significant foreign barriers affecting U.S. 
exports of goods and services, U.S. foreign direct investment, and the 
protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. The 
inventory facilitates U.S. negotiations aimed at reducing or 
eliminating these barriers and is a valuable tool in enforcing U.S. 
trade laws and strengthening the rules-based trading system. You can 
find the 2018 NTE Report on USTR's website at http://www.ustr.gov under 
the tab `Reports'. To ensure compliance with the statutory mandate for 
the NTE Report and the Administration's commitment to focus on the most 
significant foreign trade barriers, USTR will be guided by the 
existence of active interest in deciding which restrictions to include 
in the NTE Report.

2. Topics on Which the TPSC Seeks Information

    To assist USTR in preparing the NTE Report, commenters should 
submit information related to one or more of the following categories 
of foreign trade barriers:
    1. Import policies (e.g., tariffs and other import charges, 
quantitative restrictions, import licensing, customs barriers, and 
other market access barriers).
    2. Trade restrictions implemented through unwarranted standards, 
conformity assessment procedures, or technical regulations (technical 
barriers to trade) that may have as their objective protecting national 
security requirements, preventing deceptive practices, or protecting 
human health or safety, animal or plant life or health, or the 
environment, but that can be formulated or implemented in ways that 
create significant barriers to trade (including unnecessary or 
discriminatory technical regulations or standards for 
telecommunications products).
    3. Trade restrictions implemented through unwarranted sanitary and 
phytosanitary (SPS) measures that the country claims to impose for 
purposes of protecting human, animal, and plant life or health (e.g., 
SPS measures not based on scientific evidence).
    4. Subsidies, including export subsidies (e.g., export financing on 
preferential terms, subsidies provided to equipment manufacturers 
contingent on export, and agricultural export subsidies that displace 
U.S. exports in third country markets) and local content subsidies 
(e.g., subsidies contingent on the purchase or use of domestic rather 
than imported goods).
    5. Government procurement restrictions (e.g., ``buy national 
policies'' and closed bidding).
    6. Lack of intellectual property protection and enforcement (e.g., 
inadequate patent, copyright, and trademark regimes).
    7. Barriers to trade in services (e.g., prohibitions or 
restrictions on foreign participation in the market, discriminatory 
licensing requirements or regulatory standards, local-presence 
requirements, and unreasonable restrictions on what services may be 
offered).
    8. Barriers to digital trade (e.g., barriers to cross-border data 
flows including data localization requirements, discriminatory 
practices affecting trade in digital products, restrictions on the 
provision of internet-enabled services, and other restrictive 
technology requirements).
    9. Investment barriers (e.g., limitations on foreign equity 
participation and on access to foreign government-funded research and 
development programs, local content requirements, technology transfer 
requirements and export performance requirements, and restrictions on 
repatriation of earnings, capital, fees, and royalties).
    10. Government-tolerated anticompetitive conduct of state-owned or 
private firms that restrict the sale or purchase of U.S. goods or 
services in the foreign country's markets.
    11. Other barriers (e.g., barriers that encompass more than one 
category, such as bribery and corruption, or that affect a single 
sector).

Commenters should submit information related to one or more of the 
following export markets to be covered in the report: Algeria, Angola, 
the Arab League, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, 
Brazil, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa 
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, 
Ethiopia, the European Union, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, 
India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, 
Kuwait, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, 
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the 
Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri 
Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab 
Emirates, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
    In addition, Section 1377 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness 
Act of 1988 (Section 1377) (19 U.S.C. 3106) requires USTR annually to 
review 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. The purpose of the review is to 
determine whether any act, policy, or practice of a country that has 
entered into a trade agreement or other telecommunications agreement 
with the United States is inconsistent with the terms of such agreement 
or otherwise denies U.S. firms, within the context of the terms of such 
agreements, mutually advantageous market opportunities for 
telecommunications products and services. USTR will consider responses 
to this notice in the review called for in Section 1377.
    We invite commenters to identify those barriers covered in 
submissions that may operate as ``localization barriers to trade.'' 
Localization barriers are measures designed to protect, favor, or 
stimulate domestic industries, services providers, and/or intellectual 
property at the expense of goods, services, or intellectual property 
from other countries, including the provision of subsidies linked to 
local production. For more information on localization barriers, please 
go to http://www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/localization-barriers. 
Commenters should place particular emphasis on any practices that may 
violate U.S. trade agreements. The TPSC also is interested in receiving 
new or updated information pertinent to the barriers covered in the 
2018 NTE as well as information on new barriers. If USTR does not 
include in the NTE information that it receives pursuant to this 
notice, it will maintain the information for potential use in future 
discussions or negotiations with trading partners.

3. Estimate of Increase in Exports

    Each comment should include an estimate of the potential increase 
in U.S. exports that would result from removing any foreign trade 
barrier the comment identifies, as well as a description of the

[[Page 42968]]

methodology the commenter used to derive the estimate. Commenters 
should express estimates within the following value ranges: less than 
$5 million; $5 million to $25 million; $25 million to $50 million; $50 
million to $100 million; $100 million to $500 million; or, over $500 
million. These estimates will help USTR conduct comparative analyses of 
a barrier's effect over a range of industries.

4. Requirements for Submissions

    In order to be assured of consideration, we must receive your 
written comments in English by 11:59 p.m. on October 30, 2018. USTR 
strongly encourages commenters to make on-line submissions, using 
www.regulations.gov. On the first page, please identify the submission 
as ``Comments Regarding Foreign Trade Barriers to U.S. Exports for 2019 
Reporting.'' Commenters providing information on foreign trade barriers 
in more than one country should, whenever possible, provide a separate 
submission for each country.
    To submit comments via www.regulations.gov, enter docket number 
USTR-2018-0029 on the home page and click ``search.'' The site will 
provide a search-results page listing all documents associated with 
this docket. Find a reference to this notice and click on the link 
entitled ``comment now!''. For further information on using the 
www.regulations.gov website, please consult the resources provided on 
the website by clicking on ``How to Use Regulations.gov'' on the bottom 
of the home page. USTR will not accept hand-delivered submissions.
    The www.regulations.gov website allows users to submit comments by 
filling in a ``type comment'' field or by attaching a document using an 
``upload file'' field. USTR prefers that you submit comments in an 
attached document. If you attach a document, please identify the name 
of the country to which the submission pertains in the ``type comment'' 
field. For example: See attached comments with respect to (name of 
country). USTR prefers submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or Adobe 
Acrobat (.pdf). If you use an application other than those two, please 
indicate the name of the application in the ``type comment'' field.
    Filers submitting comments containing no business confidential 
information should name their file using the name of the person or 
entity submitting the comments. For any comments submitted 
electronically containing business confidential information, the file 
name of the business confidential version should begin with the 
characters ``BC''. Any page containing business confidential 
information must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' on the top 
of that page. Filers of submissions containing business confidential 
information also must submit a public version of their comments that we 
will place in the docket for public inspection. The file name of the 
public version should begin with the character ``P''. The ``BC'' and 
``P'' should be followed by the name of the person or entity submitting 
the comments.
    Please do not attach separate cover letters to electronic 
submissions; rather, include any information that might appear in a 
cover letter in the comments themselves. Similarly, to the extent 
possible, please include any exhibits, annexes, or other attachments in 
the same file as the submission itself, not as separate files.
    As noted, USTR strongly urges that you file submissions through 
www.regulations.gov. You must make any alternative arrangements with 
Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475 before transmitting a comment and in 
advance of the relevant deadline.
    USTR will post comments in the docket for public inspection, except 
business confidential information. You can view comments on the https://www.regulations.gov website by entering docket number USTR-2018-0029 
in the search field on the home page. General information concerning 
USTR is available at www.ustr.gov.

Edward Gresser,
Chair of the Trade Policy Staff Committee, Office of the United States 
Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2018-18287 Filed 8-23-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3290-F8-P



                                               42966                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 165 / Friday, August 24, 2018 / Notices

                                                  If the verified notice contains false or             Decatur, Ill., on IC’s Peoria Subdivision,                automatically stay the effectiveness of
                                               misleading information, the exemption                   a total distance of approximately 3.6                     the exemption. Petitions to stay must be
                                               is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the              miles.                                                    filed no later than August 31, 2018 (at
                                               exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d)                         This transaction is related to a                       least seven days before the exemption
                                               may be filed at any time. The filing of                 concurrently filed verified notice of                     becomes effective).
                                               a petition to revoke will not                           exemption in Watco Holdings, Inc.—                           An original and 10 copies of all
                                               automatically stay the effectiveness of                 Continuance in Control Exemption—                         pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD
                                               the exemption. Petitions to stay must be                Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad,                      36206, must be filed with the Surface
                                               filed by August 31, 2018 (at least seven                Docket No. FD 36209, in which Watco                       Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW,
                                               days before the exemption becomes                       Holdings, Inc., seeks Board approval to                   Washington, DC 20423–0001. In
                                               effective).                                             continue in control of DEIR upon DEIR’s                   addition, a copy must be served on Karl
                                                  An original and 10 copies of all                     becoming a Class III rail carrier.                        Morell, Karl Morell & Associates, Suite
                                               pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD                      The verified notice states that DEIR                   440, 440 1st Street NW, Washington, DC
                                               36209, must be filed with the Surface                   and CSXT will enter into a Purchase                       20001.
                                               Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW,                  and Sale Agreement and a Freight                             According to DEIR, this action is
                                               Washington, DC 20423–0001. In                           Operating Agreement prior to closing,                     categorically excluded from
                                               addition, one copy of each pleading                     and that DEIR will be the operator of the                 environmental review under 49 CFR
                                               must be served on Karl Morell, Karl                     acquired rail lines. As required by 49                    1105.6(c).
                                               Morell & Associates, Suite 440, 440 1st                 CFR 1150.33(h), DEIR has disclosed in                        Board decisions and notices are
                                               Street NW, Washington, DC 20001.                        its verified notice that the Freight                      available on our website at www.stb.gov.
                                                  Board decisions and notices are                      Operating Agreement contains an                             Decided: August 17, 2018.
                                               available on our website at www.stb.gov.                interchange commitment that would                           By the Board.
                                                 Decided: August 17, 2018.                             require DEIR to pay additional                            Scott M. Zimmerman,
                                                 By the Board.                                         compensation to CSXT if DEIR                              Acting Director, Office of Proceedings.
                                               Scott M. Zimmerman,
                                                                                                       interchanges traffic with a third-party                   Aretha Laws-Byrum,
                                                                                                       rail carrier and that the affected
                                               Acting Director, Office of Proceedings.                                                                           Clearance Clerk.
                                                                                                       interchange points are Decatur, Metcalf,
                                               Aretha Laws-Byrum,                                      and Tuscola, Ill. DEIR has provided                       [FR Doc. 2018–18119 Filed 8–23–18; 8:45 am]
                                               Clearance Clerk.                                        additional information pertaining to the                  BILLING CODE 4915–01–P
                                               [FR Doc. 2018–18125 Filed 8–23–18; 8:45 am]             interchange commitment as required by
                                               BILLING CODE 4915–01–P                                  § 1150.33(h).1
                                                                                                          DEIR certifies that its projected                      OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
                                                                                                       annual revenues resulting from the                        TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
                                               SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD                            transaction will not exceed those that                    [Docket Number USTR–2018–0029]
                                               [Docket No. FD 36206]                                   would qualify it as a Class III rail
                                                                                                       carrier. However, DEIR states that its                    Request for Comments To Compile the
                                               Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad,                    projected annual revenues will exceed                     National Trade Estimate Report on
                                               L.L.C.—Acquisition Exemption                            $5 million. Accordingly, in compliance                    Foreign Trade Barriers
                                               Containing Interchange Commitment—                      with 49 CFR 1150.32(e), on July 6, 2018,
                                               CSX Transportation, Inc.                                                                                          AGENCY: Office of the United States
                                                                                                       DEIR posted the required 60-day labor
                                                                                                                                                                 Trade Representative.
                                                                                                       notice of this transaction at the
                                                  Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad,                                                                           ACTION: Notice.
                                                                                                       workplaces of CSXT employees on the
                                               L.L.C. (DEIR), a noncarrier, has filed a
                                                                                                       affected Line, served notice on the                       SUMMARY:   The Office of the United
                                               verified notice of exemption under 49
                                                                                                       national offices of the labor unions for                  States Trade Representative (USTR)
                                               CFR 1150.31 to acquire and operate
                                                                                                       those employees, and filed a letter with                  publishes the National Trade Estimate
                                               approximately 126.7 miles of track (the
                                                                                                       the Board certifying its compliance with                  Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (NTE
                                               Line) owned by CSX Transportation,
                                                                                                       the advance notice requirements.                          Report) each year. The Trade Policy
                                               Inc., (CSXT), consisting of: (1) CSXT’s                    The transaction may be consummated
                                               Decatur Subdivision starting near                                                                                 Staff Committee (TPSC) invites
                                                                                                       on or after September 8, 2018, the                        interested persons to submit written
                                               Montezuma, Ind., at milepost BD 192.4                   effective date of the exemption (30 days
                                               and ending in Decatur, Ill., at milepost                                                                          comments to assist the TPSC in
                                                                                                       after the verified notice was filed).2                    identifying significant barriers to U.S.
                                               BD 277.2; (2) CSXT’s Danville                              If the verified notice contains false or
                                               Secondary Subdivision from near Terre                                                                             exports of goods and services, U.S.
                                                                                                       misleading information, the exemption                     foreign direct investment, and the
                                               Haute, Ind., at milepost QSD 72.2 to                    is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the
                                               near Olivet, Ill., at milepost QSD 113.6;                                                                         protection and enforcement of
                                                                                                       exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d)                        intellectual property rights for inclusion
                                               and (3) CSXT’s Paris Industrial Track                   may be filed at any time. The filing of
                                               located in Paris, Ill. As part of the                                                                             in the NTE Report. USTR also will
                                                                                                       a petition to revoke will not                             consider responses to this notice as part
                                               transaction, CSXT will also assign its
                                               trackage rights over Illinois Central                      1 DEIR lists ‘‘Canadian National Railway’’ (CNR)
                                                                                                                                                                 of the annual review of the operation
                                               Railroad Company (IC) between the                       as one of the third-party railroads that could            and effectiveness of all U.S. trade
                                               Decatur Street road crossing at or near                 physically interchange with the line sought to be         agreements regarding
                                               milepost 77.7 and milepost 76.7 on IC’s                 acquired. The Board notes that the correct reference      telecommunications products and
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES




                                                                                                       should be to Illinois Central Railroad Company            services that are in force with respect to
                                               Peoria Subdivision, including IC’s                      (IC)—the CNR subsidiary over which DEIR will be
                                               connection with CSXT between                            assigned 3.6 miles of trackage rights (as described       the United States.
                                               milepost 30.5 and milepost 28.6 on IC’s                 above) and the only CNR affiliate operating in the        DATES: We must receive all written
                                               Peoria Subdivision, and between IC’s                    affected region.                                          comments no later than 11:59 p.m. on
                                                                                                          2 The verified notice states that the transaction is
                                               lead track from its connection to the                                                                             October 30, 2018.
                                                                                                       expected to be consummated on or about September
                                               Green Switch Spur to IC’s connection                    6, 2018, however, consummation of the transaction         ADDRESSES: USTR strongly prefers
                                               with the ADM Run-Around-Yard at                         must await the effective date of the exemption.           electronic submissions made through


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                                                                             Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 165 / Friday, August 24, 2018 / Notices                                            42967

                                               the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://                    3. Trade restrictions implemented                  Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, the
                                               www.regulations.gov. The instructions                   through unwarranted sanitary and                      European Union, Ghana, Guatemala,
                                               for submitting comments are in section                  phytosanitary (SPS) measures that the                 Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia,
                                               4 below. The docket number is USTR–                     country claims to impose for purposes                 Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
                                               2018–0029. For alternatives to on-line                  of protecting human, animal, and plant                Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malaysia,
                                               submissions, contact Yvonne Jamison at                  life or health (e.g., SPS measures not                Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand,
                                               (202) 395–3475 before transmitting a                    based on scientific evidence).                        Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
                                               comment and in advance of the relevant                     4. Subsidies, including export                     Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the
                                               deadline.                                               subsidies (e.g., export financing on                  Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi
                                               FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                        preferential terms, subsidies provided to             Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri
                                               Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395–3475.                       equipment manufacturers contingent on                 Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand,
                                                                                                       export, and agricultural export subsidies             Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
                                               SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                       that displace U.S. exports in third                   Ukraine, and Vietnam.
                                               1. Background                                           country markets) and local content                       In addition, Section 1377 of the
                                                                                                       subsidies (e.g., subsidies contingent on              Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness
                                                  Section 181 of the Trade Act of 1974,
                                                                                                       the purchase or use of domestic rather                Act of 1988 (Section 1377) (19 U.S.C.
                                               as amended (19 U.S.C. 2241) requires
                                                                                                       than imported goods).                                 3106) requires USTR annually to review
                                               USTR annually to publish the NTE                                                                              the operation and effectiveness of all
                                               Report, which sets out an inventory of                     5. Government procurement
                                                                                                       restrictions (e.g., ‘‘buy national policies’’         U.S. trade agreements regarding
                                               the most significant foreign barriers                                                                         telecommunications products and
                                               affecting U.S. exports of goods and                     and closed bidding).
                                                                                                          6. Lack of intellectual property                   services that are in force with respect to
                                               services, U.S. foreign direct investment,                                                                     the United States. The purpose of the
                                               and the protection and enforcement of                   protection and enforcement (e.g.,
                                                                                                       inadequate patent, copyright, and                     review is to determine whether any act,
                                               intellectual property rights. The                                                                             policy, or practice of a country that has
                                               inventory facilitates U.S. negotiations                 trademark regimes).
                                                                                                          7. Barriers to trade in services (e.g.,            entered into a trade agreement or other
                                               aimed at reducing or eliminating these                                                                        telecommunications agreement with the
                                               barriers and is a valuable tool in                      prohibitions or restrictions on foreign
                                                                                                       participation in the market,                          United States is inconsistent with the
                                               enforcing U.S. trade laws and                                                                                 terms of such agreement or otherwise
                                               strengthening the rules-based trading                   discriminatory licensing requirements
                                                                                                       or regulatory standards, local-presence               denies U.S. firms, within the context of
                                               system. You can find the 2018 NTE                                                                             the terms of such agreements, mutually
                                               Report on USTR’s website at http://                     requirements, and unreasonable
                                                                                                       restrictions on what services may be                  advantageous market opportunities for
                                               www.ustr.gov under the tab ‘Reports’. To                                                                      telecommunications products and
                                               ensure compliance with the statutory                    offered).
                                                                                                          8. Barriers to digital trade (e.g.,                services. USTR will consider responses
                                               mandate for the NTE Report and the                                                                            to this notice in the review called for in
                                               Administration’s commitment to focus                    barriers to cross-border data flows
                                                                                                       including data localization                           Section 1377.
                                               on the most significant foreign trade                                                                            We invite commenters to identify
                                               barriers, USTR will be guided by the                    requirements, discriminatory practices
                                                                                                                                                             those barriers covered in submissions
                                               existence of active interest in deciding                affecting trade in digital products,
                                                                                                                                                             that may operate as ‘‘localization
                                               which restrictions to include in the NTE                restrictions on the provision of internet-
                                                                                                                                                             barriers to trade.’’ Localization barriers
                                               Report.                                                 enabled services, and other restrictive
                                                                                                                                                             are measures designed to protect, favor,
                                                                                                       technology requirements).
                                               2. Topics on Which the TPSC Seeks                                                                             or stimulate domestic industries,
                                                                                                          9. Investment barriers (e.g.,                      services providers, and/or intellectual
                                               Information                                             limitations on foreign equity                         property at the expense of goods,
                                                  To assist USTR in preparing the NTE                  participation and on access to foreign                services, or intellectual property from
                                               Report, commenters should submit                        government-funded research and                        other countries, including the provision
                                               information related to one or more of                   development programs, local content                   of subsidies linked to local production.
                                               the following categories of foreign trade               requirements, technology transfer                     For more information on localization
                                               barriers:                                               requirements and export performance                   barriers, please go to http://
                                                  1. Import policies (e.g., tariffs and                requirements, and restrictions on                     www.ustr.gov/trade-topics/localization-
                                               other import charges, quantitative                      repatriation of earnings, capital, fees,              barriers. Commenters should place
                                               restrictions, import licensing, customs                 and royalties).                                       particular emphasis on any practices
                                               barriers, and other market access                          10. Government-tolerated                           that may violate U.S. trade agreements.
                                               barriers).                                              anticompetitive conduct of state-owned                The TPSC also is interested in receiving
                                                  2. Trade restrictions implemented                    or private firms that restrict the sale or            new or updated information pertinent to
                                               through unwarranted standards,                          purchase of U.S. goods or services in the             the barriers covered in the 2018 NTE as
                                               conformity assessment procedures, or                    foreign country’s markets.                            well as information on new barriers. If
                                               technical regulations (technical barriers                  11. Other barriers (e.g., barriers that            USTR does not include in the NTE
                                               to trade) that may have as their objective              encompass more than one category,                     information that it receives pursuant to
                                               protecting national security                            such as bribery and corruption, or that               this notice, it will maintain the
                                               requirements, preventing deceptive                      affect a single sector).                              information for potential use in future
                                               practices, or protecting human health or                Commenters should submit information                  discussions or negotiations with trading
                                               safety, animal or plant life or health, or              related to one or more of the following               partners.
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES




                                               the environment, but that can be                        export markets to be covered in the
                                               formulated or implemented in ways that                  report: Algeria, Angola, the Arab                     3. Estimate of Increase in Exports
                                               create significant barriers to trade                    League, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain,                   Each comment should include an
                                               (including unnecessary or                               Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei,                  estimate of the potential increase in U.S.
                                               discriminatory technical regulations or                 Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Chile,                       exports that would result from removing
                                               standards for telecommunications                        China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote                     any foreign trade barrier the comment
                                               products).                                              d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,                identifies, as well as a description of the


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                                               42968                         Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 165 / Friday, August 24, 2018 / Notices

                                               methodology the commenter used to                       begin with the characters ‘‘BC’’. Any                 with the commitments made in
                                               derive the estimate. Commenters should                  page containing business confidential                 connection with its accession to the
                                               express estimates within the following                  information must be clearly marked                    World Trade Organization (WTO).
                                               value ranges: less than $5 million; $5                  ‘‘BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL’’ on the                      DATES: September 19, 2018 at midnight
                                               million to $25 million; $25 million to                  top of that page. Filers of submissions               EDT: Deadline for submission of
                                               $50 million; $50 million to $100                        containing business confidential                      comments, and requests to appear and
                                               million; $100 million to $500 million;                  information also must submit a public                 summaries of testimony at the October
                                               or, over $500 million. These estimates                  version of their comments that we will                3, 2018 public hearing. October 3, 2018:
                                               will help USTR conduct comparative                      place in the docket for public                        The TPSC will convene a public hearing
                                               analyses of a barrier’s effect over a range             inspection. The file name of the public               in Rooms 1 and 2, 1724 F Street NW,
                                               of industries.                                          version should begin with the character               Washington DC 20508, beginning at 9:30
                                               4. Requirements for Submissions                         ‘‘P’’. The ‘‘BC’’ and ‘‘P’’ should be                 a.m.
                                                                                                       followed by the name of the person or
                                                  In order to be assured of                                                                                  ADDRESSES: USTR strongly prefers
                                                                                                       entity submitting the comments.
                                               consideration, we must receive your                        Please do not attach separate cover                electronic submissions made through
                                               written comments in English by 11:59                    letters to electronic submissions; rather,            the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://
                                               p.m. on October 30, 2018. USTR                          include any information that might                    www.regulations.gov. The instructions
                                               strongly encourages commenters to                       appear in a cover letter in the comments              for submitting notification of intent to
                                               make on-line submissions, using                         themselves. Similarly, to the extent                  testify and/or written comments are in
                                               www.regulations.gov. On the first page,                 possible, please include any exhibits,                sections 3 and 4 below. The docket
                                               please identify the submission as                       annexes, or other attachments in the                  number is USTR–2018–0030. For
                                               ‘‘Comments Regarding Foreign Trade                      same file as the submission itself, not as            alternatives to on-line submissions,
                                               Barriers to U.S. Exports for 2019                       separate files.                                       contact Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395–
                                               Reporting.’’ Commenters providing                          As noted, USTR strongly urges that                 3475 before transmitting a comment and
                                               information on foreign trade barriers in                you file submissions through                          in advance of the relevant deadline.
                                               more than one country should,                           www.regulations.gov. You must make                    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                               whenever possible, provide a separate                   any alternative arrangements with                     Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395–3475 for
                                               submission for each country.                            Yvonne Jamison at (202) 395–3475                      procedural questions concerning written
                                                  To submit comments via                                                                                     comments or participation in the public
                                                                                                       before transmitting a comment and in
                                               www.regulations.gov, enter docket                                                                             hearing. Direct all other questions to
                                                                                                       advance of the relevant deadline.
                                               number USTR–2018–0029 on the home                                                                             Terrence J. McCartin, Acting Assistant
                                                                                                          USTR will post comments in the
                                               page and click ‘‘search.’’ The site will                                                                      United States Trade Representative for
                                               provide a search-results page listing all               docket for public inspection, except
                                                                                                       business confidential information. You                China Affairs, at (202) 395–3900, or
                                               documents associated with this docket.                                                                        Philip D. Chen, Chief Counsel for China
                                               Find a reference to this notice and click               can view comments on the https://
                                                                                                       www.regulations.gov website by                        Enforcement, at (202) 395–3150.
                                               on the link entitled ‘‘comment now!’’.
                                               For further information on using the                    entering docket number USTR–2018–                     SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                               www.regulations.gov website, please                     0029 in the search field on the home
                                                                                                       page. General information concerning                  1. Background
                                               consult the resources provided on the
                                               website by clicking on ‘‘How to Use                     USTR is available at www.ustr.gov.                       China became a Member of the WTO
                                               Regulations.gov’’ on the bottom of the                  Edward Gresser,                                       on December 11, 2001. In accordance
                                               home page. USTR will not accept hand-                                                                         with section 421 of the U.S.-China
                                                                                                       Chair of the Trade Policy Staff Committee,
                                               delivered submissions.                                  Office of the United States Trade                     Relations Act of 2000 (P.L. 106–286),
                                                  The www.regulations.gov website                      Representative.                                       USTR is required to submit, by
                                               allows users to submit comments by                      [FR Doc. 2018–18287 Filed 8–23–18; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                             December 11 of each year, a report to
                                               filling in a ‘‘type comment’’ field or by                                                                     Congress on China’s compliance with
                                                                                                       BILLING CODE 3290–F8–P
                                               attaching a document using an ‘‘upload                                                                        commitments made in connection with
                                               file’’ field. USTR prefers that you submit                                                                    its accession to the WTO, including
                                               comments in an attached document. If                    OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES                           both multilateral commitments and any
                                               you attach a document, please identify                  TRADE REPRESENTATIVE                                  bilateral commitments made to the
                                               the name of the country to which the                                                                          United States. In accordance with
                                                                                                       [Docket Number USTR–2018–0030]                        section 421, and to assist it in preparing
                                               submission pertains in the ‘‘type
                                               comment’’ field. For example: See                                                                             this year’s report, the TPSC is soliciting
                                                                                                       Request for Comments and Notice of                    public comments. You can find last
                                               attached comments with respect to                       Public Hearing Concerning China’s
                                               (name of country). USTR prefers                                                                               year’s report on USTR’s website at
                                                                                                       Compliance With WTO Commitments                       https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/
                                               submissions in Microsoft Word (.doc) or
                                               Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). If you use an                     AGENCY:  Office of the United States                  Press/Reports/China%202017
                                               application other than those two, please                Trade Representative.                                 %20WTO%20Report.pdf.
                                               indicate the name of the application in                 ACTION: Notice of public hearing and                     The terms of China’s accession to the
                                               the ‘‘type comment’’ field.                             request for comments.                                 WTO are contained in the Protocol on
                                                  Filers submitting comments                                                                                 the Accession of the People’s Republic
                                               containing no business confidential                     SUMMARY:   The interagency Trade Policy               of China (including its annexes)
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES




                                               information should name their file using                Staff Committee (TPSC) invites                        (Protocol), the Report of the Working
                                               the name of the person or entity                        interested persons to submit written                  Party on the Accession of China
                                               submitting the comments. For any                        comments and participate in a public                  (Working Party Report), and the WTO
                                               comments submitted electronically                       hearing to assist the Office of the United            agreements. You can find the Protocol
                                               containing business confidential                        States Trade Representative (USTR) in                 and Working Party Report on the WTO
                                               information, the file name of the                       the preparation of its annual report to               website at http://docsonline.wto.org
                                               business confidential version should                    the Congress on China’s compliance                    (document symbols: WT/L/432, WT/


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Document Created: 2018-08-24 04:14:44
Document Modified: 2018-08-24 04:14:44
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
DatesWe must receive all written comments no later than 11:59 p.m. on October 30, 2018.
ContactYvonne Jamison at (202) 395-3475.
FR Citation83 FR 42966 

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